Kumari Puja, Kanya Poojan – Important ritual during Durga Navratri

Kumari Puja or Kanya Poojan is one of the main rituals during Durga Navratri. In some places, it is a daily ritual of 9 day-festival. Why Kanya Pujan is performed as a part of Durga Puja? This is a perplexing question we were aksed several times here. Kanya Puja 2021 or Kumari Puja 2021 date during Sharad Navratri is October 13. In Vasant Navratri in Chaitra Month, Kumari Puja date is in April.

Durga or any other Mother Goddess is equal to the universal energy. To recongnise the feminine energy vested in virgin girl or Kumari and to support them with some offerings Kanya Puja is performed. To say that they are as important as boy child or so-called heirs, Kumari Pooja is a must observed ritual in any puja.

Goddess Durga is worshipped in nine avatars during Navratri. Some of the forms appear in Kumari or Kanya form of the Goddess like Bala Tripura Sundari and some other manifestations of Navadurga. To please the Goddess, puja to virgin girl is important. One year old girls are not allowed to be worshipped as Kanya because they dont able to receive bhogas and granthas.

Here is the list of Kanya puja Kanyakas and their age:

2- year old Kanya – Kumari

3-year old – Trimurthi

4-year old – Kalyani

5-years old – Rohini

6-year old – Kalika

7-year old – Chandika

8-year old – Shambhavi

9-year old – Durga

10-year old – Subhadra

Here is a compilation of mantras or slokas to be recited during Kanya puja to particular age girl

Kumari Puja Stotram

Kumarasya cha thathwanni yaa srujathyapi leelaya

Kaadeenapi cha devam stham kumareem pujaya myaham

Trimurti Puja Stotram

Sathwadhibhi sthreemurti rya thwairhi nanaswarupini

Trikaala vyaapini shakti – sthreemurthim pujayamyaham

Kalyani Puja Stotram

Kalyanakarini nityam bhaktanam pujita nisham
Pujayami cha thaam bhakthya kalyaneem sarvakamadaam

Rohini Puja Stotram

Rohayaniti cha beejani pragjanma sanchaitanivai

Yaa devi sarvabhootanam rohineem pujayamyaham

Kalika Pooja Stotram

Kali kalayathe sarvam brahmandam sacharacharam

Kalpantha samaya yaa thaam kalikaam pujayamyaham

Chandika Pooja Stotram

Chandikam chandarupaam cha chandamunda vinashineem

Thaam chanda papaharineem chandikaam pujayamyaham

Shambhavi Pooja Stotram

Aakaranaa thsamutpatthi ryanmayai parikeerthitha

Yasya sthaam sukhadaam deveem shambhaveem pujayamyaham

Durga Pooja Stotram

Durga thrayathi bhaktam yaa sadaa durgarthinashini

Durgneyaa sarvadevanam thaam durgaam pujayamyaham

Subhadra Pooja Stotram

Subhadrani cha bhaktanam kuruthe pujitha sadaa

Abhadranashinim deveem subhadram pujayamyaham