Hindu priest offers prayers during Kumari Kanya & aarti at Bangali Akhada Goddess temple on the eight day of Navratri Durga Puja festival in Patna, Bihar, northern India.

The eighth day of the ten-day festival Durga Puja marks the Durga Ashtami or Maha Ashtami. Devotees from across the country worship goddess Mahagauri who is believed to rid people of all pain and suffering in their lives.

Young and unmarried girls are also worshipped on this day and are presented with special Navratri preparations. This ritual is known as Kumari Puja. Devotees believe young girls to be manifestations of Maa Durga. During the puja, worshippers wash their feet, offer them clothes, jewelry, and a few other tokens of gratitude.

According to Hindu customs, celebrations on this day commence with a Mahasnan or a grand bath to rid which is said to rid people of impurities. This is followed by installing nine small pots to invoke nine Shaktis of goddess Durga and then they are worshipped during Mahashtami puja.

Devotees also offer goddess Mahagauri with yellow flowers, halwa, puri, and black chickpeas. During the aarti, 108 earthen lamps are lit to appease the goddess.