Editorial photo #12640553 Human Interest
Bengali Hindu Women Perform Sindur Khela
Bengali Hindu women perform Sindur Khela during Vijayadashami in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, on October 06, 2024. Sindur Khela, literally meaning 'vermillion game', is a Bengali Hindu tradition where married women smear each other with sindur (vermilion powder) on Vijayadashami, the last day of the Durga Puja festival. Sindur Khela symbolizes the power of womanhood, protecting her husband and children from all evil. Through the ritual of Sindur Khela, the Bengali Hindu women pray for long and happy married lives of each other. The five-day Durga Puja festival commemorates the slaying of a demon King Mahishasur by Goddess Durga, marking the triumph of good over evil. (Photo by Creative Touch Imaging Ltd./NurPhoto)