Kanya Pujan is the Navratri rite in which young girls are worshipped as living forms of the Goddess, fed and sent home with gifts. In 2026 it is most commonly performed on Ashtami, Sunday 18 October, or on Navami, Monday 19 October. It is also called Kanjak, Kumari Puja or Kanya Bhoj depending on the region.
Of all the rites of Navratri this is the one that turns doctrine into something you can see. For nine nights the household has worshipped the Devi in image and mantra. On the eighth or ninth day the family opens the door to girls from the neighbourhood, seats them, washes their feet, and worships them as the Goddess herself. The theology of Shakti, that the divine feminine is present and not distant, stops being an idea.
When Is Kanya Pujan in 2026?
| Occasion | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Saptami | Saturday 17 October 2026 | Some families begin the kanya bhoj here |
| Ashtami (Durga Ashtami) | Sunday 18 October 2026 | The most widely observed day for Kanya Pujan |
| Navami (Maha Navami) | Monday 19 October 2026 | Equally traditional, and preferred in many households and in Bengal |
Families generally keep to whichever day their household has always kept. Where the fast is broken on Ashtami, the pujan is done on Ashtami; where it continues to Navami, it is done then.
How Many Girls, and of What Age?
Nine girls are invited, one for each of the Navadurga, and traditionally one young boy accompanies them. He is worshipped as Langoor or Batuk Bhairav, the guardian who attends the Goddess, and no kanya pujan is considered complete without him.
The girls should be past infancy and not yet at puberty. Tradition assigns a form of the Devi to each year of age:
| Age | Form | Traditionally invoked for |
|---|---|---|
| 2 years | Kumarika | Freedom from sorrow and poverty |
| 3 years | Trimurti | Prosperity and family wellbeing |
| 4 years | Kalyani | Wellbeing and auspiciousness |
| 5 years | Rohini | Freedom from illness |
| 6 years | Kalika | Learning, victory and good fortune |
| 7 years | Chandika | Wealth and abundance |
| 8 years | Shambhavi | Resolution of disputes, favour in matters |
| 9 years | Durga | Victory over difficulty and protection from harm |
| 10 years | Subhadra | Fulfilment of what the heart wishes |
If nine girls cannot be gathered, families invite as many as they can. The rite is not invalidated by a smaller number, and no one should be turned away for arriving late.
The Vidhi, Step by Step
- Invite in advance. Girls from the family, the building or the neighbourhood are asked a day or two before, so that nobody is hurried.
- Welcome them at the door as you would welcome the Goddess, and seat them together on a clean mat or asan.
- Wash their feet with clean water, traditionally by the woman of the house, and dry them with a fresh cloth. This is the heart of the rite.
- Apply tilak of roli or kumkum to each forehead and tie a kalava, the red thread, on the right wrist.
- Offer the aarti before them with a lit lamp, exactly as it is offered before the image of the Devi.
- Serve the bhog: traditionally halwa, puri and kala chana, served on a clean plate and eaten together.
- Give dakshina and gifts according to your means: money, bangles, ribbons, a small item of clothing, fruit or stationery.
- Touch their feet and ask their blessing before they leave. They are, for this hour, the Goddess in your house.
What Is Offered: Halwa, Puri and Chana
The three together are the classic Ashtami bhog of the north. Sooji halwa for sweetness, puri for abundance, and kala chana cooked dry with cumin and a little amchur for substance. Each element is first offered before the Devi, then served to the girls, and only afterwards eaten by the household as prasad.
Households that keep a strict vrat prepare the halwa and puri with sendha namak and vrat-permitted flour. Others cook normally. Neither is wrong; keep to what your family keeps.
Kanjak, Kumari Puja and Kanya Bhoj: The Same Rite, Different Names
| Region | Name | Distinctive practice |
|---|---|---|
| Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, western UP | Kanjak | Halwa, puri and kala chana; the Langoor boy is rarely omitted |
| Bihar, eastern UP | Kanya Bhoj | Often on Navami, with a fuller meal served |
| Bengal, Assam | Kumari Puja | A single girl is worshipped with full ritual as the Devi, most famously at Belur Math on Ashtami |
| Maharashtra, Gujarat | Kanya Pujan | Commonly folded into the Ashtami havan and the breaking of the fast |
| Nepal | Kumari tradition | The living Kumari is worshipped as Taleju, a year-round institution rather than a Navratri rite |
The Bengali Kumari Puja carries a particular history. Sri Ramakrishna worshipped his own wife, Sarada Devi, as the living Divine Mother in the Shodashi Puja at Dakshineswar, and the Kumari Puja performed each Ashtami at Belur Math descends from that impulse: the insistence that the Goddess is not only in the image. You can read more in our guide to Kalighat and Dakshineswar.
Doing It Well
- Ask the girls families first, and let them stay only as long as they are comfortable.
- Keep the gifts modest and equal. No child should leave holding less than another.
- Check for allergies before serving, and keep a plain option ready.
- Do not press a child who does not wish to have her feet washed or her photograph taken.
- If the girls are old enough, tell them which form of the Devi their age represents. Most remember it for years.
Chant Before the Pujan
Many households play or chant the Durga beej mantra while the food is being prepared and the asan laid out, so that the house is already full of the Mother name before the girls arrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Kanya Pujan in 2026?
Most households perform it on Ashtami, Sunday 18 October 2026, or on Navami, Monday 19 October 2026. Some begin on Saptami, Saturday 17 October.
How many girls are needed for Kanya Pujan?
Nine, one for each form of the Navadurga, traditionally accompanied by one young boy worshipped as Langoor or Batuk Bhairav. Where nine cannot be gathered, families invite as many as they can.
What is the right age for the girls?
Between two and ten years, that is, past infancy and before puberty. Each age is associated with a particular form of the Devi, from Kumarika at two to Subhadra at ten.
What food is served at Kanya Pujan?
Sooji halwa, puri and dry kala chana is the classic offering in northern India. It is offered before the Devi first, then served to the girls, then eaten by the household as prasad.
Why is a boy included in Kanya Pujan?
He is worshipped as Langoor or Batuk Bhairav, the guardian who attends the Goddess. Many households consider the rite incomplete without him.
Can Kanya Pujan be done without a priest?
Yes. It is a household rite performed by the family, most often by the woman of the house, and requires no priest.
In Gujarat, Aatham is when kanya pujan happens at home. See આસો નવરાત્રી ૨૦૨૬ in Gujarati.
Continue Your Journey
- Navratri 2026: dates and the nine forms of Navadurga
- Navratri colours 2026, day by day
- Jai Ambe Gauri: the Navratri aarti
- Goddess Durga: mantras, forms and worship
May the Mother enter your home in the form of every child who crosses the threshold. Jai Mata Di.
Stay in Touch
An occasional note when there is a new chant or a mantra worth sharing. No spam, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
हिंदी में पढ़ें: नवरात्रि 2026 के रंग - नौ दिनों की पूरी सूची
