Kalyaneshwari Kali Temple - West Bengal

I have always mentioned of the beautiful township I have grown up in. Nature was at its best there, too much traffic with too much emission wasn’t there to spoil the beauty. Wonderfully crafted homes amidst fields, gardens and even a golf ground made me a nature lover since I was very young. The climate was bit of an extreme type, very cold winters and hot, dry summers. But I enjoyed the hues of both. Winter meant picnics, and each year we headed to different destinations like Maithon, Panchet, Shidhabari, Rondia, Usri falls etc. But one destination was a favorite gateway for most and that is, Kalyaneshwari Kali Temple.

Since childhood I have grown up watching my parents, taking all the relatives who came to visit us, to this temple. And even otherwise we would visit frequently. As known by most, Bengalis believe and count upon a lot on the divinity of Goddess Kali. When most of the country celebrates the festival of lights, paying homage to Goddess Laxmi and Lord Ganesh, West Bengal indulges in the celebrations of Kali Puja. To us Diwali is synonymous to Kali Puja, when we illuminate the remotest corner of our houses/lanes and heart with the sparking illumination of love and gaiety. There are many famous Kali Temples in and around Kolkata like Dakshineshwar Kali temple and KaliGhat.

The divine form symbolizing woman power, Ma Kali, is worshipped in many avatars as well. Of which Smashan Kali is one, the ferocious form ready to behead even the shadow of evil. Whenever I talk of Ma Kali, a novel comes to my mind and a dialogue from that. Famous Bengali Novelist Tarashankar Bandhopadhyay’s cherished and widely acclaimed novel “Dhatri Devata”. Based with the backdrop of fight for independence, the main protagonist once goes to witness a Smashan Kali Puja and asks his friend, "what is the way we pay Homage to this Goddess?" his companion logically answers "Jayanti Mangala Kali". But our hero says "NO, Vande Mataram." I get goose bumps whenever I read through these lines.

To us, Ma Kali is a source of inspiration and source of constant power. So whenever I feel lonely and defeated, I think of Ma Kalyaneshwari. The serenity of the place remains with me, although I did not visit it for years. The stalls leading to the place, the smell of peda and the temple, everything is etched prominently and wonderfully in my memories. Located at the bank of Barakar river and very near to the famous Maithon Dam, this temple forms the starting point for the people who want to have a day spent in Maithon or Panchet dam areas. But my favorite spot is the small temple at the backside, where Ma is said to have put on her Sankha ( the white bangle symbolizing marital status, in Bengalis). This small temple faces a little water fall, which swells in the monsoons. I loved that view.

The entrance

Inside the temple premises

The small temple facing the falls

The little falls which swelled in monsoons

Waiting for my wish to be granted

A colour riot, the tree of belief

Suddenly I really felt the urge to share about it with my readers. The pics shared are google images, I don't have any to share from my own album as they are back home in Kolkata.

Aritra Chakrabarty Sengupta

Also read: My dreamy Childhood