Baikunthapur Rajbari Begins Puja Rituals

In Jalpaiguri, India, an ancient palace called Baikunthapur Rajbari is getting ready for its big religious festivals.

These include Durga Puja, celebrating its 515th year, and the even older Manasa Puja.

The celebrations start with a fun mud-smearing game called Nandotsav, where people play in the mud, which is then used to make the Durga idol.

Long ago, people sacrificed humans, but now they use rice and banana figures instead.

During Durga Puja, lots of people come to watch, and the immersion of the idol follows old traditions, using special items from the royal family.