Kali Puja which is also known as Shyama Puja or Mahanisha Puja is a Hindu festival which is dedicated to the worship of the Hindu Goddess Kali. This day is celebrated annually and it coincides with the Lakshmi Puja day of Diwali.
This year it falls on 24th of October. It is celebrated annually on every new moon day(Dippanita Amavasya) in the month of Kartik according to the Hindu calendar.
This festival is primarily celebrated in the Eastern region of India especially in the Indian state of West Bengal as this day coincides with Lakshmi Puja of Diwali so the rest of India and Nepal majorly worships Goddess Lakshmi on this day as a celebrations of Diwali and not Goddess Kali.
| Event | Kali Puja |
|---|---|
| Date | October 24, 2022 |
| Day | Monday |
| Significance | The day honors and celebrates the Hindu Goddess Kali |
| Observed by | India |
Kali Puja History:
The festival of Kali Puja is not an ancient one. Kali Puja was practically unknown before the 16th century; famous sage Krisnananda Agambagish first initiated Kali puja celebrations, also a late 17th-century devotional text Kalika mangalkavya mentions an annual festival dedicated to Kali. In Bengal during the 18th century, Raja(King) Krishnachandra of Krishnanagar, Nadia, West Bengal also made this puja wide spread. Kali Puja gained popularity in the 19th century, when kali saint Shri Ramkrishna became popular among the Bengalis ; wealthy landowners began patronizing the festival on a grand scale.
There is a very popular legend behind the origins of the festival. It states that once there were two demons (Rakshasa) called Shumbh and Nishumbh that were creating rumpus in both the heaven and the world. At that time a battle took place between King Indra, the lord of the heaven and the devils in which gods were defeated and they were forced to take refuge in the Hinalayas where they went into shelter of Goddess Durga asking her to protect them from evil. At that moment supreme primordial kalika form emerged from the forehead of Goddess Durga who later went on to fight with the demons.
Then Goddess Kali embarked on a quest to destroy the demons and then after a fierce battle between them took place in which she killed them and made a garland of their heads to wear around her neck. But soon after this power and rage overwhelmed Goddess Kali. So she went on a rampage, slaughtering everyone in her path including the common and innocent people. So Lord Shiva decided to intervene, but a rage-fuelled Kali stepped on Shiva unknowingly. She finally realized what she had done and came back to her original form.
Since then in art and religious texts, Goddess Kali is often depicted with her tongue hanging out, depicting the moment when she realised she had stood on Lord Shiva and her rage subsided. That's why Goddess Kali became such an important source of worship for devotees admiring to get strength in their life especially the female ones as Goddess Kali is a symbol of ultimate female strength in our universe.
There is also another less popular legend behind the origins of Goddess Kali which involve Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva. Parvati is typically portrayed as a benign and friendly goddess. The Linga Purana describes Shiva asking Parvati to defeat the demon Daruka, who received a boon that would only allow a female to kill him. Parvati merges with Shiva's body, reappearing as Kali to defeat Daruka and his armies. Her bloodlust gets out of control, only calming when Shiva intervenes.
Kali Puja Significance:
Goddess Kali symbolizes divine energy or shakti. She destroys evil within the world and outside it is believed that the universe owes its redemption to her. Kali (also called Kalika) is the first among 10 indomitable goddesses or the Dasa Mahavidyas of Hindu mythology. She is the embodiment of female force of our universe according to Hindu beliefs and that's why she is also worshipped to grant strength and courage to the devotees especially to the female devotees.
The name Kali means Kala or force of time. When there were neither the creation, nor the sun, the moon, the planets, and the earth, there was only darkness and everything was created from the darkness. The Dark appearance of Kali represents the darkness from which everything was born. Her complexion is black. As she is also the goddess of Preservation, Kali is worshiped as the preserver of nature. Kali is standing calm on Shiva, her appearance represents the preservation of mother nature.
Goddess Kali is portrayed mostly in two forms: the popular four-armed form and the ten-armed Mahakali form. In both of her forms, she is described as being black in colour but is most often depicted as blue in popular Indian art. Her eyes are described as red with intoxication and in absolute rage. Her hair is shown disheveled, small fangs sometimes protrude out of her mouth, and her tongue is lolling. She is often shown wearing a skirt made of human arms and a garland of human heads, and she is also shown wearing a tiger skin.
Somerines she is also shown accompanied by serpents and a jackal while standing on the calm and prostrate Shiva, usually right foot forward to symbolize the more popular Dakshinamarga or right-handed path, as opposed to the more infamous and transgressive Vamamarga or left-handed path. These serpents and jackals are shown to drink the blood of demon Raktaboja head, which is dripping while the goddess carries it in her hand, and preventing it from falling on the ground.
Kali Puja is a homage to a goddess unlike any other. Kali is far from ethereal, beautiful, or maternal in the traditional sense. Goddess Kali demands the world to pay attention to its sins as there is still chances for redemption for it otherwise they will face dangerous consequences for it in their future as the wrath of Goddess Kali will be upon them. So people use this day as an opportunity as a day to express regret if they have committed any sin and they ask for redemption for their sin from Goddess Kali.
Kali Puja Celebrations:
During Kali Puja worshippers honour the goddess Kali in their homes in the form of clay sculptures and in pandals (temporary shrines or open pavilions). Where she is worshipped at night with Tantric rites and mantras. She is prescribed offerings of red hibiscus flowers, sweets, rice and lentils. It is prescribed that a worshipper should meditate throughout the night until dawn to get the blessings of Goddess Kali however mostly only ardent devotees follows that procedure.
Homes and pandals may also practice rites in the Brahmanical (mainstream Hindu-style, non-Tantric) tradition with ritual dressing of Kali in her form as Adya Shakti Kali and no animals are sacrificed. She is offered food and sweets made of rice, lentils, and fruits in this case. However, in Tantric tradition, animals are ritually sacrificed on Kali Puja day and offered to the goddess mostly including goats or buffaloes. However tantric worship is less practiced today.
The pandals also house images of Kali's consort, Shiva, two famous Bengali Kali devotees named Ramakrishna and Bamakhepa, along with scenes from mythology of Kali and her various forms, including images of the Mahavidyas, sometimes considered as the "ten Kalis." The Mahavidyas is a group of ten Tantric goddesses headed by Kali. People visit these pandals throughout the night. Kali Puja is also the time for magic shows, theater, and fireworks.
In the Kalighat Temple in Kolkata, Kalikhetra Temple in Bhubaneswar and in Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, Kali is worshipped as Lakshmi on this day so as to reflect an essence of Vaishnava Haldars on Kali worship. Goddess Lakshmi is worshiped in her three forms, Maha Lakshmi, Maha Kali and Maha Saraswati on this day. The temple is visited by thousands of devotees who give offerings to the goddess.
Although the widely popular annual Kali Puja celebration, also known as the Dipanwita Kali Puja, is celebrated on the new moon day of the month of Kartika, Kali is also worshipped in other new moon days too. Three other major Kali Puja observations are Ratanti Kali Puja, Phalaharini Kali Puja and Kaushiki Kali Puja and these all festivals also holds great religious significance.
Most Searched FAQs on Kali Puja:
1. When is Kali Puja Celebrated?
Kali Puja is annually celebrated on every new moon day(Dippanita Amavasya) in the month of Kartik month according to the Hindu calendar.
2. Who is worshipped on Kali Puja?
Goddess Kali is worshipped on Kali Puja.
3. What do you eat on Kali Puja?
The main prasad (devotional offering) during the puja is Bhoger Khichuri. It’s a traditional Bengali dish made with rice, lentils, vegetables, and spices.