Kali Puja or Shyama Puja is an auspicious Hindu festival dedicated to Goddess Kali. On the day, when most people worship Goddess Lakshmi, people in West Bengal, Odisha, and Assam worship Goddess Kali on the new moon night of Ashwin month. Goddess Kali symbolises divine energy, or shakti, or female power, and is known for destroying evil. This festival is also known as Kojagar Puja or Bengali Lakshmi Puja.

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Goddess Kali is considered the mother of universal strength and her form represents transformative power. Devotees worship her to seek her blessings in destroying evil and for happiness, health, wealth, and peace.

Kali Puja 2023: Date And Shubh Muhurat

According to Drik Panchang, Kali Puja will be celebrated on November 12, this year. The Amavasya Tithi will begin at 02:44 p.m. on November 12 and end at 02:56 p.m. on November 13. Kali Puja Nishita Time is from 11:39 p.m. on November 12 to 12:29 a.m. on November 13.

Kali Puja 2023: Significance

As per mythology, two asuras — Nishambhu and Shambu — created rumpus and destruction in heaven. The Gods and the demons got involved in a battle, in which the Gods were badly defeated and the demons became powerful. This led the gods to seek the help of Goddess Durga, and infuriated by this destruction, Kali was born out of Durga’s forehead to restore balance in the world.

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To save the earth, Goddess Kali intended to annihilate anyone and everyone who stood in her path, and her power and rage led her on a slaughtering rampage, killing, slashing, and burning all the demons. The goddess made a garland out of their decapitated heads to wear around her neck.

Seeing Goddess Kali’s wrath, other deities requested Lord Shiva to stop her. And all it took for Lord Shiva to stop her was to lie down in the path of the goddess. As soon as Goddess Kali stepped on him, she was mortified by the act, and that’s when her tongue protruded out of her mouth, signifying her realisation that she had stepped on Lord Shiva unknowingly, vanishing all her anger.

Since then, Goddess Kali has been worshipped with a tongue out. A necklace of skulls and four arms — one hand yields a sword, while the other has the head of an asura.

Kali Puja 2023: Puja Vidhi

Maa Kali is worshipped in two different forms – the furious form of Kali is black in colour (Shamshan Kali), and the mild form of Kali is blue in colour (Shyama Kali).

Kali Puja rituals usually take place at night. Devotees light a ghee lamp and offer red hibiscus flowers which are considered to be Goddess’s favourite. Sweets, fruits, dry fruits, flowers and jaggery are offered to Maa Kali to seek her blessings and for the happiness, health and peace of the family.