Vijaya Dashami 2021: What Is Sindoor Khela? History, Significance & Changing Face Of The Durga Puja Ritual

It’s a special day for the women folk. After ‘ghat visarjan’ on Vijaya Dashami, women apply sindoor on the idol and then playfully smear it on each other’s faces for good luck

A file photo of Sindoor Khela at a Durga Puja pandal in Delhi | Photo: Getty

New Delhi: Durga Puja is one of the most important festivals in India, and Vijaya Dashami marks the end of the five days of festivities. 

This year, Vijaya Dashami is today, i.e. October 14.

In Bengal, where Durga Puja is the biggest festival, the last day is a sombre occasion when Goddess Durga is bid adieu for a year. People feel sad, and emotional scenes can be seen during the final rituals and immersion.

It’s a special day for the women folk, especially those who are married, who wait for this day the whole year. After ‘ghat visarjan’ at the puja pandal, a symbolic immersion of Durga that declares the end of the Puja rituals, women apply sindoor (vermillion) on the forehead and the feet of the idol and offer sweets to her, in preparation of her departure. 

The Sindoor Khela begins after that, as the women then apply sindoor on each other — on the feet of the older ones among them before playfully smearing it on each other’s faces.

Sindoor Khela Traditions, Rituals And Beliefs 

Literally meaning ‘vermillion game’, Sindoor (also spelt sindur) Khela is celebrated by Bengali Hindu married women who believe this will result in long life for their husbands and good luck for the family.

The Sindoor Khela ritual begins after the ‘visarjan’ puja on Vijaya Dashami. Women, usually dressed in a traditional white saree with red borders, first perform ‘Devi Baran’, a ritual meant to bid farewell to Goddess Durga. They perform an arati, and then apply sindoor on the forehead and feet of the idol. 

After this, they apply sindoor on each other’s forehead, and the parting of their hair. Younger women also touch the older one’s feet. 

As an important part of the ritual, sindoor is also applied on the shankha, pola and noa — the three bangles, made of conch shells, coral and iron, respectively, that Bengali married women traditionally wear.

Finally, they offer sweets, usually part of the prasad from the puja, to each other.

The ritual creates an atmosphere of bonhomie, as happens during Holi, the festival of colours.

Sindoor Khela History 

While it is not clear as to when and where did the Sindoor Khela tradition actually originate from, old timers believe the tradition is as old as the festival, which started to be celebrated around 400 years ago. 

Many, however, believe it was started by the zamindars, who organised Durga Puja at their homes, around two centuries 200 ago. 

Sindoor Khela Now

The pious and beautiful ritual was always accused of having one flaw — it was not inclusive. It has been meant only for a woman whose husband is alive. Unmarried women and widows were traditionally not supposed to be part of this celebration of matrimony.

But things are changing now. In Kolkata and many other places, pandals have started inviting all women, irrespective of their marital status, to partake in this age-old custom and join the celebration.