Boat ride for Maa Durga before immersion in Odisha

KENDRAPARA: The five-day dUR came to an end with people bidding adieu to Goddess Durga by immersing idols in Hansua river at Rajnagar village of the district here on Monday.

Before the immersion ceremony, the idols were taken in a procession from one village to another with local residents garlanding the Goddess and offering coconuts. The occasion witnessed participation of a large number of people.

“Carrying of idols on boats for immersion is an age-old tradition in Rajnagar. Earlier, people used to swim in the river to reach the boats carrying the idols but few do so now as the water body is infested with saltwater crocodiles,” said Basant Jena, a retired school teacher.

Jagannath Dash, a local, said many years back owing to non-construction of bridges, puja committees used to take the idols from one village to another to allow devotees get a final glimpse of the Goddess before Her immersion. “Though the area is well-connected with pucca roads and bridges now, idols are still ferried in boats before immersion to preserve the age-old tradition,” he said.