Navratri 2026 Kanya Puja: Chaitra Navratri is a very holy festival. In this month Chaitra Navratri will start from 19th March. It will conclude on 27th March on the day of Ram Navami. Devotees worship and worship the Mother Goddess during the nine days of Navratri. Also observe fast. According to mythology, Goddess Durga was incarnated in the month of Chaitra. Navratri is the most auspicious occasion to receive the blessings of Mother Durga.
There is a religious belief that by worshiping and fasting during Navratri, Mother Goddess removes all troubles. There is a tradition of worshiping girls on the occasion of Navratri. During this period, girls aged between two years and nine years are worshipped. Then the girls are fed halwa-puri. This is the offering of Goddess Durga only. In such a situation, let us know when did the tradition of Kanya Puja start and what are girls of 2 to 10 years of age called?
According to Markandeya Purana,
Girl worship has been described in detail in Markandeya Purana. According to this Purana, Goddess Durga in child form destroyed the demons who were a threat to the gods and mankind. This is why the worship of girls is seen as the worship of Goddess Durga. According to Devi Bhagwat Purana, sage Katyayan of Katya dynasty proved the mantra of Goddess Bhagwati.
Then the goddess appeared and demanded from him that she wanted to be born as his daughter. When the time came, the goddess was born in his lineage as his daughter and was called Katyayani. This goddess is a part of the same power that the gods had manifested against Mahishasura. Mahishasura had a boon that he would be killed by the hands of a virgin girl. Then by taking birth in Katyayan Gotra, Devi killed Mahishasura.
Kanya Puja started around 14th century
Even when the goddess started a war against the demons, sage Katyayan considered her to be the form of the goddess and worshiped her. He gave Madhupark (curd and honey syrup) to the goddess, gave her sugarcane juice to drink and bid farewell by giving her satvik food. However, the worship of girls of the Goddess is considered to have started from the 14th to 16th century.
What are girls between 2 to 9 years called?
According to the scriptures, worship is done during Navratri from two to nine years. According to Hindu belief, all these girls are considered symbols of different forms of the Goddess. Girls of every age represent a special power. Two year old girl is considered to be Kumari, three year old Trimurti, four year old Kalyani, five year old Rohini, six year old Kalika, seven year old Chandika, eight year old Shambhavi and nine year old girl is considered Goddess Durga.
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Disclaimer: The information given in this news is based on religious beliefs and general information. TV9 Bharatvarsha does not confirm this.