DHAKA, Nov 13, 2020 (BSS) – Kali Puja or Shyama Puja, the second largest festival of Bangalee Hindu community, will be celebrated across the country tomorrow amid religious fervor.
In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, the festival will be celebrated following the health guidelines.
Kali Puja is also called Deepabali or Diwali, the festival of lights.
Usually, Kali Puja, worshipping the Goddess of strength, wisdom and enlightenment, is celebrated at the night of Amavasya of the Bangla month of Kartik (October or November).
At the night of the festival, members of the Hindu community light earthen lamps (Pradeep) at their houses and crematoriums in memory of their departed elderly persons.
In the capital city, the Shyama Puja will be celebrated at Dhakeshwari
National Temple, Siddheshwari Kali Temple, Sri Sri Baradeshwari Kalimata
Temple under Sabujbagh police station, Ramna Kali Mandir, Radha Gobinda Jeo’s Thakur Temple at Banagram, Postogola crematorium, Ramkrishna Mission, Biharilal Jeo’s Temple at Sutrapur, Gautam Mandir, Ramseeta Mandir, Shibmandir at Shankharibazar, Tanti Bazar and Bangla Bazar.
Ramkrishna Math vice-principal and mission’s assistant secretary Hari Premananda Maharaj said the worship of goddess Kali will begin at 9:30 pm tomorrow at the mission. Offering of anjali will be held at 3am (night) and ‘hom-joggo’ will be held at 4am. Offering of anjali will be held maintaining social distancing.
Marking the festival, idols of the Goddess Kali have already been installed at different temples and pandals across the city.
At some temples, animals will be sacrificed as one of the customs of the festival.
According to myths, goddess Kali was born out of the brow of Goddess Durga during one of her battles with the evil forces.
During the battle, Kali was so much in a killing spree that she began destroying everything that came in her sight. To stop her, Lord Shiva threw himself under her feet. Shocked by this, Kali stuck out her tongue in astonishment and put an end to her rampage.
The main purpose of the puja is to seek the help of the goddess in destroying evil-both in the outside world and within human being.