Kanya puja performed in Banepa

By Kedar Timalsina,Banepa, Aug. 28: The 'Kanya Puja', which was started in Banepa of Kavrepalanchowk district 122 years ago, has now spread to different places in the district. 

According to Surkrishna Baidya, Secretary of Sanatan Kanya Puja Management Committee, the committee has been performing Kanya puja every year for the past 122 years for the happiness, peace, prosperity and wellness of the girls. 

In the Kanya puja performed on the occasion of Krishna Janmashtami on Monday,  around 7,000 young girls were worshipped. 

Baidya said that Kanya puja, which initially started from one Tole of Banepa, has now spread to other parts of Kavrepalanchowk district. The girls of Banepa are considered to be the children of Chandeshwari Mai, therefore, they have been worshipped for long. 

He claimed that the Kanya Puja of Banepa is the biggest in Nepal. The girls before their menstruation are worshipped.  

It is believed that worshipping girls will bring happiness, peace and prosperity to them while the diseases of the girls participating in the puja will also be removed. Secretary Baidya said that in the past years, various dishes including Gudpak used to be served to the girls while performing Kanya puja. In recent times, they are given especially swari and malpuwa, money, jerry, biscuits, nuts, and oil is poured on their heads.

Kanya Puja begins after worshipping Ganesh and Kumar in Bholakhan Tole of Banepa. It is customary to worship the girls by keeping them on either side of the road from Banepa's inner market to Chardobato. The puja, which starts from Bholakhan Tole, passes through Chardobato before reaching  Layku Durbar.

Girls were brought from Banepa as well as various places of the district and neighboring districts including Bhaktapur and Sindhupalchowk to perform their worship.