Durgotsava has a special significance for women who look forward to this auspicious occasion to buy sarees and dresses for themselves and their family. During the Vijay Dashmi or Dasserra to the outsider married ladies participate in the sindoor utsav women smear the parting of Durga's hair with vermilion and again smear each other's hair parting with cermillions, the sign of marriage for a Bengali women. The alpana designs on the floor with rice flour paste are made by girls. To them Durga is treated as a loving mother or as a daughter of the family. They see the autumn festival as the annual home coming of Durga, the married daughter returning home to her parents from her husband's house for a period of four days.
Women arrange everything from buying sarees, goods and gifts to clicking new delicacies etc.
During the period the spirit transports one's soul into ecstasy of delight and one is struck with awe, and wonder when one delves deeper in Puja consciousness because it is more than a religious festival. It is a part and parcel of Bengal's life style.