AGARTALA, Oct 22 (TIWN): With tears in eyes, scrambling to touch her feet one last time, devotees across state bade goodbye to their beloved mother goddess Durga as her idols were immersed at Dashamighat on Vijaya Dashami on Thursday.The banks of Howrah at Dashamighat wore a festive look despite the slight drizzle, as puja organisers came in colourful processions to the accompaniment of drums to immerse idols of the goddess and her four children - Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartik.Several huddled in streets to watch the processions.Hundreds of devotees, including the young, joined hands in gently lowering the idols into the river. An element of emptiness at the end of the biggest celebration came to an end, but they consoled themselves shouting "Asche bochor abar hobe" (See you next year).Most were clad in ethnic wear as they danced all the way to the ghat to the beats of the dhaak (drums).The immersion ceremony symbolises the end of the goddess's annual sojourn to her paternal home and she returns to her husband Lord Shiva at their heavenly abode in Mount Kailash.

People played cymbals as the idols were lowered into the water while children splashed water on the submerging goddess. 

Teary eyed devotees bade an emotional farewell as idols of goddess Durga and her four children -Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartik -were immersed to mark the occasion of Vijaya Dashami,

Married women decked in the ritualistic red-and-white sarees marked the event with the customary "Sindoor Khela" or smearing each other and the idols with red vermillion to prepare the goddess and her clan for their long journey home, as dhaaks (traditional drums) played on in the background.

The festive marked with the chants of "Bolo Durga Mai Ki Jai" adding to the fervour.

Children, the young and the elderly joined hands to slowly put the idols into the water as they wished for her return next year.

People offered sweets to the goddess and prayed for the well-being of their families.

School students visited the marquees and kept their books and pens in front of the goddess praying for her blessings for a good academic record.