CM Samrat Choudhary performs Mahanavami havan and kanya pujan
Synopsis
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary observed Mahanavami at Loksevak Awas in Patna, performing havan and kanya pujan — washing girls' feet, draping them in chunri — and praying to Maa Bhagwati for Bihar's wellbeing.
Key Takeaways
Samrat Choudhary , Bihar Chief Minister and senior BJP leader, performed havan and kanya pujan on Mahanavami .
The observance took place at Loksevak Awas , the official residence of the Bihar CM in Patna .
Rituals included washing the feet of young girls (pag pakharna) and draping them in chunri , venerating them as embodiments of Shakti.
The CM prayed to Maa Bhagwati for the happiness, prosperity, health and peace of Bihar's residents.
The observance continues a longstanding tradition of Bihar chief ministers marking Navratri with official religious ceremonies.
On the auspicious occasion of Mahanavami, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary performed a havan and conducted kanya pujan at his official residence, Loksevak Awas in Patna, washing the feet of young girls, draping them in chunri, and seeking the blessings of Maa Bhagwati for the people of Bihar.
Posting on X, the Chief Minister wrote: 'Mahanavami ke paavan avsar par Loksevak Awas mein havan evam shakti swaroopa kanyaon ke pag pakhaarkar, chunri odhakar kanya-pujan kiya evam Maa Bhagwati se pradeshwasiyon ke sukh, samridhi, aarogyata aur shanti ki kamna ki.' — ('On the holy occasion of Mahanavami, at Loksevak Awas, I performed havan and kanya pujan by washing the feet of girls who embody Shakti, draping them in chunri, and praying to Maa Bhagwati for the happiness, prosperity, health and peace of the people of the state.')Mahanavami and the ritual of kanya pujan
Mahanavami, the ninth and final day of Navratri, is considered one of the most sacred days in the Hindu calendar — the culmination of nine nights of worship of Goddess Durga in her various forms. The ritual of kanya pujan, in which young girls are venerated as living embodiments of Shakti, is a centrepiece of Mahanavami observances across northern India. The havan — a sacred fire ritual — accompanies it as an offering to the divine.
The Chief Minister's choice of Loksevak Awas, his official residence in Patna, as the venue underscores the public-religious dimension of the occasion — a gesture directed as much at Bihar's devotees as it is a personal act of faith.
Bihar CMs and Navratri: a consistent tradition
Bihar's chief ministers have long marked Navratri with official observances, and Samrat Choudhary continues that tradition with visible intent. For BJP leaders in particular, public participation in Hindu festivals at official residences has become a defining feature of governance optics — a signal to constituents that cultural and religious identity holds a place alongside administrative duty.
With Chhath Puja — Bihar's most beloved and distinctly regional festival — approaching on the calendar, all eyes will now turn to how the Chief Minister marks that equally significant occasion on the banks of the Ganga.
Point of View
Rather than a temple, frames the CM's home as a site of public faith, blurring the line between personal devotion and state symbolism. In Bihar, where caste and community calculus is intense, such visible ritual participation also serves as a soft outreach to Hindu devotees ahead of the equally high-profile Chhath Puja season. It is ceremonial politics — but in Bihar, ceremony is never merely ceremonial.
NationPress
19 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is kanya pujan and why is it performed on Mahanavami?
Kanya pujan is a ritual in which young girls are worshipped as living embodiments of the goddess Shakti. It is performed on Mahanavami — the ninth day of Navratri — as a culminating act of devotion, involving washing the girls' feet, offering chunri (a cloth dupatta), and serving them food.
Where did Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary perform the Mahanavami rituals?
He performed the havan and kanya pujan at Loksevak Awas, the official residence of the Bihar Chief Minister, located in Patna.
What did Samrat Choudhary pray for on Mahanavami?
The Chief Minister prayed to Maa Bhagwati for the happiness, prosperity, health and peace of the people of Bihar.
Is it common for Bihar chief ministers to observe Navratri officially?
Yes. Bihar's chief ministers have a longstanding tradition of marking Navratri — and especially Mahanavami — with official havan and kanya pujan ceremonies, a practice that has continued across different administrations.
What is Loksevak Awas?
Loksevak Awas is the official residence of the Chief Minister of Bihar, located in Patna.
