The tradition of Kumari Puja or Kanya Puja is also an important feature of Navratri. At the time of Puja, the girl is considered to be an avatar of NavaDurga on earth and worshipped. Kanya Pujan or Kumari Puja is performed with a belief that young girls are the replica of Goddess Durga. The devotees invite girls to homes and offer bhog. The faith is that Goddess Durga, who is worshipped in nine avatars during Navratri, gets pleased by Kanya Pujan.
Why Kanya Puja is performed?
Do you know why people perform Kanya puja? Our sacred books say that every human has a God within but provided the human should have innocence and purity. Children are the purest form of human beings as they have no evil emotions instilled. It is believed that praying a human would get faster results than praying the God himself.
Sacred books of Hindus describe that every human has a God within but provided the human should have innocence and purity. Children are the purest form of human beings as they have no evil emotions instilled. It is believed that praying a human would get faster results than praying the God himself.
Names of Goddess represent Nine Girls
Kanya puja ritual is celebrated on the eighth and ninth day of Navratri. The nine names of the Goddesses; the nine girls represented as:-
1. Kumarika
2. Trimurti
3. Kalyani
4. Rohini
5. Kali
6. Chandika
7. Shanbhavi
8. Durga
9. Subhadra
Important Factors of Kanya Puja
Certain important factors considered for Kanya Puja
- The girl worshipped for Kumari Puja should be healthy and free from all sorts of diseases and physical defects.
- Brahmin girls chose to fulfill all sorts of wishes, Kshatriya girls for the glory and fame, Vaishya girls for wealth and prosperity and Shudra girls for getting a son.
Kanya Puja Vidhi and Rituals
- Wash the feet of the nine little girls
- Then give clothes and gifts
- The girls are made to sit on special pedestal
- Perform aarti on them
- Tilak, rice grains and vermilion put on them
- Then they offered food and water. The meal mainly comprises chana, puri, and halwa, prepared in ghee.
- Women devotees touch their feet with respect and give them gifts.
- There is also a practice of giving clothes or money before sending them.
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