Kanjak Puja: Significance & Importance of Kanjak Puja in Navaratri

Many Sanatani people also perform Kanya Pujan on the eighth or ninth day of Navaratri. I am also wake up early in the morning, bathe, and begin preparing for the puja by purchasing new clothes and designs. Kanya Pujan involves worshipping nine girls who have not yet reached puberty. These girls age should be 2 to 10 years old only.

For devotees, these nine girls represent the nine principles of Goddess Durga. The young women seated for Kanya Pujan bathe in the morning and wear new clothes.

I have witnessed this Kanya Pujan many times. First, the elders of the family wash the girls' feet with water. A mauli a type of red thread is tied on their hands and a coconut is applied as a tilak.

They are then worshipped and their blessings are sought. After the traditional Navratri Kanya Pujan, the younger girls are given prasad, usually consisting of Puri, Kala Chana or Black Gram, and Suji Halwa.

Some families also worship a young boy as Bhairava, but the rest of the family performs the puja exclusively with girls. Many insist that only girls participate in the Kanjak Puja.

At least two girls should be sent for the Kanjak Puja. More than two girls is well and good. You can perform Kanya Pujan with minimum of 2, 5, 7, 9, 11 girls but at least two girls over Minimum one year of age are required. But I considered at least 2 years at least she will be able to seat on the asana. If nine girls in your area can participate in the Kanjak Puja, that's great. You can worship them in the nine theoretical forms of the Goddess.

Along with offerings and food (many people gift chocolates, thali, biscuits, etc. these days), girls are given gifts, fruits, and money. The results are obvious.

Ensure that girls eat puris, chana, and halwa before going to other houses for the puja. They won't be able to eat much, as they visit other houses where Kanjak Puja is also being performed. So, just one bite is enough and they receive the blessings they ask for by patting your head with their hands.

With a tilak on their heads and threefold attention, love, and devotion, these little girls look divine and are much sought after on the day of Kanjak Puja. Raksha Bandhan and Kanjak Puja are two big days for the small celebrations!!

Note: If you have performed the nine days of ritualistic worship and worshipped the nine girls with true devotion, the Goddess will reside within them when you worship them. It all depends on your devotion and faith in the Mother Goddess. If you invoke the Mother Goddess with true devotion, they are essentially different.

Secondly, if you live outside India and cannot perform the puja for the two girls or have a nearby temple of the Mother Goddess, you can follow this procedure for the final day's puja: prepare a full-fledged pudding at home and pudding and black gram as prasad.

Prepare a plate of offerings (puri, halwa, black gram) according to the number of members in your household, you can also include your son or daughter who lives elsewhere.

Offer the Goddess these offerings from the plate, and after a while, when you say that the mother has accepted the offering, immediately consume it with devotion. Prasad should always be eaten before any other food and consumed as quickly as possible.