108 kumaris worshipped

HOWRAH: There are many Pujas in Howrah that are older, and several where Kumari Puja is observed with great solemnity. But, the uniqueness of the Durga Puja at the family home of the Gangulis of 2, Bhutnath Halder Lane, Shibpur has got to do with numbers.
This is perhaps the only place where not one or a few, but at least 108 unmarried girls are worshipped every year during Durga Puja.“One hundred and eight, according to Hindu mythology, is a very auspicious number. Therefore we make it a point to worship at least 108 Kumari girls,� Gopal Ganguli of the family said. “This has been the trend in our home for the past 51 years.�
There is no problem if the number of Kumaris cross 108. The Gangulis do not turn back any girl under the age of 13 who wishes to be worshipped. Usually, parents enroll their daughters with the family well before the Puja, and the girls are categorised by age. ‘They are grouped because all of them cannot be worshipped at the same time,� said Ganguli.
“Also, girls of particular ages must be worshipped under particular names in accordance with instructions in the Durga Puja Book. For example, a one-year-old girl will be worshipped as Sandhya, a two-year-girl as Saraswati, a three-year-old as Tridhamurti, and so on as Kalika, Subhaga, Uma, Malini, Kubjika, Kalsandaharva, Aparajita, Rudrani, Bhairavi and Mahalaxmi,� he added. The Ganguli’s Kumari Puja was started by Radharani Ganguli, one of the daughters-in-law of the family. She is still alive, a grand old dame of 97. She no longer has the strength to supervise the elaborate rituals, but does ensure that her son Gopal takes care of everything.