Worship of the Almighty as Divine Mother is an age-old tradition in India and an integral part of Indian culture. It has been in existence since prehistoric times. The history of ancient civilizations of Indus, Greece, Rome, Babylon, and Egypt bears evidence of the worship of the Divine Mother in different forms – nature, art, learning, culture, and enlightenment. But Mother Worship has evolved from a tradition into a living religion for Indians. It has reached the highest level of devotion and faith in the feminine manifestation of the Divine.

Kanya Puja or Kumari Puja is a Hindu holy ritual, carried out, especially on the Ashtami (eighth day) and Navami (ninth day) of the Navaratri or Durga Puja festival. The ceremony primarily involves the worship of nine young prepubescent girls, representing the nine forms of Goddess Durga (Navadurga). As per Hindu philosophy, these girls are considered the manifestation of the natural force of creation. Legend has it that it was on the ninth day of Navaratri that Shakti had taken the form of Goddess Durga, on the request of the devas to kill the demon Mahisasura.

The rituals of Kumari puja and its significance have been described in detail in Yoginitantra, Kularnavatantra, Devipurana, Stotra, Kavacha, Sahasranama, Tantrasara, Prantosini, and Purohitadarpana.

Though we venerate the Divine Mother and Adi Shakti during festivals like Durga Puja, India remains largely a misogynistic patriarchal society, and excessive religious orthodoxy continues to victimize women. The worshipping of feminine power only through the “pure” medium of a prepubescent girl while actively degrading menstruating women is an unexplainable dichotomy that resides in Hinduism. Building a temple for Devi Maa, and then not allowing menstruating women inside for fear of polluting the temple is a cruel irony without a doubt. Even after seven decades of Independence, scores of women continue to suffer violence, discrimination, and injustice in the name of family, tradition, culture, and honour. Female feticide is still a raging problem in many Indian states. The girl child needs social empowerment, education, respect, safety, and economic freedom in a true sense. As a society, we must ensure that a girl child is treated equally and should be nurtured in such a way that she can choose her own destiny by breaking all glass ceilings imposed by society. Until that happens, merely treating a girl child like a goddess for a few days in the year will not bring any true change to her role and position in Indian society.