Maha Ashtami today: prescribed puja at Dhakeshwari, Kumari Puja at Ramakrishna Math, Sandhi Puja in the evening

After the arrival of Goddess Durga, Mahasaptami has ended. Today is Maha Ashtami. On Monday morning (October 18), the Mahashtami Kalparambha and prescribed puja of the Goddess will begin at the Dhakeshwari National Temple. At noon, the Maha Prasad will be distributed. The biggest festival of Sanatan Dharma followers, Durga Puja, has spread a festive mood across mandaps in the capital and across the country.

On Ashtami day at 9:30 in the morning, Kumari Puja will be held at the Ramakrishna Math in Gopibagh of the capital. Devotees worship a virgin girl as the Goddess, imagining the form of pure womanhood in her. The special attractions of Ashtami day are the Kumari Puja and the Sandhi Puja. Sandhi Puja is a very important part of Durga Puja — it marks the moment of slaying the demon.

According to Hindu scriptures, generally an unmarried virgin girl aged 1 to 16, with auspicious signs, from a Brahmin or other gotra, is worshipped as the Goddess. In the words of Sri Ramakrishna, the form of the Divine Mother manifests more in a pure-souled virgin, and the purpose of Kumari Puja is to realize the mother form.

According to the scriptures, a one-year-old girl is called Sandhya, at two Saraswati, at three Tridhamurti, at four Kalika, at five Subhaga, at six Uma, at seven Malini, at eight Kujjika, at nine Kalasandarbha, at ten Aparajita, at eleven Rudrani, at twelve Bhairavi, at thirteen Mahalakshmi, at fourteen Pithanayika, at fifteen Khetrajna, and at sixteen she is called Annada. Each age of the virgin has its own name and significance.

On the day of Mahashtami, the selected virgin is bathed at dawn and dressed in new clothes. She is adorned with vermilion on the forehead, alta on the feet, and flowers in the hands. Seated on a decorated seat, she is worshipped as the Goddess with Shodashopachara (sixteen ingredients). At that time the surroundings echo with conch sounds, drum beats, ululation and hymns to the Goddess. Thousands of devotees gather at the math premises to witness this sight.

Explaining the significance of Kumari Puja, priests say that many thoughtful people feel that to move forward by resolving the social, moral and spiritual crises of the modern world, due respect must be shown to motherhood. In many places of the world, women are honoured as wives or companions. But the most glorious form of a woman is her mother form. So on this Mahashtami tithi we bow to the Kumari Mother, addressing all mothers of the world.

According to the priests, through the Kumari Mother, salutations are offered to the primordial power. Kumari Puja is essentially a symbol of respect for feminine power. For ages, this worship has sung the glory of women's dignity and mother power. When violence and discrimination against women are subjects of discussion in modern society, this ancient ritual gains new significance.

Durga Puja, the biggest festival of the Hindu community, has begun with the purification of evil forces. Although the bell of the Goddess's arrival rings from the day of Mahalaya. According to Sanatan Dharma, Goddess Durga protects devotees from everything that causes sorrow and suffering — such as obstacles, fear, grief, and pain. Scriptural scholars have explained the meaning of the name Durga as — she who is attained through suffering is Durga.

The Goddess tests people's endurance through suffering. When people call upon her without becoming restless, she removes their pain. This year, to remove the suffering of devotees, Goddess Durga has arrived riding a horse, and on Wednesday, the day of Dashami, she will depart by boat. Every year there is discussion among devotees about the Goddess's vehicles of arrival and departure.

Mahalaya rings the bell of the Goddess's arrival, and Vijaya Dashami is the day of bidding farewell to Goddess Durga. This day ends with the Maha-Arati. Through this, all the activities of Durga Puja are completed. Next Tuesday (October 20) is Mahanavami, and on Wednesday (October 21), Goddess Durga will depart through Dashami.

On the day of Vijaya Dashami, idol immersion is scheduled from 3 pm on Tuesday. Led by the Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee, the Vijaya procession will start from Palashi intersection and reach the Wise Ghat at Sadarghat for immersion. As every year, thousands of devotees are expected to join this procession.

Security has been tightened across the country, including the capital, around the puja. Police and volunteers have been deployed at mandaps. Sanatan Dharma followers hope to celebrate the puja peacefully in a festive atmosphere. On this holy tithi of Maha Ashtami, the devotees' prayer is — let evil forces be destroyed, and let the country be filled with peace and prosperity.