Kali Puja is a major Hindu festival dedicated to Goddess Kali. While the rest of India worships Goddess Lakshmi on Amavasya Tithi during Diwali, eastern India, including West Bengal, Odisha and Assam worship Goddess Kali on the new moon in the month of Kartik.
Kali Puja is also called Shyama Puja and is the second most celebrated festival after Durga Puja in Eastern India. The puja takes place in the middle of the night. It is believed that goddess Kali ward-off negative waves around you, cut down all kind of impurities and fill your house with happiness.
It is widely believed that in Bengal, noted 16th-century Tantric scholar Krishnananda Agamavagisha was the one who started Kali Puja. The tantric scholar had once dreamt of Goddess Kali, who had until then largely been associated with death and darkness.
As per mythology, when her victory over the demons was certain, she danced so furiously that the earth trembled beneath her. At the request of the Gods, Shiva laid down in front of her to make her stop. When she accidentally stepped on him, she realised her mistake and put out her tongue and calmed down.
This year Kali Puja will be celebrated on October 24. The Amavasya Tithi will begin at 5:27 pm on October 24 and end at 4:18 pm on October 25. Kali Puja Nishita Time is from 11:50 pm on October 24 to 12:39 am on October 25.
There are two ways to worship Maa Kali: traditional puja and tantric puja. Anybody may perform normal puja, but tantra puja requires the protection and guidance of the guru, which is no longer possible. Midnight is the ideal time to worship Maa Kali. In the worship of Maa Kali, the colours red and black have great significance.
Before worshipping Maa Kali, just following these steps:
Take a bath before the shubh muhurat.
Don a red outfit and sit in a red chair.
Then take a pole and drape red fabric over it.
Install an idol or picture of Maa Kali there.
Worship Maa Kali after Ganesh Ji.
Mata Kali should be bathed with Panchamrit.
To Maa Kali, present Chunri.
Make Maa Kali a red flower garland with Hibiscus.
Give the mother some cosmetics as a present.
Dress code for Kali Puja participants is red, orange, or ochre.
The purpose of Kali Puja is to honour the Goddess Kali, who is revered by the Bengali, Assamese, and Odia cultures and whose varied forms symbolise her transformational abilities. The Goddess is worshipped because she is believed to eradicate all evil from the earth and represents divine force, or Shakti.
