Staff Reporter:
The main attraction of the eighth day of Durga Puja, known as Ashtami, is Kumari Puja, which signifies the worship of young girls to seek the blessings of goddess Durga.
This year’s Kumari Puja witnessed an overwhelming crowd of devotees across Bangladesh on Tuesday (30 September).
To welcome the devotees, the temple premises had been prepared since morning. The temple authorities, volunteers, and priests became busy maintaining instruction and performing the rituals.
Kumari Puja was celebrated with great splendour and religious solemnity at Ramakrishna Mission in the capital.
Kumari Puja began at 11:00am and ended at 12:00pm. The Kumari Mother was worshipped with five offerings: fire, water, cloth, flowers, and air.
After offering the oblation, a wreath of flowers was placed around the goddess’s neck.
Following this, the ritual of pushpanjali (flower offering) and distribution of prasad took place.
This year’s goddess, in the form of Durga, is named Labonya Chattopadhyay according to the scriptures, while her living incarnation is named ‘Malini’ and the name of her father is Bijoy Chattopadhyay. She is 7 years old.
Before the ritual, she was bathed and adorned with a bright sari, flower garlands, a crown, red dye (alta) on her feet, and a bindi on her forehead, preparing her for the ceremony.
According to Hindu scriptures, girls between the ages of one and sixteen, who are pure and unmarried, are worshipped as goddesses, whether they are Brahmins or from other castes.
As per the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna, it is said that the divine presence of the goddess manifests more fully in a pure-hearted Kumari, and the purpose of Kumari Puja is to recognize and honour the motherly form of the goddess.
Scripturally, a one-year-old girl is worshipped as Sandhya, at two as Saraswati, at three as Tridhamurti, at four as Kalika, at five as Subhaga, at six as Uma, at seven as Malini, at eight as Kujjika, at nine as Kalsandarbha, at 10 as Aparajita, at 11 as Rudrani, at 12 as Bhairavi, at 13 as Mahalakshmi, at 14 as Peetha Nayika, at 15 as Kshetragya, and at 16 as Annapurna.
