11,000 UP girls to take part in ‘Kanya Pujan’ on Oct 22

Lucknow, Oct 11 (IANS) In a massive outreach to all communities on the occasion of Navratri, the Yogi Adityanath government will be organising ‘kanya pujan’ in Gonda for 11,000 girls from all communities, specifically backward, extremely backward, tribal and Vantangiya groups.

The government is aiming to get a place in the Limca Book of Records for holding the largest kanya pujan.

The programme named ‘Shakti Vandan’, will take place under the Mission Shakti campaign on the occasion of Mahashtami, October 22.

“Previously, the largest mass worship of girls took place during the International Shivratri Festival at Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, which was recorded in the Limca Book of Records. On this occasion, 1,008 girls participated. Now, the district administration in Gonda is aiming to establish a new record during their event,” said a government spokesperson.

Gonda District Magistrate Neha Sharma said that in this programme, which is organised around the theme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao’ mission, a grand feast will be provided for 11,000 girls in the courtyard of the Shaheed-e-Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh Inter College. The girls will also be given hygiene kits.

To pay respects to the nine forms of Goddess Durga, Sharma said, outstanding women in nine different fields, such as police, entrepreneurship, education, health, agriculture, self-help groups, panchayati raj, Arts and NGOs will be presented with the Nav Devi Award.

The administration has contacted numerous schools and social organisations to draw up a list of girls who will participate in the event.

“The programme centres around the theme of ‘Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao’ and aims to ensure that every daughter receives education and is empowered to seize opportunities for progress. This name of the initiative is Shakti Vandan, inspired by the Women’s Reservation Bill named Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, recently passed by Parliament,” Sharma said.