LONDON, ENGLAND, October 3, 2006: Deities made from clay, straw and organic vegetable dyes were immersed in the River Thames, West London, and hundreds from the Bengali community attended the ceremony. This is the first time the community was allowed to give a traditional Navaratri send-off to the Deities by the London port authorities. The Deities, belonging to a tableau measuring 18ft by 20ft, were built at the British Museum by craftsmen who were brought in from the Indian state of West Bengal. The Deities were then moved to the Camden Town Hall where the week-long festival was held. The submergence marked the end of the week-long festival of Durga Puja. The organizers, London Durga Puja Dusserah Committee, said this is the first time in its 40 year history the community had got a chance to observe all the rituals.
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