**Kanya Pujan: A Sacred Ritual During Navratri**
Kanya Pujan, also known as Kumari Puja or Kanjak Puja, holds great significance during the auspicious Navratri festival. It is typically observed on Durga Ashtami or Mahanavami. However, devotees who observe a nine-day fast may perform Kanya Pujan daily throughout the festival.
This year, Ashtami falls on Tuesday, September 30, and Navami on Wednesday, October 1. Consequently, Kanya Pujan will be performed on the Ashtami Tithi (September 30) as well as on the Navami Tithi (October 1).
### The Significance of Kanya Pujan
Kanya Pujan is one of the most important rituals during Navratri. In 2025, it will be observed on the eighth (Ashtami) and ninth (Navami) days of Navratri, which are considered highly auspicious.
Devotees believe that worshipping young girls — regarded as the embodiment of Goddess Durga — helps seek the goddess’s divine blessings for prosperity, happiness, and protection from negativity. The ritual symbolizes reverence for the feminine divine energy and is a way to honor purity and innocence.
### Rituals of Kanya Pujan
The ritual begins by inviting young girls, usually aged between 2 and 10 years, into homes or temples. These girls are considered living forms of the goddess, representing purity, innocence, and divine feminine power.
Devotees wash the girls’ feet with respect, tie a kalawa (sacred thread) on their wrists, and apply kumkum (vermilion) on their foreheads. Special food is prepared for the occasion, traditionally including poori, chana, and halwa, which is then offered to the girls as prasad.
In many households, gifts such as clothes, money, or other tokens of gratitude are also presented to the girls as a form of appreciation and blessing.
### Celebration and Devotion
Kanya Pujan is a beautiful celebration of devotion, gratitude, and the recognition of the divine feminine strength present in every girl and woman. It serves as a reminder of the power and grace of Goddess Durga and inspires devotees to embrace these qualities in their lives.
Celebrate this Navratri by honoring the divine through Kanya Pujan and receive the blessings of Goddess Durga for a prosperous and joyful life.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/lifestyle/kanya-pujan-2025-know-auspicious-rituals-significance-more
