Navratras conclude with Kanjak Pujan

The festival of Ram Navami was celebrated with traditional fervour and gaiety in the city. Devotees performed Kanjak Puja by inviting little girls to their houses. After performing puja, they offered them ‘Karah, Poori, Chane’ along with some money and small gifts like pens, pencils and tiffin boxes.

To mark the occasion, devotees participated in shobha yatras taken out in several areas of the city. Nine incarnations of Goddess Durga were worshipped by performing ‘Kanjak Puja’.

Rama Navami is a significant event that marks the birth of Lord Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu, who is widely revered for his righteousness, virtuous character and exemplary leadership.

The festival also marks the nine-day Navratras. During this period, devotees invite nine young girls (often between the age of 2 and 10) to their homes. Their feet are washed, prayers offered, and traditional bhog served. The ritual is rooted in the belief that by worshipping these young girls, one is worshipping the divine mother herself. The joy and innocence of children are seen as pure and spiritually potent.

The ninth (Navami) day of Navratri is considered the most sacred as devotees choose to end their fast on this day.

Durgiana Temple Committee president Lakshmi Kanta Chawla, a former Cabinet minister, in a video message, urged those performing Kanjak Pujan, not to use vituperative and abusive language against women in their routine life.

Amritsar