Kolkata, October 20 (Udaipur Kiran): Thousands of devotees thronged Kalighat, Dakshineswar, and Tarapith temples across West Bengal on Monday morning to offer prayers on the auspicious occasion of Kali Puja, celebrated with great devotion across the state.
From early morning, chants of “Jai Maa Kali” echoed through temple premises as priests conducted rituals, aarti, havan, and special offerings. To manage the huge rush, the Kolkata Police implemented tight security measures at Kalighat and Dakshineswar, with special arrangements for crowd control and traffic regulation in surrounding areas.
In West Bengal, it is a long-standing tradition to worship Goddess Kali on Diwali night, symbolizing the triumph of divine power over evil.
At Kalighat Temple, one of the 51 Shakti Peethas of India — where it is believed that four toes of Goddess Sati’s right foot fell — devotees began offering prayers before dawn. As per ritual, Goddess Kali is worshipped in her Lakshmi form on the night of Amavasya, and offerings include rice, five types of fried vegetables (bhaja), five kinds of dried fish, ghee, sweets, and goat meat.
A similar scene unfolded at Dakshineswar Kali Temple, where devotees queued up since early morning for darshan and blessings. Priests performed continuous rituals amid chants and traditional drum beats.
At Tarapith Temple in Birbhum district, another major Shakti Peetha where Goddess Sati’s eye is believed to have fallen, a massive crowd gathered to worship Maa Tara, a fierce form of Kali. Thousands of devotees, along with Tantriks and Aghoris, participated in yagna and special rituals. Following ancient custom, country liquor was offered to the Goddess as part of the sacred offering.
Temple authorities expect the rituals and offerings to continue till late night, as devotees from across the state gather to seek blessings from the Goddess.
Across Bengal, nearly every household of the Bengali community celebrates Kali Puja with the same fervour as Durga Puja, lighting lamps and offering prayers to the Mother Goddess for prosperity and protection.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
