CM Dhami Performs Havan and Kanya Pujan on Mahanavami

Key Takeaways

CM Pushkar Singh Dhami performed Havan and Kanya Pujan on Mahanavami, October 21, 2026 .

Mahanavami is the ninth and penultimate day of the Navratri festival, considered among the holiest in the Hindu calendar.

Kanya Pujan involves the ceremonial worship of young girls as embodiments of Goddess Durga.

Uttarakhand, known as Dev Bhoomi , is home to major Hindu pilgrimage sites, making Navratri especially significant in the state.

The festival concludes with Vijayadashami (Dussehra) , the day following Mahanavami.

On the auspicious ninth day of Navratri, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in Havan and Kanya Pujan rituals on Mahanavami, October 21, 2026 — observing one of the most sacred culminating traditions of the festival season.

What Mahanavami means and why it matters

Mahanavami — the ninth and penultimate day of the Navratri festival — is considered among the holiest in the Hindu calendar. The day centres on two core rituals: a Havan, a sacred fire offering made with chants and oblations, and Kanya Pujan, the ceremonial worship of young girls as living embodiments of the goddess Durga. Across northern India, households and public figures alike mark the occasion with these rites before the festival closes on Vijayadashami (Dussehra).

A Chief Minister's participation in a centuries-old tradition

For CM Dhami — who has led Uttarakhand since 2021 as a BJP leader in a state that holds some of India's most revered Hindu shrines — participation in Mahanavami carries both devotional and public significance. The Dev Bhoomi (land of the gods), as Uttarakhand is widely called, is home to pilgrimage destinations including Kedarnath, Badrinath, Haridwar, and Rishikesh, making the festival season particularly resonant in the state. Indian chief ministers across parties routinely mark major Hindu festivals with public ceremonies — a practice that reinforces cultural continuity and maintains visibility with constituents during periods of communal celebration. As the Navratri season draws to a close, all eyes now turn to Vijayadashami — and whether the state government will announce any accompanying cultural programmes tied to the close of the festival.

Point of View

Where religious tourism is a pillar of the state economy and Hindu pilgrimage sites define the state's identity, such participation carries added political and symbolic weight. The gesture reinforces Dhami's positioning as a leader rooted in the cultural ethos of Dev Bhoomi. It is routine outreach, but in a festival-dense state, routine outreach is rarely without electoral resonance.

NationPress

21 Oct 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Mahanavami and how is it celebrated?

Mahanavami is the ninth day of the Navratri festival and one of its holiest. It is marked by Havan (sacred fire rituals) and Kanya Pujan (worship of young girls as embodiments of Goddess Durga), after which the festival closes with Vijayadashami.

Who is Pushkar Singh Dhami?

Pushkar Singh Dhami is the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, serving since 2021 and representing the BJP. He is among the younger chief ministers in India and leads a state known for its major Hindu pilgrimage sites.

What is Kanya Pujan?

Kanya Pujan is a ritual performed on Mahanavami in which young girls are worshipped as living manifestations of the goddess Durga. They are offered food, gifts, and prayers as a mark of reverence.

Why is Navratri especially significant in Uttarakhand?

Uttarakhand is called Dev Bhoomi, or 'land of the gods,' and is home to major Hindu shrines including Kedarnath, Badrinath, Haridwar, and Rishikesh. The Navratri festival season is therefore deeply embedded in the state's cultural and religious identity.

When is Vijayadashami (Dussehra) in 2026?

Vijayadashami, also known as Dussehra, falls on the tenth day of Navratri, the day after Mahanavami. With Mahanavami observed on October 21, 2026, Vijayadashami falls on October 22, 2026.