DHAKA: Hindu community celebrated ‘Kumari Puja’ with festivity and religious fervor across the country on the eighth day of ‘Durga Puja’ on Wednesday.

The puja was arranged as part of the ongoing ‘Durga Puja’ festival.

In city, Ramakrishna Math organized the puja at 10:30am on its premises.

On the day, the devotees worship young pre-pubescent girls as manifestations of the divine female energy or devi in Hindu religious traditions.

Chief priest Sthiratma Nanda Maharaj conducted the puja, attended by several hundreds of devotees.

Saint Francis Xavier’s Kindergarten 6-year old student Pramita, daughter of Priyashangkar Bandapadhaya and Gayatri Bhattacharya, was worshiped as ‘Malini’ according to the rituals.

The couple expressed their happiness and prayed for peace in society.

The word kumari, derived from Sanskrit kaumarya meaning ‘virgin’, means young unmarried girls in Bangla, Nepali and some Indian languages.

BDST: 1808 HRS, OCT 21, 2015
RR/SMS