'Kanjanks' Culture in India

Yesterday was 'Durga Ashtmi'. My mother prepare all kinds of mouth-watering dishes on this day and call nine young girls called 'kanjaks'(In simple words, the girls who have not started menstruating) and a boy. Some people celebrate it on navmi also.

The tradition goes this way:-

9 girls and a young boy will enter the house, and get seated on pedestal, the lady of the house would wash their feet,apply tilak on their forehead, tie a moli(holy thread in India, red in color)around their wrist, serve them traditional dishes- Chana, puri, halwa.After they are finished eating, she would give them gifts and touch their feet and seek their blessings.(You can easily figure out the number of houses a young girl visits that day by counting her molis. Very busy day for them).

Reason behind this tradition:-

People across India(specially North India) celebrate this festival in the respect of Maa Durga and they call nine girls(preferably from different caste) to worship the nine powerful incarnations of Maa Durga. Our scriptures say that the leading force of the universe is women(haha! ear-soothing words). Also, a mythological story is there which says Maa Durga killed a Demon Kalasur by assuming the form of a young girl 'Kumari'. (For more details about the story, please turn up to your mother, grandmother or google).

Here comes the point:-

I think you can relate now the relation between 'kanjaks' and young girls(who have not entered their puberty) based on the mythological story. After so many years, I still can't.
My grandmother used to say purest form of girl is till when she is not on the rags every month.(How our society treat them during their periods will take another post). That is why they call only little girls.
Since many years, this day reminds me the humiliation I have encountered because of this. I am sure many girls would have.

Here comes my story:- 

There was a grand function on Durga Ashtmi organized by the residents of the society in a temple. To serve Goddess Durga , they had to serve all the little girls of the society before taking the offerings.
A group nine girls were seated one by one and they were following the procedure, I have mentioned above.
When my turn came, I got seated with my sisters and friends. An uncle came, pulled me out of my seat and asked to wait outside. I felt so mortified that I still remember looking at my younger sister and my cousin elder sister taking the delicacies. Instead, he asked me help with serving the food. I was too proud to serve the food and on the verge of breaking down.
I found a lonely place and cried my heart loud as I did not know what has just happened. My mother found me after an hour or so. After listening to the incident, she said, I don't know how he knew. But, as you have entered the puberty, you are not a part of 'kanjaks' group anymore. Upon questioning, she replied that this is how society works and you have to fit in. (Most common reply I have heard since then on questioning the customs of the society).
Yeah,it was my bad that my mensuration cycle started at a very young age and my mother's bad she did not warn me early. And yes, after that I never got any invitation for the 'kanjak' party.

My point continues:-

I could never had my peace treaty with this particular custom. Over the years, I have started to ignore it. I help my mother with all the arrangements but I never took part in this particular celebration(of womanhood) wholeheartedly.
How can I accept a thing which I don't understand?
Go through any scripture, they would compare a girl, a woman with Goddess Durga(destroyer of all obstacles, wife of Lord Shiva and mother of Lord Kartikey,Lord Ganesha, and Goddess Ashok Sundari). She is a mother, a wife and a Goddess.
The onset of puberty marks the beginning of womanhood and you are celebrating womanhood. You are celebrating and worshiping how a woman is endowment of peace and prosperity,embodiment of beauty,bravery and annapurna,symbolic of courage and strength when it comes to protecting her children.
Then, how a girl who has just entered her pubescence is left from all these celebrations? 
In what world a girl becomes impure upon attaining puberty? I think this should be celebrated more grandly and they should also be the most important part of celebrating Maa Durga.
Do our society really respect the women the way scriptures teach them or is it just another way of show-off and drape it's corrupted and hypocrite mentality towards women behind it?

To all the girls:-

This society will demean us at every step, they will keep these grand celebrations to celebrate you(which you can't even enjoy) and simultaneously kill your dreams. They will show you that you need to fit in, but all you need is to cherish yourself, live for yourself too. You need to respect but you don't need to accept.  You are purest thing universe could create. YOU ARE MAA DURGA!

Thank you. 
Happy Navratri