Kumari Puja observed nationwide

The Sanaton community celebrated Kumari Puja on 'Maha Ashtami' today, worshipping goddess Durga in the form of a 'Kumari' - a pure-hearted girl and the virgin form of the deity - with due religious fervor in the capital city as well as across the country.  Devotees thronged puja mandaps and pandals, offering water, clothes, flowers, and gold and silver ornaments at the feet of the 'Kumari'. 

Sanaton people of all ages, especially young girls and women, dressed in traditional attire, participated enthusiastically in the Kumari Puja, which is among the most significant of the five-day 'Sharodiya Durgotsab.' Puja Udjapan Parishad President Basu Deb Dhar said that goddess Durga has been worshipped in various forms, including Kumari, for time immemorial. Many devotees attended, showing their devotion.  The five-day Durga Puja celebrations continue peacefully amid tight security measures at mandaps in the city and across the country.