Shillong, October 22: Thousands of Hindu devotees gathered at Polo Lake in Shillong on Wednesday to participate in the immersion of hundreds of idols, marking the conclusion of the Durga Puja celebrations.
The immersion ceremony witnessed enthusiastic participation from devotees, including men, women and children, who took to the streets in colourful processions accompanied by traditional drums, music, dancing and celebrations.
Devotees were seen applying sindoor (vermillion) on one another as they bid farewell to Goddess Durga and other idols following days of religious festivities.
The atmosphere around Polo was filled with religious fervour as hundreds of idols were brought to the lake for immersion, marking the culmination of the annual festival.
The large turnout of devotees and immersion processions also resulted in traffic congestion across several parts of Shillong, disrupting the normal movement of vehicles.
Long queues of vehicles were witnessed in different areas of the city as devotees made their way towards Polo for the immersion ceremony.
Meanwhile, security personnel were deployed at strategic locations across Polo and other parts of Shillong to maintain law and order and ensure the peaceful conduct of the celebrations.
Authorities maintained a security presence throughout the immersion processions to facilitate the movement of devotees and manage traffic in the affected areas.
The immersion ceremony marked the conclusion of this year’s Durga Puja festivities in the state capital.
