Today is Mahashtami, the third day of Autumn Durga Puja, the main religious festival of Bengali traditionalists. Like every year, this year also the special part of Durga Puja 'Kumari Puja' will be held on Mahashtami with great enthusiasm and pleasure. Kumari Puja will be held in pujamandaps across the country today (October 11) including Ramakrishna Mission in the capital.
Kumari Puja is the offering of homage to Jagajjanani by making a living idol of a maternally virgin daughter. According to the scriptures, on this day the virgin will be named after another name of Maa Durga. Through this puja, women will become pure and motherly. Everyone will be respectful to women.
The puja ceremony will begin with 16 materials. Then fire, water, clothes, flowers and wind – these five materials are worshiped to the virgin mother. After making the oblation, garlands will be placed around the neck of the goddess. At the end of Kumari Puja, devotees offer Mahashtami garlands.
Hindus believe that the worship of virgins is the worship of the creator, the worship of man and the establishment of the dignity of women in the world. Respect for women, respect for people and worship of God are the underlying teachings of Kumari Puja.
Apart from Kumari Puja, Prasad will be distributed to the devotees from one o'clock today in various temples across the country including Shankhari Bazar, Dhakeswari National Temple, Ramana Kali Temple in the capital on Mahashtami. Pujas and other programs will also be held in temples and mandaps.
Earlier, the Durga Puja of Autumn Durgotsav began on Wednesday (October 9) with Mahashasthi. The five-day festival will end on Sunday (October 13) with the immersion of idols on Vijaya Dashami.