Kalighat Kali Temple is a Hindu temple
dedicated to the Hindu goddess Maa Kali. It is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas.
Kalighat was a Ghat (landing stage) sacred to Kali on the old course
of the Hooghly river (Bhāgirathi) in the
city of Calcutta. The name Calcutta is
said to have been derived from the word Kalighat.
The river over a period of time has moved away from the temple. The temple is
now on the banks of a small canal called Adi Ganga
which connects to the Hoogly. The Adi
Ganga was the original course of the river Hoogly (Ganga). Hence the name Adi
(original) Ganga.
| Coordinates: |
22°31′12″N 88°20′31″E |
|---|
| Name |
| Proper name: |
Kalighat Kali Temple |
| Devanagari: |
काळिघाट् काळि मन्दिर् |
| Sanskrit transliteration: |
kaaLiGaaT kaaLi mandir |
| Tamil: |
காளிகாட் காளி கோவில் |
| Bengali: |
কালীঘাট কালী মন্দির |
| Location |
| Country: |
India |
| State: |
West Bengal |
| Location: |
On the bank of Adi Ganga river, Calcutta |
| Architecture and culture |
| Primary deity: |
Kali |
| Architectural styles: |
Typical Medieval Bengal architecture |
Worship
The temple is visited by pilgrims
from all over India irrespective of sectarian differences. The thousands of
pilgrims who flock daily to the Kalighat temple treat Kali very much like a
human mother, bringing her their domestic problems and prayers for prosperity,
and returning when their prayers are fulfilled to express their gratitude.
Their attitude towards the Goddess is guided by their religious traditions and
training, their spiritual and intellectual capacities, and the guidance of
their temple priests.
Legend
Kalighat is regarded as one of the
51 Shakti Peethas of India, where the
various parts of Sati's body are said to
have fallen, in the course of Shiva's Rudra
Tandava. Kalighat represents the site
where the toes of the right foot of Dakshayani
or Sati fell. Legend has it that a
devotee discovered a luminant ray of light coming from the Bhāgirathi river
bed, and upon investigating its source came upon a piece of stone carved in the
form of a human toe. He also found a Svayambhu Lingam of Nakuleshwar Bhairav
nearby, and started worshiping Kaali in the midst of a thick jungle.
Kalighat is also associated with the
worship offered to Kali by a Dasanami Monk by name Chowranga Giri, and the
Chowringee area of Calcutta is said to have been named after him.
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History
The Kalighat temple in its present
form is only about 200 years old, although it has been referred to in Mansar
Bhasan composed in the 15th century, and in Kavi Kankan Chandi of the 17th
century. Only two types of coins of Chandragupta II, who incorporated Vanga in
the Gupta Empire, are known from Bengal. His Archer type coins, which became
the most popular type of coinage with the Gupta rulers after Kumaragupta I, have
been found in Kalighat. This is evidence of the antiquity of the place.
The original temple was a small hut.
A small temple was constructed by King Manasingha in the early Sixteenth
century. The present temple was erected under the patronage of the Sabarna Roy
Chowdhury family of Barisha. It was completed in 1809. The Haldar family claims
to be the original owners of the temple property. But this was disputed by the
Chowdhrys of Barisha. In the nineteen sixties a committee was formed for the
administrative management of the temple with representation from the Government
and the Haldar family. The responsibility of conducting the worship rests with
the Haldars and their heirs, generally known as shebaits.
The
image of Kali
The image of Kali in this temple is
unique. It does not follow the pattern of other Kali images in Bengal. The
present idol of touchstone was created by two saints - Brahmananda Giri and
Atmaram Giri. Three huge eyes, long protruding tongue made of gold and four
hands. Two of these hands holding a sword and a severed head. The Sword
signifies Divine Knowledge and the Human Head signifies human Ego which much be
slain by Divine Knowledge in order to attain Moksha. The other two hands are in
the abhaya and varada mudras
or blessings, which means her initiated devotees (or anyone worshiping her with
a true heart) will be saved as she will guide them here and in the hereafter.
Temple
Details
Natmondir
A large rectangular covered platform
called Natmondir has been erected adjacent to the main temple, from where the
face of the image can be seen. This was originally built by Zamindar Kasinath
Roy in 1835. It has been subsequently renovated often.
Jor-bangla
The spacious varandah of the main
temple Facing the image is known as Jor Bangla. Rituals occurring inside the
sanctum sanctorum are visible from the Natmondir through the Jor-bangla.
Sosthi
Tala
This is a rectangular altar about
three feet high bearing a small cactus plant. Beneath the tree, on an altar
three stones are placed side by side - left to right representing the Goddesses
"Sosthi", "Sitola", and "Mongol Chandi". This sacred spot is
known as Sosthi Tala or Monosha Tala. This altar was constructed by Gobinda Das
Mondal in 1880. The place of the altar is the Samadhi of Brahmananda Giri. Here
all the priests are female. No daily worship or offering of Bhog (food
offering) is done here. The Goddesses here are considered as part of Maa Kali.
Harkath
Tala
This is the spot adjacent to the
Natmondir, southwards meant for Bali (sacrifice). There are two Sacrificial
altars for animal sacrifices side by side. These are known as Hari- Kath.
The bigger one is for buffalo
sacrifices and the smaller one for goats and sheep. The animals are sacrificed
with a single stroke of the knife and there is very little cruelty to animals
when compared to the professional abattoirs.
Radha-Krishna
Temple
This temple is known as Shamo-ray
temple and is situated inside the temple at the west side of the main temple.
In 1723, a settlement officer of Mushirabad district first erected a separate
temple for Radha-Krishna. In 1843 a Zamindar
called Udoy Narayan Mondal erected the present temple in the same spot. The
Dolmancho was founded in 1858 by Madan Koley of Saha Nagar. There is a separate
kitchen for preparation of vegetarian Bhog (food offering) for Radha-Krishna.
Kundupukur
This is the sacred tank situated in
the south-east of the temple outside the boundary walls. Present area of the
tank is approximately 10 cottahs. In the past it was bigger and called
'Kaku-Kunda'. In sixteenth century 'Sati-Ango' ( the right toe of Sati) was
discovered from this tank. This tank is well known for its power to bestow the
boon of a child. The water from this tank is regarded as sacred as that of the
Ganges. Efforts at draining the water from the tank for cleaning has failed in
the past showing the possibility of a subterranean with Adi Ganga.
Associated
Temples
Nakhuleshwar
Mahadev Temple
This Siva temple is dedicated to the
consort of Maa Kali. It is situated in Haldar Para lane on the opposite side of
the temple behind the police station. This temple is also very old and mentioned
in the history.
The four Shiva temples inside the
temple were constructed by different shebait families who retain control over
them.
