AGARTALA, October 2 (TIWN): Ramakrishna Mission today organized Kumari Puja, the worship of a girl as the goddess Durga. Puja festivities reached its climax in Tripura with Mahashtami and Mahanavami merging on Thursday.

Mahashtami ended Thursday noon and the Mahanavami puja began after the end of Sandhi Puja held at the confluence of Mahashtami (eighth lunar day) and Mahanavami (ninth lunar day). Mahanavami will endFriday morning.

The rituals began in the morning with Kumari Puja where girls are worshipped as the goddess. Kumari Puja was started by Swami Vivekananda in 1901 to underline the importance of women in the society.

The girl who is worshipped symbolises the power that regulates creation, stability and destruction on the earth. The young girl fasts until the puja is over. She is made to sit before the goddess's idol on a decorated chair with priests chanting hymns and drums being played in the background.

After the puja, the divinity of the goddess descends into the girl, said a monk of Ramakrishna Mission. As per Hindu mythology, goddess Durga killed Chando and Mundo, two demons at the confluence (Sandhi) of Mahashtami and Mahanavami.