Navratri Kanya Puja 2024: Customs, Importance, and Lucky Days
A holy Hindu festival called Kumari Puja, or Kanya Puja, honors young girls as embodiments of Goddess Durga. This event, which falls on the eighth or ninth day of Navratri, is deeply ingrained in Hindu culture. April 16 is Kanya Puja’s date in 2024. Let’s explore the customs, meaning, and lucky times of this hallowed occasion.
The importance of the Kanya Puja
Young girls are considered to be the embodiment of Goddess Durga in Hinduism, representing purity and heavenly energy. Kanya Puja is a way to acknowledge and respect the spiritual strength that resides in young females. It is also said to be a means of asking the divine feminine for protection, fertility, and wealth.
The Lucky Days for Kanya Puja
In the month of Chaitra, the Ashtami Tithi of Shukla Paksha falls on April 15 at 12:11 p.m. and concludes on April 16 at 1:23 p.m. On April 16, which is the Ashtami Tithi of Chaitra Navratri, fasting and devotion are performed according to the Hindu lunar calendar.
Customs of the Kanya Puja
The central ceremony of Kanya Puja is the fervent veneration of nine young girls, who stand in for the nine incarnations of Goddess Durga. Usually between the ages of two and ten, these girls are dressed in traditional clothing and given presents and blessings as expressions of appreciation and affection.
Washing the little girls’ feet at the start of the puja is a gesture of respect and cleansing. Then, to further conjure the goddess-like atmosphere, they are clothed in new garments and accessorised with bindis, bangles, and other items. They are then served fruits, pastries, and other customary treats while sitting on a mat or stage that has been decorated.
Offerings of flowers, lamps, incense sticks, and holy chants are offered to Goddess Durga during the puja. It is said that blessings from all celestial manifestations of the Goddess may be obtained by worshiping these young ladies.
The girls receive gifts of gratitude once the puja is over, including prasad (holy food) and dakshina (money). This practice is also important to the development of respect for women and gender equality.
Known by several names in different parts of India, such as Kanjak Ashtami or Kanjak Poojan, Kanya Puja is celebrated with tremendous fervor. Women participate in the puja celebrations by dressing traditionally, and homes and pandals are decorated with vivid lights and hues.
