Members of the Bengali community, especially women, celebrated the traditional Sindoor Khela ritual on Maha Dashami, marking the conclusion of the 10-day Durga Puja festival, at Srinagar’s Lal Chowk area in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday.
Clad in red-and-white sarees, women were seen dancing and taking part in rituals, in what community members described as a show of normalcy in the Valley months after the Pahalgam terror attack.
“We received support from people across communities in hosting the festival. We are thankful to everyone,” said Siddharth Roy, a member of the organising committee.
Another Bengali participant said the final day was celebrated with joy through dance, song, and ritual observances.
According to local media reports, the traditional procession of Goddess Durga’s idol was carried from Shiv Mandir to Lal Chowk.
Lal Chowk has long been a politically sensitive site in Srinagar.
The Narendra Modi-led government’s revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 on Aug 5, 2019, altered the region’s political landscape, with the Centre since launching several developmental initiatives in the Valley.
