Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A large number of women took part in sindoor khela at Kali Badi in South TT Nagar in the city on Bijoya Dashmi - the last day of five-day Durga Puja - on Tuesday.
They bade adieu to Goddess Durga with moist eyes. Clad in off-white sarees with red border, women applied sindoor (vermillion) on forehead and feet of goddess Durga and offered sweets to her.
After this, they smeared sindoor on each other's face. They offered sweets and greeted, Happy Bijoya Dashmi, to each other. Women performed dhunuchi dance to the beats of dhaak.
They danced holding earthen pots and burning coconut scrapes in their hands. Some of them played dhaak and blew conch shells. A special prasad called dahi karma made of poha, banana, milk, curd, khoya and sweets was distributed to all.
93-year-old Indira Bahaduri (centre), mother of Jaya Bachchan with her daughter Neeta ( right) and Rita (left ) |
Indira Bahaduri, the 93-year-old mother-in-law of film actor Amitabh Bachchan, visited Kali Badi with her daughters – Neeta and Rita. When asked why her daughter Jaya Bachchan hadn’t come, she said, “I have come. And my two daughters and sons-in-law are with me.
Jaya must have had some work, so she didn’t come. But she wished me over phone.” She said she had been visiting Kali Badi since 1956 when Madhya Pradesh was formed.
“I don’t like any other place except Bhopal,” she added. Beautician Sneha Upadhyay said she had been taking part in Sindur Khela for 15 years. “I am from Kolkata. At Kali Badi, I feel that I am at my parents’ place.”
Homemaker Shivani Bose who performed dhunchi dance with one-year-old son Shubh said, “I have been visiting this place for six years but it was a new experience to dance with my son.” Social activist Sanskriti Singh said she loved vibes of place. “I love to perform dhunuchi dance with my Bengali, non-Bengali friends”.
