Kumari Puja celebrated

Bangladesh Sangbad Sangbastha . Dhaka The Kumari Puja, one of the most attractive and significant programmes of the Durga Puja, was arranged at Ramakrishna Mission in Dhaka Tuesday drawing hundreds of Hindu devotees.
Marking the occasion, the Hindus arrange the worship of a young girl on Ashtami day of the Durga Puja treating her as the Maa Durga. This year a six-year girl Rachita was worshiped in front of the idol of Goddess Durga.
Sri Ramakrishna says the Divine Mother manifests herself more in a pure-hearted girl and that is why the Kumari Puja is done. Kumari Shakti is the basis of all creations.
Since early in the morning, the devotees started arriving at RK Mission where such puja is only held here, with their offerings turning the whole mission area completely overcrowded at about 9:00am.
In Mahabharata, Arjuna had performed the Kumari Puja. Swami Vivekananda performed Kumari Puja for the first time in Belur in 1902 with worship of many young girls from different communities. Now only one Kumari is worshipped.
In the dawn of Ashtami, the Kumari was bathed and clad in a red benarasi saari. She was then adorned with flowers and jewellery. The young Kumari fasts the whole day until the puja is over.
Devotees of all ages including the senior monks of the mission offered flowers at the feet of the Kumari. Finally, Arati was performed. It is customary to gift the girl with gold, silver and clothes and gift the Kumari is considered to be a pious act.
General secretary of Mohanagar Sarbojanin Puja Committee Advocate Tapos Kumar Paul said the Ashtami Puja was held in the Dhakeswari Temple with presence of thousands of devotees irrespective of ages. Later, Mahaprasad was distributed among them.