RSS performs Kumari Puja of girls from neglected castes

Hyderabad:The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is of firm view that the time is more conducive for disseminating nationalist thoughts and reaching out to deprived sections of the Hindu society through ‘Samajik Samarasta’, one of the Panch Parivartan envisaged as part of mass reach out programmes in the centenary year of its formation, which begins from the Vijaya Dasami day.

To work against the flawed perception that the deprived sections of the society did not get opportunity to contribute towards nation building, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has taken up a unique programme of performing Kumari Puja, of girls hailing from nomadic tribes including Budaga Jangalu, Dakkali, Gangireddula, Vaddera, Holia and Dasara, the most neglected castes in Hindu religion.

Prominent members from the society performed Kumari Puja of 274 poor girls from these down-trodden sections so far at Karimnagar, Maheshwaram, Amberpet, Sikh Village, Tirumalagiri, Jawaharnagar among others. It is an attempt to give an equal honour and join them in the main-stream of Hindu society, said Siddi Raghavendra, a functionary of RSS.

Kumari Puja is an important ritual during the Navaratri festivities that includes worshipping a young girl as the embodiment of Goddess Durga. According to Hindu scriptures, Kumari Puja commemorates the killing of Kolasur by Goddess Kali.

The performing Kumari Puja of these neglected girls are intended to give them the same honour and respect in the society, said Sandhya, who is involved in this pooja in Karimnagar.

Taking cue from the life of Indore’s queen Devi Ahilyabai Holkar, the RSS feels that it provides a precise answer to all flawed perceptions that deprived section cannot get due recognition and not take part in nation building programmes.