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<\/p>\nTraditionally, Durga Puja ends with the immersion of the pandal\u00a0images into a stream or river. \u00a0Once again, good has triumphed over evil, and Ma Durga and her children return to Mount Kailash and Durga’s consort, Lord\u00a0Shiva.<\/p>\n
Thousands and thousands of images are\u00a0submerged\u00a0each\u00a0year! \u00a0 There are serious environmental\u00a0concerns in Kolkata\u00a0regarding\u00a0the dumping of so much debris (not to mention chemicals from today’s use of acrylic paints, etc.) into the Hooghly. \u00a0To alleviate these concerns, some communities or families now keep their clay images for several years before immersion. \u00a0Others have developed their own symbolic immersion of the goddess and do not submerge the pandal at all. \u00a0 This year, a few media outlets reported that in\u00a0some\u00a0cities located along the banks of the Ganga river, all worshippers\u00a0now submerge their images in man-made ponds instead of the river.<\/p>\n
However, in Kolkata, many still chose to\u00a0physically immerse their Durga pandal this year, and immersions began on October 3rd. \u00a0The following morning there was a massive reclamation and recycling effort. \u00a0The images in this post\u00a0will show you some of the efforts being made at an area next to the Hooghly river that is called Babughat.<\/p>\n
During the time set aside for immersions this year, convoys of trucks loaded with people and pandal images made their way to the river, \u00a0while musically accompanying their journey with drums and chanting.<\/p>\n
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The group of people packed into the truck above all work for the same corporation, and they had brought the company’s puja pandal.<\/p>\n
The pandal is spun around several times, before its bearers carry\u00a0the pandal into the water.<\/p>\n The pandal is once again turned around several times, before Durga and her children are laid down\u00a0gently into the water.<\/p>\n The immersion is finished.<\/p>\n And, now for the reclamation — <\/p>\n \u00a0 Television news teams on location at\u00a0Babughat to report on the efforts to contain the pandal debris.<\/p>\n By 4pm, Babughat is completely free of debris and prepared for this evening’s immersions.<\/p>\n Traditionally, Durga Puja ends with the immersion of the pandal\u00a0images into a stream or river. \u00a0Once again, good has triumphed over evil, and Ma Durga and her children return to Mount Kailash and Durga’s consort, Lord\u00a0Shiva. Thousands and thousands of images are\u00a0submerged\u00a0each\u00a0year! \u00a0 There are serious environmental\u00a0concerns in Kolkata\u00a0regarding\u00a0the dumping of so much debris (not … Continue reading Immersions – Tradition and the Environment<\/span> ![\"DSC_0068\"](\"http:\/\/cynthiasiegel.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/DSC_0068.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Lots of dancing and music to honor Durga and her children before lifting the images\u00a0out of the truck.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>The company insisted that we join in the dance! \u00a0So here I am, happy to oblige, yet not exactly\u00a0sure how to dance safely with my Nikon.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Notice the clay figures’ mouths – they had been fed some prasad, or religious\u00a0offerings of food. \u00a0After being presented to the gods, prasad is\u00a0then consumed by the worshippers.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>\u00a0<\/a>
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\nIn the morning we can see pandal parts floating down the river.<\/p>\n<\/a>
\n<\/a> <\/a>The cleanup and recycling begins—<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"