‘Kids come only for money, throw away food’: Viral video questions if Kanya Pujan is losing its soul to greed and waste

As Chaitra Navratri celebrations ends today with Kanya pujan on Ram Navami, a viral video has sparked fresh debate on how the age-old ritual of Kanya Pujan or Kanjak pujan, where young girls are worshipped as embodiments of Goddess Durga, is losing its soul to greed and waste. The clip, shared widely on social media, shows a man on a bicycle riding through ordinary residential neighbourhoods on Navratri. What he captures is disturbing: heaps of untouched puris, halwa, fruits and plastic plates tossed carelessly on roadsides, against compound walls and in corners near parked cars.

Kanya Pujan Waste Video Goes Viral

“Look at this condition,” he says in the video, pointing to the mess. “Our mothers wake up early, cook with so much devotion… and this is what happens.” He explains the practical side too. Children often visit 10-15 homes in a single day, collecting money, bangles and gifts. “How can any kid eat so much food?” he asks, adding that the result is mountains of wasted prasad.

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The video, titled 'Kanjak’s Reality', ends with simple suggestions: cut down the quantity of food served, offer packed snacks instead, or invite only those neighbourhood kids who will actually sit and eat inside the house rather than carry everything away.

'Mothers wake up early to prepare food with devotion'

The post read: “It’s honestly heartbreaking. It’s not just food… it’s faith, emotion, and respect.” She notes how some children now show up only for the cash and casually discard the lovingly prepared prasad once they step out. The post has struck a chord. Within hours, reactions poured in. Many users echoed the concern, with one pointing out that even sacred items like “Mata ki chunni” are now seen lying on roads.

Others shared similar stories from temples, where prasad was dumped inside premises after girls collected their money. Practical voices suggested alternatives: give useful items like pencil boxes, handkerchiefs or bananas instead of heavy meals, or simply offer packed food that won’t spoil.

A few defended the children, saying not all are the same and that social media videos might be pushing them to treat Kanjak like a collection drive. One user noted the shift from scarcity to abundance in society, where the same kids are invited repeatedly to multiple homes.

A handful questioned why religion was being dragged into what they called a general waste issue. Navratri is meant to be a time of devotion, not disposal. The video and the post together highlight a quiet crisis unfolding in our own neighbourhoods, one that families can fix with small changes before the ninth day of Kanjak arrives tomorrow. As one netizen summed it up: if we don’t teach respect now, the very emotion behind the ritual will keep getting thrown away with the food.