108 Young Girls Worshipped as Goddesses in Behala Purba on Maha Navami, Special Initiative to Honour Motherhood Power

**Kolkata:** On the auspicious occasion of Maha Navami, 108 young girls were worshipped as goddesses at Jyotirmoy Nagar in Behala Purba Assembly constituency. Along with the worship of motherly power in this special Durga Puja event, the message of respect, protection and safety of women in society was also highlighted. Behala Purba MLA Shankar Sikdar was present at the event.

Organisers said this is the first Durga Puja being organised after the political change in the state, which has given it special significance. On the day of Maha Navami, Kumari Puja was held with 108 young girls at the centre. According to Hindu religious tradition, in Kumari Puja the children are worshipped by imagining them as embodiments of Goddess Durga. The puja conveys the message of paying respect and honour to feminine power.

Speaking at the event, MLA Shankar Sikdar said, "We call our country Bharat Mata. And we see every woman in the country as a mother. It is with this thought that today 108 young girls have been worshipped as goddesses."

He further said that girls from families of various sections of society took part in this puja. Along with daughters from ordinary families, daughters from families living in red-light areas also joined this initiative. He said all of them were worshipped as goddesses with equal dignity.

Through this initiative, an effort has been made to convey the message of equal respect for every woman and young girl in society. The MLA said that eliminating gender discrimination in society and ensuring the safety and security of women was also one of the main objectives of this event.

Durga Puja is not merely a religious festival but also an important occasion for social harmony and human values. Against this backdrop, the worship of 108 young girls as goddesses at Jyotirmoy Nagar in Behala Purba carried special significance. Alongside honouring women as mothers, a call to ensure the dignity and safety of every young girl in society also emerged around this Kumari Puja.

Through this special Maha Navami event, the organisers conveyed the message that every woman in society deserves respect. Ensuring their safety, security and dignity should be the responsibility of everyone.