Devotees gather at Belur Math to watch 'Kumari Puja'

Belur, Sep 28: Following the age-old tradition, this year also, thousands of devotees across the country and abroad gathered at Belur Math, the global headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, to watch 'Kumari Puja', the worship of a pre-pubescent girl, as Durga Puja fervour peaked on Maha Ashtami today. Belur Math, in Kolkata's twin district Howrah, about 10 km from here, saw a sea of humanity with people from across the country and abroad, watching as priests worshipped a 'kumari' as the 'Mother Goddess'. Four-year-eleven months old Ayantika Mukhopadhyay from Belur bazaar in Howrah district was chosen as the Kumari at Belur Math this year and worshipped in the 'Malini' form of the goddess. At break of dawn, the Kumari was bathed in Ganga water, draped in a red sari, adorned with flowers and jewellery, with a 'sindur (vermillion) tilak' applied on her forehead. The young Kumari fasts the whole day until the puja is over. She is made to sit before the goddess's idol on a decorated chair with priests chanting hymns and dhak (traditional drum) being played in the background and later all the senior swamis including the president Maharaj offers her pranam. According to Hindu mythology, Kumari Puja was started to establish the importance of women. The maiden who is worshipped symbolises the power that regulates creation, stability and destruction on earth. In Bengal, Durga Puja or worship of the Goddess Durga, an incarnation of Shakti, is the most pious and popular form of Mother Worship. In the Bengali community, the elderly people address young girls as Ma out of affection. 'To look upon God as Mother is the purest and the highest form of Sadhana,' said Sri Ramakrishna, who is believed to have worshiped his wife as Divine Mother. Mother is all-in-all for a child. Kumari Puja was resurrected by religious leader Ramakrishna Paramahansa Deb in the late 19th century. During that time nine girls were worshipped as Kumaris. Swamiji himself worshipped one of them. But now only one girl is worshipped. 'This girl is usually selected from a family, which is associated with the RKM so that they have clear idea about the lineage of the girl. Spiritually any girl who has not reached her puberty level or is incapable of procreation is considered as Kumari. It looks for girls who are within five to seven years old for Kumari Puja. It is important that the girl should be Brahmin by birth and the parents have strong spiritual background,' said one of the Maharajs of RKM. According to religious belief, after the puja, the divinity of the goddess descends into the Kumari. Kumari puja was also conducted at many other community pandals and traditional households across the state where Durga puja is organised. UNI