AGARTALA (Indranagar Kalibari), Oct 20 (TIWN): Thousands of devotees thronged at the premises of the Indranagar kali bari temple on Friday to see kumari puja on the occasion of auspicious Kali puja.

Since early morning devotees thronged the premises of the Indranagar Kali temple under Joy Ma Kali Santander Sangha to offer prayer to Goddess kali and observe kumara puja.

8 years girl Sushmita Chowdhury, D/O-Uttam Chowdhury resident of Kunjaban  was worshipped on the occasion of Kumari puja at Indranagar Kali temple

The Goddess is worshipped in various forms and one of those forms is the "Kumari", the Virgin form.

This mould is the most powerful form of Mahashakti. A girl aged one to sixteen, symbolising the Kumari form of Devi and is worshipped in front of the idol of Goddess kali. The Kumari form of the Goddess is emphasised as the most dynamic form by the devotees.

The qualities required to be worshipped as Kumari in the girl has to match the dynamism, purity and serenity of the Goddess. A calm, serene and an  unmarried girl with a bright disposition between one to sixteen years, who has not yet reached her puberty and is bereft of desire, worldly pleasures and anger is the right requisite for the Kumari Puja.

With the dawn, the Kumari is bathed in holy water and is clad in a red benarasi saari. She is then adorned with flowers and jewelry, alta is applied to her feet and a 'tilak' of sindur on her forehead. The young Kumari fasts the whole day until the puja is over. On a decorated chair she is made to sit before the goddess .The priest then chants the mantras and the sound of dhak fill the atmosphere. After the puja the divinity of the Goddess kali is said to be seen in the girl. It is customary to gift the girl with gold, silver and clothes. To gift the Kumari is considered to be a pious act.

The rituals began in the morning at 10 with Kumari Puja where the girl is worshipped as the goddess.