Today, Bengali women performed sindoor khela in Thane, Mumbai, as they said goodbye to Durga Maa for the year. The practice of Sindoor khela largely continues to be a practice among married women, despite the claims made by numerous campaigns to the contrary. It’s thought that the tradition of sindoor khela traces its history to Durga Puja. What began as a Zamindari family custom during their personal Durga Pujas spread to other cultures. This year’s Durga Puja has come to a close. The celebration began on September 26 with Mahalaya and concluded on October 5, today with Vijaya Dashami. One of the great highlights of Durga Puja is the Sindoor khela, in which married ladies’ colour one another’s faces with vermillion. It’s believed that the tradition of sindoor khela traces back to Durga Puja. What began as a Zamindari family custom during their personal Durga Pujas spread to other cultures. Married women say goodbye to Durga Maa for the year on Vijaya Dashami and apply vermillion to the idol’s face. Then they put vermillion on the faces of other married women to play with it.
