The Sanaton community celebrated the Kumari Puja on the ‘Maha Ashtami’ on Sunday through worshiping goddess Durga as a `Kumari’, a pure-hearted girl and the virgin form of the deity, with due religious gaiety in the district, reports BSS.
Thousands of the Sanaton devotees thronged the Puja mandaps to celebrate Kumari Puja, one of the most significant programmes during the five-day celebrations of their greatest religious festivity of universal ‘Sharodiya Durgotsab.’ The Sanaton people of all ages, including young girls and women, attired in traditional dresses, thronged the ‘Ramakrishna Ashram and Ramkhana Mission’ at Mahiganj area in the city in festive moods to celebrate Kumari Puja with due religious rituals and festivity.
Acting President of the district unit of Bangladesh Puja Udjapon Parishad (BPUP) Ajoy Prasad Babon said goddess Durga is being worshipped for immemorial in various forms including `Kumari’, a pure-hearted girl and the virgin form of the divinity. One minor girl, symbolising the Kumari form of Mother Durga, was worshipped on the ‘Maha Ashtami’ in front of the idol of goddess Durga at the Mahiganj Ramakrishna Ashram mandap in the city.
The Principal of Mahiganj Ramakrishna Ashram and Ramkhana Mission Swami Sontotanand conducted the religious rituals of the ‘Kumari Puja’ there in presence of thousands of the Sanaton devotees. Celebration of the Kumari Puja began in the morning when the Sanaton devotees thronged different Puja mandaps and started their offerings to mother Durga in the form of `Kumari’ as a symbol of pure-hearted girl and the virgin form of the deity.
The Sanaton devotees of all ages, including adolescents, teenage and young girls, offered water, clothes and flowers at the feet of the `Kumari’ along with gold and silver ornaments amid due religious fervour. Meanwhile, the five-day celebrations of the greatest religious festivity of Durga Puja continues in a peaceful atmosphere amid tight security measures at all 952 Puja mandaps across the district.