Kalighat Kali Temple Kolkata (Timings, History, Entry Fee, Images, Built by & Information)

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Regarded as one of the holiest of the 51 Shakti Peeths on Earth, the Kalighat Kali Temple is a must visit place in Kolkata due to its history and legend. The temple is dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Kali and is located by the banks of Adi Ganga, which is a small canal that connects to the Hooghly River. The canal is named Adi Ganga as it used to be the original course of the Hooghly River and ‘Adi’ means original.

History of Kalighat Kali Temple Kolkata

The present temple building was built in the 19th Century and is 200 years old. However, the temple’s reference has also been found in 15th Century composition of Mansar Bhasan and also in Kavi Chandi that was published during the 17th Century. There is another mention of the Kalighat Kali temple in Lalmohon Bidyanidhis's 'Sambanda Nirnoy".

The original temple is said to have been a small hut structure which was later transformed as a proper temple commissioned by King Manasingha during early 16th century. It was under the patronage of Sabarna Roy Chowdhury’s family of Barisha that the present structure was completed in around 1809.

The question whether the temple belonged to antiquity has been answered with great description and factual proofs of presence of coinage belonging to the Gupta Empire. The most popular archer coins that became famous during the Gupta rule after Kumargupta I were found in Kalighat and hence the proof of temple being even in Gupta dynasty.

The Kali Idol

The idol of the Goddess Kali, featuring three big eyes, four hands and a long protruding tongue, is made out of sandstone that was crafted by the twin saints, Atmaram Giri and Brahmananda Giri. The tongue and the eyes of the idol are made of gold.

The idol does not resemble the usual idols of the Goddess at other places where Kali is worshipped. The hands of the Goddess hold a scimitar, signifying the divine knowledge and a severed head of the demon king, Shumbha, which signifies the human ego that is supposed to be slayed by the divine knowledge and removed from our behaviours. That is how one can attain moksha.

Legend of Kalighat Kali Temple Kolkata

The Kalighat Kali Temple is being regarded as one of the most important Shakti Peeths out of 51 peeths that are spread across India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The mythology behind the temple is related to Rudra Tandav of Shiva after he was enraged by self-immolation of his consort, Sati, after an altercation with her father on not being invited for a puja ceremony at her father’s place.

It is said that Shiva carried Sati’s burnt body while performing Tandav and that’s when various parts of the Goddess’s body fell on earth. The right toe of Sati fell at Kalighat and that’s where the temple was built later and the presiding deity here is called Kalika, after whom, the city was named as Kolkata.

Out of the many legends associated with the Kalighat Kali Temple, the most talked about is of the Brahmin named Atma Ram, who found a human toe shaped stone structure in the Bhagirathi River. It is believed that he was guided by a ray of light that appeared to be coming from the direction of the river.

The Brahmin prayed to the piece of stone that evening and had a dream the same night wherein he was informed about Sati’s toe that had fallen in the river and that the stone piece he found was nothing else but Sati’s right toe. He was asked in his dreams to set up a temple and also search for a Swambhu Lingam of Nakuleshwar Bhairav, which he eventually did. Atma Ram later started worshipping both Swambhu Lingam and the toe shaped stone.

Image Gallery of Kalighat Kali Temple Kolkata

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Inside Kalighat Kali Temple Kolkata

Natmandir

Natmandir is a huge rectangular verandah built adjacent to the central temple building. The natmandir was commissioned by Zamindar Kashinath Roy in 1835. When one climbs on to the natmandir, he/she can very clearly see the face of the Goddess’s image. Renovations of the structure take place every now and then.

Jor Bangla

Jor Bangla is the platform or verandah of the main temple right outside the sanctum sanctorum. The rituals inside the Garbha Griha can be seen from this platform too, apart from natmandir.

Sosthi Tala

The sosti tala is a three feet high rectangular platform that forms an altar for three stone structures that are represented and worshipped as three Goddesses namely, Sosti, Shitala and Mangal Chandi, considered to be a part of Goddess Kali herself. Sosti tala altar was constructed by Gobinda Das Mondal in 1880. The spot is believed to be the samadhi place of Brahmananda Giri.

The spot is also referred to as Monosha tala instead of Sosti tala at times.

Harkath Tala

Harkath Tala is located adjacent to Natmandir, towards the southern side. This spot is mainly used to carry out the bali or animal sacrifices. There are two wooden bali-peeths for carrying out animal sacrifices. The bigger one is used for sacrificing bigger animals like buffaloes whereas, the smaller one for smaller animals like goats.

The animals are sacrificed with a single stroke.

Radha-Krishna Temple

Also called as Shamo-Ray temple by the locals, this temple is located inside the temple premises towards the west of the main temple. The separate temple of Radha- Krishnan was built by a settlement officer of Murshidabad in the year 1723. Later, during 1843, a new temple structure was built (the current temple structure) on the same spot by a zamindar named Uday Narayan Mondal and the present Dolmanco was built by Madan Koley of Saha Nagar during the year 1858.

As a mandate, the kitchen for preparing bhog for Radha- Krishnan is a pure vegetarian kitchen which is kept separate from the usual kitchen.

Kundupukur

Situated towards the south east and outside the boundary walls of the main temple, Kindupukur is a sacred tank spread across an area of 7,200 square feet. It is believed to have been much bigger in size and also covered a bigger area than it is today. It was called ‘Kaku-Kund’ in the past.

The water of the tank is considered to be as sacred as the water of the Ganges.

Nakuleshwar Mahadev Temple

The Nakuleshwar Mahadev Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, the consort of Goddess Kali. This temple is situated on the opposite lane of the temple, right behind the police station. The name of the lane on which the temple is situated is known as Haldar Para lane. The temple has found reference in historical mentions of the yore.

Timings and Entry Fees of Kalighat Kali Temple Kolkata

Opening hours: The temple is open between 5:00 AM to 2:00 PM in the morning and 5:00 PM to 10:30 PM during the evening.

Entry Fees: There isn’t any entry fee to enter the temple

How to Reach Kalighat Kali Temple Kolkata

By Air: The Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is the nearest airport. One can hire a taxi from top car rental companies in Kolkata to reach the temple. The temple is located at around 25 kilometres from the airport and takes 50 mins to an hour to reach.

By Bus: Any buses that goes towards South Kolkata would take visitors through the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Road, which is off the temple road. One needs to get down at Kalighat bus station and walk down the Kali temple road towards the temple.

By Train: Howrah Junction is the nearest Railway station that is connected to all major cities in India via rail network. One may either hire a cab or travel by local or mini bus to reach the temple.

The nearest metro station to Kalighat Kali Temple is Kalighat station from the south exit and Jatin Das Park metro from northern exit.

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Location Map for Kalighat Kali Temple Kolkata