Chaitra Navratri Ashtami Pujan: Significance, Rituals and the Sacred Role of Kanjaks

On the eighth day of Chaitra Navratri, devotees across India celebrate Ashtami with grand devotion, invoking Goddess Mahagauri and performing Kanjak Pujan to honor the divine feminine in young girls

As Chaitra Navratri 2025 enters its most auspicious phase, Ashtami Pujan — also known as Durga Ashtami — takes center stage across households and temples in India. This eighth day of Navratri is dedicated to Goddess Mahagauri, the eighth avatar of Maa Durga, symbolizing purity, peace, and compassion. But perhaps the most spiritually poignant aspect of the day is the Kanjak or Kanya Pujan — a heartfelt tradition that reveres little girls as manifestations of the goddess herself.

Why is Ashtami Pujan Important?

Ashtami marks the triumph of good over evil, commemorating the day when Maa Durga annihilated Mahishasura and other demons. Spiritually, it is believed that on this day, the divine feminine energy (Shakti) reaches its zenith. Devotees observe fasts, offer prayers, and perform elaborate rituals to invoke blessings for strength, prosperity, and protection.

Goddess Mahagauri, worshipped on Ashtami, is depicted riding a white bull, with a calm demeanor and dressed in pure white attire. She symbolizes serenity, forgiveness, and spiritual enlightenment. It is believed that praying to Mahagauri removes all sins and brings peace into one’s life.

The Rituals of Ashtami Pujan

On this sacred day, devotees wake up early, take a holy bath, clean their homes and set up altars to offer prayers to Mahagauri. The rituals include:

• Kalash Sthapana (Ghatasthapana) if not already done on Pratipada
• Offering kumkum, flowers, coconut, sweets, and nine different food items to the goddess
• Reciting the Durga Saptashati or Devi Mahatmyam for spiritual elevation
• Performing aarti and bhajans in honor of the goddess

Kanjak Pujan – The Heart of Ashtami

Perhaps the most visually heartwarming tradition is Kanjak Pujan, where nine young girls (symbolizing the nine forms of Goddess Durga) are invited into homes and treated with reverence. Known as ‘Kanjaks’, these girls are considered living embodiments of the goddess.

The Kanya Pujan Rituals:

1. The feet of each girl are washed with clean water and wiped dry with love
2. A red thread (mauli) is tied on their wrists, and tilak is applied on their foreheads
3. They are served a traditional meal of poori, chana, and halwa — considered auspicious and symbolic
4. Each girl is offered gifts or money (dakshina) and new clothes, bangles or toys as per family tradition

In some households, a boy is also invited, known as ‘Langur’, who represents Bhairav Baba, the protector of Devi.

The Relevance of Kanjaks in Today’s Time

Kanya Pujan is not just a religious ritual but a cultural reminder of the power, purity, and divinity of the feminine. It teaches society to respect girl children, honor their presence, and empower them. In an era where gender equality remains a global concern, traditions like Kanjak Pujan offer a spiritually rooted celebration of women from their earliest years.

Final Word

Ashtami Pujan during Chaitra Navratri 2025 is more than a religious observance — it is a celebration of divine feminine energy that flows through every household, every prayer, and every smiling face of the Kanjaks. By performing these sacred rituals with devotion and reverence, devotees not only honor the goddess but also sow seeds of compassion, humility, and gratitude in their hearts.

As India continues to worship power in its gentlest form, the message is clear: Every girl is a goddess, and her blessings light up the world.