Kanya Puja, also known as Kumari Puja, is an auspicious Hindu festival celebrated to honour and worship young girls as the manifestation of Goddess Durga. This ritual holds great significance in Hindu culture and is observed on the eighth or ninth day of Navratri. This year, Kanya Puja falls on April 16, 2024. Let's delve deeper into the rituals, significance, and auspicious timings of this festival.
Significance of Kanya Puja:
In Hinduism, girls are considered the epitome of purity and power. They are believed to possess the energy and strength of Goddess Durga. Kanya Puja is a way to honour and acknowledge this divinity within young girls. It is also seen as a way to seek blessings from the divine feminine for prosperity, fertility, and protection.
Rituals of Kanya Puja:
The main ritual of Kanya Puja involves worshipping nine young girls, representing the nine forms of Goddess Durga, with great devotion and respect. These girls are usually between the ages of 2 to 10 years old. They are dressed in traditional attire and given gifts and offerings as a symbol of gratitude and love.
The puja begins by washing the feet of the girls, which is seen as a way to purify them and show reverence. Then they are adorned with new clothes, bangles, bindis, and other accessories to make them feel like goddesses. After that, they are seated on a decorated pedestal or mat and offered fruits, sweets, and other traditional delicacies.
The puja is performed by offering flowers, incense sticks, lamps, and other sacred items while chanting mantras dedicated to Goddess Durga. It is believed that by worshipping these young girls, one can attain blessings from all the divine forms of Goddess Durga.
After the puja is completed, the girls are given dakshina (money) and prasad (blessed food) as a token of appreciation. This ritual also holds great significance in promoting gender equality and respect towards women.
Auspicious Timings for Kanya Puja:
Ashtami Tithi of Shukla Paksha of Chaitra month will start from 12:11 am on April 15. It will end on April 16 at 01:23 pm. According to the Hindu lunar calendar, the fast and worship on Ashtami Tithi of Chaitra Navratri will be done on April 16.
Celebrations Across India:
Kanya Puja is celebrated with great fervour and enthusiasm across various parts of India. In some regions, it is also known as Kanjak Ashtami or Kanjak Poojan. People decorate their homes and pandals with vibrant colours and lights, and women dress up in traditional attire to perform the puja.
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