Why a minor girl is worshipped as Goddess Durga on Maha Ashtami in Tripura

A nine-year-old girl has been worshiped as the living embodiment of goddess Durga popularly known as Kumari Puja - in Tripura.

Kumari, or Kumari Devi, is the tradition of worshiping young pre-pubescent girls as the manifestation of the divine female energy or Devi in South Asian countries.

Kumari literally means virgin in Sanskrit and this year’s Kumari is Araddha Debnath a student of class III of Holy Cross School, Agartala.

The ritual of Kumari puja is a significant part of Maha Ashtami worship and was organized by Bholananda Sevashram in Agartala on Monday, October 3. 

An unmarried girl, who has not yet reached puberty and is bereft of desire, worldly pleasures, and anger, is selected for the ritual to highlight the importance of women.

At the break of dawn, the Kumari was bathed, draped in a red sari, adorned with flowers and jewellery, with a "sindur (vermillion) tilak" applied on her forehead. 

The young Kumari fasts the whole day until the puja is over. She is made to sit before the goddess's idol on a decorated chair with priests chanting hymns and dhak (traditional drum) being played in the background.

According to religious belief, after the puja, the divinity of the goddess is believed to descend into the Kumari.

Though largely restricted, the Kumari puja is practiced at various centers of Ramakrishna Math and a handful of other pandals in the country.

There is no record as to who started the Kumari Puja. But according to the Rig Veda, it was prevalent in ancient India. 

However, Swami Vivekananda made it popular by introducing Kumari puja at Ramakrishna Math in Belur in 1901.