Kali Puja

West Bengal, with its cultural extravaganzas and festive celebrations is a popular tourist hub. The colorful Bengali culture and the city’s vivacious citizens love to celebrate every joyous occasion with gaiety. Kali Puja, a quintessential Bengali festival is celebrated opulence and splendor in the state.

West Bengal’s largest festival, Durga Puja is celebrated with pomp and grandeur throughout the state. Five days hence on a beautiful full moon or Purnima night when the silky moonlight whitewashes the entire universe, the Goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi is worshipped on Lakshmi Puja.

The next dark and sinister new moon or Amavasya night in autumn commences with the celebrations of Diwali and Kali Puja in West Bengal. The idols of Goddess Kali, the dangerous incarnation of Goddess Durga look terrifying with her dark and glowering skin, blood smeared appearance and petrifying third eye, as she stands tall in her fiery temper clad only in serpentine garlands of snakes and skulls.

To pay a tribute to the Goddess, every Bengali household is brilliantly lit with colorful bulbs and decorative diyas. While people enjoy in feasting, gambling and merrymaking little children burst firecrackers. The Goddess when appeased promises devotees a fresh new lease of life full of vigor and justice. Animals are sacrificed to honor and pacify the frenzied Goddess.

In order to celebrate the festival of lights with appropriate pomp and grandeur, nearly 2000 elaborate pandals are built in the state of West Bengal. A unique feature of the state’s celebration of Kali Puja is the religious fervor involved in the celebrations rather than the lavish the spectacle of wealth.