Kali Puja In Kolkata

The city of joy, Kolkata has so much to offer. It relishes our joy buds with various festivals, heritage, food, culture and tradition. The city is in festive mood giving the people a lovely, embracing, inclusionary and welcoming vibe specially during the months of October & November . A popular and most famous festival of Maa Kali was introuduced in the state during the 18^th century.  Kali puja also known as Shyama Puja is a festival i.e, held in the month of November to worship the Hindu goddess Kali with immense love and devotion. Kali Puja gained popularity in the 19th century, with Krishanachandra’s grandson Ishvarchandra and the Bengali elite; wealthy landowners began patronizing the festival on a grand scale.

On this day the rest of India worships goddess Lakshmi on Diwali.  In Kolkata it is not diwali it is rather “ Kali Puja “. Diwali is celebrated in its own signature style personifying the term “city of joy “.The worshipers honor goddess Kali in their homes in the form of clay idols and in pandals and  worship the goddess at night with Tantric rites and mantras. She is prescribed offerings of red hibiscus flowers, animal blood in a skull, sweets, rice and lentils, fish and meat. Animals are ritually sacrificed on Kali Puja day and offered to the goddess.  The deity is offered lamb or buffalo calf for sacrifices. The day before the puja, thousand of diyas, small bulbs and little candles are used for lighting up the entire city.

In Kolkata, on the full moon day ( purnima ) and on the following new moon day (amavasya) coinciding with Diwali, goddess kali is worshipped. Kali, the more aggressive form or the destructive incarnation of goddess Durga  has a terrifying look. She destroys all evils. Lamps are lit in her honor and in return, she promises a renewal of life and justice on earth. Kali is generally a goddess to be feared rather than venerated. But Diwali is also celebrated with great enthusiasm and it is a time for gaiety and feasting.  The houses are decorated and lit with diyas. Two or even four plantains leave decorate the entry to the house or property with a row of diyas at the doorstep. The entire family gathers around for Lakshmi puja in the evening. Kali Puja stretches over three days but on amavasya, the final day the celebrations and lights are less.

 On Diwali light, the building dazzle of fireworks light up the night sky and complements the brilliantly   gleaming city below.

Snehankita Bose

PGPMC

2nd sem