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Thread: Kali Tirtha KALIGHAAT

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    Kali Tirtha KALIGHAAT

    About five hundred years ago a narrow path ran through deep mangrove forests of Sunderbans , home to riverine crocodiles , royal Bengal tigers and malarial mosquitos . Deep within that dreaded forest stood a small hut made of dried leaves and bamboo sticks . It contained a priceless treasure -- the self manifested deity of Kali of Kalighat . A tantric sannyasi or two stayed there to look after the needs of the goddess and her worship was rather simple . But the story of her find is even older--

    Many hundreds of years before this another brahmachaari had seen a strange light illuminating the whole place. After searching he found out that it coming from a small pond near the flow of Ganga . Next morning the curious brahmachaari went there once more to find out the reason of the strange light the day before . To his amazement he found out a stone face of Kali with three eyes and another bit of stone in the shape of what appears to be fingers of a foot !! Struck with devotion and amazement he quickly brought them back to his small hut and started their worship .

    Situated within the forest it was hardly known to anyone else outside of the region . But this was the place where the left foot fingers of Sati's body fell when Vishnu cut up the body in 51 peices . It was a revered sakti-peeth , hardly known to anyone .

    Now and then small groups of dedicated pilgrims would brave the hazards of tigers , diseases and vamaachaari tantriks to tread that cursed path and pay a visit to the pilgrimage at Ganga Sagar- where Ganga meets sea . It was through them that he words of this miraculous Devi went out of the secluded forest for the first time .

    Historically the first conclusive mention of this place is in Ain-I-Akbari written by Abul Fazal of Akbar's court . The name mentioned here is Kaleekota .

    Slowly the fame of the deity spread , but footfalls remained low due to its dangerous location . A trip to Kalighat had every chance to end in premature death , either at the hands of the tigers , or as a human sacrifice to the Devi herself by the local dacoits and thugs when the brahmachaaris were not around ! Years passed by untill it was 18th century . The local zamindar were on a boat ride through Ganges when he heard sounds of arati bells and conch within the forest . Curious , he stepped in to see the beautifull murti of mother Kali . It was he who built the present temple of Kali at Kalighat . Meanwhile times have changed a lot . Ganga has changed her course in a major way and no longer flows past Kalighat . The old course of Ganga past Kalighat is merely a small creek now . The Mughals have been exterminated and Britishers have founded their empire in India . And with all these , a new city has started to grow on the land surrounding the ancient temple . Trees wee being felled and newer and newer mansions were coming up quickly . Within a few years the unpenetrable forest was the 'city of palaces' - Calcutta . Now began the rise of Kalighat as an important pilgrim center. What was once difficlut to access due to its treacherous location became most easily accesible due to its being in the center of the city . Fame came fast and Kalighat became a national name .


    MAIN FESTIVALS

    The day of Kali puja or Deepawali is celebrated in Kalighat in a unique way . keeping in tradition with the rest of india , Kali is worshipped as Lakshmi on this auspicious day .

    The next most important festival is Raam-Navami or the birthday of lord Ram which falls on the date of Vasant Navaratri . On this day the preists and brahmins of the temple indulge in play of holi among themselves with colours . In the evening the Radha-Madhava deities are decorated and taken out in procession .

    Snanayatra during the month of Ashada corresponds with the Snanayatra of lord Jagannath in Puri . On this day the deity is given a complete abhishekham . The priest enter the sanctum blindfolded to take out the sacred fingers of Sati and do a speciall abhishekam on them . After both the abhisheks are finished and maa is dressed in new sarees the doors are opened for public viewing . Almost immideately begins the struggle to collect the snana-jal or the bathing water of maa .

    Durga Puja during october is also a main event with thousands of devotees thronging the premises .

    NITYA PUJA

    The day begins with a mangal arati at dawn after which begins the main puja of mother . The present servitors of mother Kali are vaishavs . Their family deity of Vaasudeva is also in the same temple . Hence they consider their mother Kali to be a Vaishnavi . Therefore tilaka mark is applied on her nose evryday !! This appears wierd when one thinks that animals are sacrifced before someone who is veiwed as vaishnavi here !!

    The daily anna-bhoga or lunch of mother comes in pretty late -- at about 3 or 4 in the evening . This is because she is considered the mother of all . Just as an indian mother serves the entire family beginning with her husband , in laws , her sons and then sits down to her own meal at the end , the mother of the universe also cannot sit down to lunch unless everyone (inclduing the beggers outside the temple) has finished their respective meals !
    In the evening is the sandhya arati accompanied by dinner offerings . the temple is closed late at night .

    here is a video of arati at kalighat temple---http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayN7-FEGDAg
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