Agartala, Oct 19 : At a time when concerns over violence against women and children, including abuse of young girls, continue to figure prominently in public discourse, an eight-and-a-half-year-old girl was worshipped as the living embodiment of Goddess Durga during Kumari Puja at Bholananda Sevashram in Agartala on Monday.
The ritual, held on Maha Ashtami, the eighth day of Durga Puja, brought together devotees who said the tradition of worshipping a girl child as the divine feminine carries a message of dignity, compassion and protection for children.
Aparna Roy was dressed in a red sari and adorned with flowers and jewellery before being seated on a decorated chair for the ceremony. Priests chanted hymns as traditional dhak drums set the rhythm of the worship, with devotees gathering to witness the ritual. The festive atmosphere also saw people dancing to the beats of the drums.
Aparna’s mother, Chameli Debnath, said she was overwhelmed with emotion when her daughter was seated for the puja, describing the experience as a great blessing that she found difficult to express in words.
Her father, Apu Roy, a nursing officer at the Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC), said he felt fortunate that his daughter had been chosen for the ritual.
Roy, hoped the ceremony would encourage greater awareness about child abuse and help strengthen people’s spiritual connection with the divine feminine.
“Kumari Puja is very important in today’s society,” said Dr Monideepa Dutta Gupta, a devotee, arguing that the ritual could help reinforce social values at a time when, in his view, respect for women and children was declining.
She said worshipping the girl child as a manifestation of the divine mother could help nurture a sense of maternal affection and responsibility towards children from an early age.
Dr Monideepa, said the tradition had particular relevance in contemporary society, where protecting the girl child and strengthening respect for women remained important concerns.
Kumari Puja is a Hindu religious tradition in which a pre-pubescent girl is worshipped as a manifestation of the divine feminine. The ritual forms part of Maha Ashtami observances at several religious centres, including Ramakrishna Math establishments.
Beyond its religious significance, devotees at the Agartala ceremony expressed hope that the worship of a girl child would translate into greater respect for girls and a stronger collective commitment to their safety and dignity.
