Mumbai: Kanya Pujan holds a special place in the nine-day Navratri festival. On the eighth day (Durga Ashtami), devotees worship the Goddess in her child form by honouring little girls as a symbol of Maa Durga’s divine energy. It is believed that serving and worshipping young girls on this day brings happiness, peace, and prosperity into the household.
In 2025, Sharadiya Navratri began on September 22. The Ashtami Tithi, when Kanya Pujan will be performed, falls on Tuesday, September 30, 2025. On this day, devotees prepare traditional prasad, including halwa and puri, offer it to Maa Durga, and serve it with devotion to young girls as a sacred ritual.
Kanya Pujan is considered the concluding ritual of Navratri fasts. Worshipping young girls is believed to please Maa Durga and invite her blessings. The ritual is associated with the attainment of wealth, good health, and marital happiness.
Traditionally, nine girls are invited, symbolising the nine forms of Maa Durga. If nine cannot be arranged, inviting three or five girls is also considered auspicious. The girls should ideally be between 2 to 10 years of age.
Kanya Pujan during Navratri is not just a ritual but a heartfelt offering to the divine feminine energy. By honouring little girls as forms of Maa Durga, devotees invite peace, prosperity, and divine blessings into their lives.
