Kanya pujan: how to honour young girls on Ashtami or Navami

Kanya pujan, also called kanjak or kanjika puja, is the Navratri ritual of honouring young girls as living forms of the Goddess. On Ashtami or Navami, families invite girls, commonly aged about 2 to 10, and often one small boy (the langur or Bhairav), wash their feet, apply tilak, tie a red thread, feed them puri, kala chana and halwa, and give small gifts before asking for their blessings. It is most widely practised in north India, and many people break their Navratri fast after it.

Why girls are worshipped

The ritual rests on the belief that the Goddess is present in every girl. Nine girls are often invited to represent the nine forms of Durga, and washing their feet and serving them food reverses the everyday order: the adults serve and the children are honoured. Many families also see it as teaching respect for girls and women.

When to do it

Families observe it on Ashtami (the eighth day) or Navami (the ninth), depending on tradition, usually in the late morning after the household puja. In 2026, per the Bengal calendar, Maha Ashtami is Monday 19 October and Maha Navami is Tuesday 20 October. North Indian calendars can place the tithi differently, so check your local panchang. Because many homes in a neighbourhood hold kanjak on the same morning, children often visit several homes in turn.

Who is invited

• Girls: commonly between about 2 and 10 years old. Nine is traditional; families often invite fewer or more.
• One boy: called langur (associated with Hanuman) or Bhairav (the Goddess's guardian), invited in many families.
• Parents: it's courteous to invite parents too, or to agree a time to bring the children home.

Ask about allergies, and don't press children to eat more than they want.

The meal

The classic kanjak prasad is:

• Puri: deep-fried wheat bread. Although wheat is avoided during the fast, it is customary in the prasad that ends it.
• Kala chana: dry black chickpeas cooked with spices.
• Suji halwa: semolina cooked in ghee and sugar.

Families add fruit, coconut or a sweet. The food is offered to the Goddess first, then served to the children.

Also readNavratri 2026

Gifts

Common gifts include a coin or some money, bangles, a red chunri, fruit, hair accessories, stationery or a small toy. Choose something safe and age-appropriate. The amount is not what matters.

Relation to Bengal's Kumari Puja

Bengal has its own form of this idea: Kumari Puja, performed on Maha Ashtami. There, a priest worships a single young girl as the Goddess with full ritual, often at Belur Math and at some traditional family pujas. The girl is dressed in red, adorned and seated before the deity, and devotees come to see her.

The two practices share a belief and differ in form: Kumari Puja is a formal temple or pandal ritual for one girl, while kanya pujan is a home ritual for several children with a shared meal. Read about the other rituals of Bengal's eighth day on our Maha Ashtami page.

Variations you may see

• Day: families who follow Ashtami as their main day hold it then; others wait for Navami, sometimes after a havan (fire offering).
• Number: some invite nine girls, others an odd number, others every girl in the lane who comes by.
• Food: puri, chana and halwa is the north Indian classic; some homes add kheer, coconut or sabzi, and in some regions the meal is entirely different.
• Who performs it: often the women of the house lead it, but the whole family usually takes part, washing feet and serving food together.
• If you can't host: some families donate food, books or clothes to girls in need, or contribute to a temple or community kanjak, in the same spirit.

None of these is more correct than another. If your family has a custom, follow it; if you are starting fresh, keep it simple, warm and respectful of the children and their parents.

Tips for a happy kanjak

• Keep the timing predictable; children may be visiting several homes.
• Use a gentle, warm-water wash in cooler weather.
• Keep the portions small; many children will eat at more than one home.
• Smile, be patient and let the children enjoy it. The ritual is about honour, not formality.