Mumbai: Today is Kali Puja, an important day in the Diwali festival week. The day is of religious significance for all Hindus, but Bengali-speaking communities and those from the eastern states consider it one of the most important dates in their religious calendar.
Among the ten forms of Goddess Durga, Kali is worshipped as the embodiment of power, and her devotees believe that prayers offered to her removes fears and setbacks in their lives
Kali Puja is done during the nights because of spiritual reasons. Kali, the goddess of time and destruction, is often linked with the dark night, representing the cycles of life and death.
Kali Puja is celebrated tonight, honoring the goddess of power, with rituals commencing across Mumbai's Bengali communities | File Photo
Tapan Banerjee, puja secretary of the Thakur Village Bengali Association's Durgotsav, Kandivali (East), said that night was associated with rituals of the thugs or dacoits who worshipped Kali before settling off on their nightly expeditions to rob the rich. "But in the present era, people do the puja at night to seek Mother's power," said Bannerjee.
The Thakur Village Durgotsav pandal is dismantled after Durga Puja. However, Kali Puja takes place in the same ground at the Evershine Club. The rituals will start at 11.00pm on Thursday and go on till 12.30am on Friday. "Devotees who participate in the rituals fast for 12 hours as a represention of ritual purity," added Bannerjee. Fruits and flowers are offered to the goddess during the puja.
At the 102-year-old Bengal Club at Shivaji Park, the rituals will start at 9.30 pm, said Joy Chakraborty of the Bengal Club. It is believed that Kali defeated the demon Mahishasura during the night of the Amavasya or new moon, making night a powerful time for worshipping the goddess. During Diwali celebrations, Goddess Kali is worshipped twice – once on Narak Chaturdashi and on
Kartik Amavasya, which falls on the night corresponding to October 31, 2024. The Kartik Amavasya begins at 3.52 pm on 31 October 2024, and ends at 6.18 pm on 1 November 2014. The Kali Puja timing is between 11.39 pm on October 31 and 12.31 am on November 1.
For this reason, Kali Puja is also called Shyama Puja. On Wednesday, many temples in celebrated were decorated with lights for Deepotsav.
