Shardiya Navratri 2023: Expert Shares Ritual To Perform Kanya Pujan

According to the religious tradition, at the end of the nine-day festival of Shardiya Navratri, the devotees feed nine girls on Ashtami and Navami and the process is known as Kanya Pujan. Those who observe the fast for seven days will perform Kanya Pujan on eighth day, but if you observe fast for nine days, you will perform the veneration on ninth day. 

This year, the festival of Shardiya Navratri will start on October 15. The nine-day festival is dedicated to worshipping the nine forms of Matarani. The devotees follow proper rituals to please the Goddess for nine days, then perform Kanya Pujan on the days of Ashtami and Navami.

In Kanya Pujan, the believers invite small girls to their homes and after worshipping them, they are offered food, given gifts or Dakshina and then sent home. If you want to know the proper rituals and procedures for the Pujan, you can scroll down to find the details.

Things To Keep In Mind During Kanya Pujan

• If you’re planning on performing Kanya Pujan on the days of Ashtami and Navami, then the first thing you should do on these days is clean the house as soon as you wake up.
• After this, you must take a bath and wear clean clothes.

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• Then, you should prepare food which you’re going to offer to the Goddess and the girls. You are advised to sprinkle holy Ganga water in the kitchen after cleaning it and then, prepare puri, vegetables and a sweet dish for the Prasad.
• After cooking, offer a portion from the Prasad to the Goddess in your home temple.

• Before serving the girls, worship Maa Durga as per the rituals (Shardiya Navratri 2023: Mistakes To Avoid).
• You must remember that for Kanya Pujan, you have to invite only girls between 2 years to 10 years old and invite nine girls for the ritual representing the nine incarnations of Devi. you should also invite a small boy with them. 
• After you invite them into your house, use water to wash their feet with your hands.
• Offer the girls a high place to sit and offer Akshat, flowers and kumkum to seek their blessings. 

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• Also, tie a Raksha Sutra on the hands of girls. You can also offer them a Chunri or crown as per your capability. 

• It is believed to be auspicious to feed the girls. After the meal, ask the girls for their blessings and touch their feet. Then send them off by giving them clothes, gifts or Dakshina.

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