Goddess Kali : Goddess of time, change

Kali Puja is performed on a new moon night. As Goddess Kali is associated with dark rites and demon worship, the rituals performed are austere and offered with great devotion. In Bengal, Kāli is venerated in the festival Kali Puja - the new moon day of Ashwin month which coincides with Diwali festival. Kali has dark skin and hideous tusked face, smeared with blood, the brow bearing a third eye, like Shiva's. She is considered to be the consort of Lord Shiva. She has four arms. She holds a weapon in one hand, in another the head of an asura, dripping with blood; the other two are raised to bless the worshipers. Her body is naked except for her 'ornaments',which include necklace of snakes, skulls and heads of demons and a belt from which hangs demon's hands, which signify Karma or action. Kali developed her thirst for blood after killing the demon Raktavera. Lord Brahma had granted a boon to Raktavera that every drop of blood which fell from his body would be able to produce thousands more like him. The only way Kali could kill him was to hold him high, pierce him with a spear and drink all his blood as it gushed out. Kali has a protruding tongue with blood dripping from it. This is said to signify the force that gives impetus to all activities. Kali once gave free rein to her blind lust for destruction. On one occasion Shiva himself had to mingle among the demons whom she was slaughtering and allowed himself to be trampled under her foot in her dance of victory, as it was the only way to bring her to her senses and save the world from collapse. She acquired her name Kali meaning 'conqueror of time' as she subdued her husband by trampling over him. This way Devi the symbol of fertility conquered Shiva, the inexorable destroyer,who was equated with time. Two famous Goddess Kali's temples are : Kalighat Temple And Dakshineswar Kali Temple Kalighat Kali Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the Hindu goddess Maa Kali.It is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas.The Dakshineswar Kali Temple is a Hindu temple located in Dakshineswar near Kolkata.
KALIGHAT KALI TEMPLE :

KALI MAA IN KALIGHAT TEMPLE

DAKSHINESWAR KALI TEMPLE :

KALI MAA IN DAKSHINESWAR KALI TEMPLE :

Posted in: Bengali's Festivals