Bengali community bids farewell to Goddess Durga with Sindoor Khela at Rani Kothi in Nagpur

The Bengali community's Durga Puja was celebrated this year at Rani Kothi in Civil Lines, Nagpur. The Paschim Nagariya Bengali Cultural Association (PNBCA) held Durga Puja 2026 at its new venue. On Vijayadashami, the traditional Sindoor Khela was performed as Goddess Durga was bid farewell. Married women offered vermilion to the goddess and then applied it to one another.

Sindoor Khela is counted among the most cherished traditions of the Bengali Durga Puja. Women first offer vermilion to the goddess and then exchange it with the other devotees present. The ritual symbolises a prayer for happiness, prosperity and the well-being of their husbands. It also reflects the sisterhood and bonds within the community, which are the heart of the entire festival.

PNBCA's journey began in 2014. Its aim was to celebrate Durga Puja wholeheartedly and to welcome people from every section of society. This year's event is being seen as a new chapter in the association's journey.

The association initially held the puja at IWWA in Nagpur from 2014 to 2016. The festival was then celebrated at Bharat Lawns from 2017 to 2019. PNBCA kept up the worship during the Covid-19 pandemic too. A Ghat Puja was held in 2020, and in 2021 the puja was held for members only.

From 2022 to 2025, the association held Durga Puja at the Ladies Club lawns in Civil Lines. This year it moved to Rani Kothi, Civil Lines. The reasons given were that the venue has more space and is clean, and that it has better facilities for cooking the bhog offered to Goddess Durga. Arrangements for religious rituals, cultural programmes and social gatherings can also be better.

For PNBCA, Durga Puja is not merely a religious festival. The association places Antarikota, meaning warmth, closeness and a sense of unity, at the centre of its celebrations.

When the whole community gathered for Sindoor Khela, the ritual became an example of faith, Bengali heritage and a lasting bond of celebrating together. Though the venue has changed over the years and the association has grown, PNBCA's intent to welcome people and preserve cultural traditions remains unchanged.

The event at Rani Kothi is another milestone for the association. Its journey of devotion, cultural expression and bringing the community together continues in Nagpur in the same way.