Four days of festivities end on the fifth day with Vijaya/ Bijoya Dashmi, the day on which Durga is said to have achieved vijay (victory) over demon king Mahishasura. Idols of the goddess and her children are immersed in water, signalling her departure for Mount Kailash, the mythical abode of the gods where she lives with her husband Lord Shiva. Early evening is considered the most suitable for bisarjan, though it may continue late into the night. In Kolkata, idols are usually gently pushed into the River Hooghly, while in many other parts of Bengal, they are taken out onto the river in the middle of a pair of boats tied together, which slowly part so that the idols can drop into the water. The immersion processions arrive on foot and in vehicles, accompanied by dhaak (drum) beats and dancing, though a pall of sadness descends as Durga and her children Lakhsmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh go on their way. In Bengal, Bisarjan is preceded by sindur khela, when women smear each other with vermillion, and followed by ‘kolakuli’, where men ritually hug each other three times. Younger people touch an elder’s feet seeking blessings, followed by kolakuli if both parties are men."