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‘Kumari Puja’ marks Mahashtami
CULTURE AND DIVINE COLOURS Durga Puja fervour peaks as hundreds of devotees gather at the Ramkrishna Math, Bengali Club and other pandals across the city
CULTURE AND DIVINE COLOURS Durga Puja fervour peaks as hundreds of devotees gather at the Ramkrishna Math, Bengali Club and other pandals across the city
On Sunday morning, a woman devotee folded hands and closed her eyes after seeing a six-year-old girl dressed up like a goddess at the Ramkrishna Math in Lucknow.
Like her, hundreds devotees from various parts of Lucknow attended the ‘Kumari Puja’ at the Math. This puja is a ritual of worshipping a pre-pubertine girl as the goddess on Mahashtami.
People offered prayers and ‘anjali’ (floral prayers) amid the beats of dhak (drums). It was a divine experience for many present there as well as a moment of pride for the family of Ananya Banerjee – the girl worshipped as the Goddess.
“A month ago, Swamiji called up and told me about the selection of my daughter for this ritual,” said Jhooma Anupam Banerjee, Ananya’s mother.
Before the selection, saints at the Math had a brief conversation with Class 1 student (Ananya). “They asked her whether she can sit for a long time. Ananya replied affirmatively, adding she is used to sit in the class for long,” said Banerjee
THE RITUAL
The ritual starts from dawn, when after a bath in holy waters, the ‘Kumari’ is draped in a red sari, adorned with floral ornaments and given a ‘sindur’ (vermillion) mark on her forehead.
She sits for hours silently before Goddess Durga’s idol on a decorated chair with priests chanting hymns, creating a mesmerising atmosphere.
Swami Muktinathananda of Ramkrishna Math said, “The ritual symbolises the presence of the divine within every woman and tries to infuse a sense of respect to be accorded to the entire womanhood.”
After the ‘Kumari Puja’, ‘Sandhi Puja’ at the Math attracted a large number of devotees.
‘Sandhi Puja’ comprised the concluding 24 minutes of Ashtami and starting 24 minutes of Navami dates. During this period, all the essential rituals of the entire Durga Puja are performed in a miniature form with great precision, added Swami Muktinathananda.
Many devotees also offered prayers during ‘Sandhi Puja’ at the Bengali Club in Hussainganj. The idol of Goddess Dura was worshipped with 108 earthen lamps, lotus flowers and ‘bilwa’ leaves.
Anand Bhattacharya, a devotee, said: “I have been attending the Puja for several years. This is one of the oldest places where Puja is organised.”
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TRAFFIC DIVERSIONS
Traffic diversions will be imposed from Monday midnight till the immersion of idols concludes.
Additional SP (traffic) Poornendu Singh said the diversions will mainly be effective at Faizabad Road, Sitapur Road, Hazratganj crossing, Parivartan Chowk, Hanuman Setu, Nadwa trisection, from Maharana Pratap crossing to Hewett Road. Traffic restrictions will also imposed at Chowk, Shahmina crossing, Daliganj bridge, Qaiserbagh and Nirala Nagar-IT crossing-Lucknow University stretch.
IMMERSION SPOTS
The district administration has demarcated three points where nearly 100 idols will be immersed. Fifty-eight idols will be immersed at Jhulelal Park, 27 idols will be immersed at Laxman Mela ground and 12 at Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandir.
Many idols are expected to be immersed close to water bodies on the outskirts of Lucknow.
SECURITY
A total of 175 sub-inspectors, 1,070 constables, 317 head constables along with 128 women constables and four companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) will be deployed across the city to ensure law and order during Durga Puja.
