What comes to mind when someone asks you to name the best thing about Navratri? Garba? No! It’s Kanjak. Kanjak, also known as Kanya Pooja, is one of the most important rituals of Navratri. I am sure that as kids, all of you, especially girls, would look forward to it. Well, actor Ayushmann Khurrana brought in a wave of nostalgia on Twitter as he posted a picture of Kanjak.
Ayushmann Khurrana Posts A Picture Of Kanjak
Many people might be aware of and will be celebrating Chaitra Navratri. For people who don’t know, India celebrates Navratri four times in a year, out of which two are Gupt Navratri. Chaitra Navratri and Ashwin Navratri are celebrated and known ones.
Today is Ashtami, or the eighth day of the festival, and actor Ayushmann Khurrana shares a picture of his plate on Twitter. The picture features his plate filled with puri, brown gram sabzi, and sheera. All these are special preparations made for Kanjak during Navratri.
He posted the picture showing greater love for Kanjak and asked people if they too had visited houses in their neighbourhood during Ashtami.
Kanjak >>
Have you also visited multiple neighbourhood homes as a kid on ashtami? pic.twitter.com/xSLMWzqFTu
— Ayushmann Khurrana (@ayushmannk) March 29, 2023
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Netizens Began Sharing Stories
Ayushmann Khurrana’s Kanjak post on Twitter brought in a sweet wave of nostalgia among citizens. The post has by far received 96.9K views and over four thousand likes. Netizens were hit by the wave and began sharing the little anecdotes connected to Kanjak.
With the strategy to eat as less as possible & to visit as many houses as possible to collect gifts 😁
— Vivek 🇮🇳 (@Vibgyyor) March 29, 2023
One user wrote about how they would eat less to visit more and more households. Another person wrote about how receiving some gifts or a coin of ₹5 was the only motivation to visit houses. A user spoke about how girls feel like princesses because every house in the neighbourhood invites them to their house.
Aur kya. Accha khaasa dhandha tha yeh toh pic.twitter.com/3AaWpxIiPC
— Trusfrated (@sakshiniknowit) March 29, 2023
The joy of those 5 rupees per house hold 😂
— IceCreamMan (@Ktens) March 29, 2023
Hi @ayushmannk, the boys who go along with girls for “kanjak” or “kanyabhoj” are known as “hanumanji”.. So, I was wondering, were you the “Hanumanji” as a child😀
— Kamna Janghela (KJ) (@JanghelaKamna) March 29, 2023
What Is Kanjak?
The eighth day of Navratri is known as Asthami, and the ninth day is known as Navami. In India, on both days, little girls are invited to the house. Girls who have not attained puberty visit households for delicious treats.
According to the Puran, it is believed that girls should be invited to a house as the nine forms of goddess Durga, which is why people invite exactly nine girls. With them, one boy is too invited and said to be resembling Lord Hanuman.
They are made to sit on a mat, and their feet are washed. They are treated with traditional dishes like puri, brown gram sabzi and sheera. The person who invited them takes blessings from them and also offers gifts to them. This is known as Kanjak, Kanja Pooja or Kanya Pooja.
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Which is your favourite memory of Kanjak? Let us know below!
Cover Image Courtesy: @ayushmannkhurrana/Twitter