Neetu Kapoor performs Kanya Pujan for granddaughter Raha on Ashtami

Neetu Kapoor kept the Navratri spirit close to home this Ashtami. The veteran actor shared glimpses of a home Kanya Pujan on Instagram Stories, with granddaughter Raha — daughter of Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt — taking the centre spot in the ritual.

In one photo, Raha sits on a small stool as Neetu washes her feet and offers prayers. The little one wears a bright orange top with blue jeans, while Neetu is seen in a pink-and-white floral kurta set. Another clip shows the actor performing the puja for a young boy, and a further glimpse offers a look at the family’s balcony temple, decorated with flowers, a marble Durga idol, a kalash and sprouted grains.

What Kanya Pujan means

The ritual is also called Kanjak Puja and is usually observed on Ashtami or Navami, the eighth and ninth days of Navratri. It treats young girls as living forms of Goddess Durga, with families offering prayers and food as part of the tradition.

• Young girls are honoured as manifestations of Goddess Durga.
• The puja is typically performed on Ashtami or Navami.
• Devotees offer food, gifts and prayers to the girls.

Why family rituals land with Bollywood fans

Festival posts like this give fans a different kind of star sighting. There is no red carpet, no film promotion and no press release—just a grandmother passing a tradition down a generation. For an audience that follows the Kapoor family closely, the Ashtami post turns a big Bollywood name into a familiar, relatable household celebrating exactly the way many families do.

It also arrives at a time when Navratri content is everywhere on social media. What makes Neetu’s glimpse stand out is the quiet intimacy: a child on a stool, a balcony temple at home and a ritual many viewers have grown up with themselves.

Varun Dhawan’s Navami with Lara

Varun Dhawan added his own family moment on Navami. The actor posted a picture with a group of young girls during what appeared to be a drawing session. His daughter Lara stood behind him, holding on to him, with her face kept out of frame. The sheet of paper in the photo carried a drawing and the words “Happy Navratri.” Sharing the image, he wrote in Hindi, which translates to “Heartfelt Navratri wishes to everyone.”

Two actors, two generations and one festival later, Bollywood’s Navratri feels close to home.

Source: The Times of India