Revelry, Rivalry, and Longing for the Goddesses of Bengal: The Fortunes of Hindu Festivals. Encountering Kālī: in the margins, at the center, in the West.
McDermott, Rachel Fell Kripal, Jeffrey John. Mother of my heart, daughter of my dreams. Offering flowers, feeding skulls: popular goddess worship in West Bengal. Tantric visions of the divine feminine: the ten mahāvidyās. The camphor flame: popular Hinduism and society in India. Shaktiranga Bangabhumi (in Bengali) (1st ed.). Madras: Shri Ramakrishna Ashrama, Madras. 125-6 for a detailed account of the rituals in Dakshineshwar. Another famous temple dedicated to Kali in Kolkata is Dakshineswar Kali Temple, where Sri Rāmakrishna performed rites. The temple is visited by thousands of devotees who give offerings to the goddess. Goddess Lakshmi is worshiped in her three forms, Maha Lakshmi, Maha Kali and Maha Saraswati on this day. In the Kalighat Temple in Kolkata, Kalikhetra Temple in Bhubaneswar and in Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, Kali is worshipped as Lakshmi on this day so as to reflect an essence of Vaishnava Haldars on Kali worship. Recent custom has incorporated wine consumption. Kali Puja is also the time for magic shows, theater, and fireworks. People visit these pandals throughout the night. The pandals also house images of Kali's consort, Shiva, two famous Bengali Kali devotees named Ramakrishna and Bamakhepa, along with scenes from mythology of Kali and her various forms, including images of the Mahavidyas, sometimes considered as the "ten Kalis." The Mahavidyas is a group of ten Tantric goddesses headed by Kali. People from different regions gather to witness the majestic Pandals. The region experiences Lacs of footfalls during the days of the festival. Durga Puja of Kolkata is often said synonymously with Kali Puja of Barasat. Barasat, Barrackpore, Naihati and Madhyamgram region of North 24 Parganas is well known for their majestic pandals, lightings and Idols. A celebration of Kali Puja in Kolkata, Bhubaneswar and in Guwahati is also held in a large cremation ground where she is believed to dwell. However, in Tantric tradition, animals are ritually sacrificed on Kali Puja day and offered to the goddess. She is offered food and sweets made of rice, lentils, and fruits. Homes and pandals may also practice rites in the Brahmanical (mainstream Hindu-style, non-Tantric) tradition with ritual dressing of Kali in her form as Adya Shakti Kali and no animals are sacrificed. It is prescribed that a worshipper should meditate throughout the night until dawn. She is prescribed offerings of red hibiscus flowers, sweets, rice and lentils. She is worshipped at night with Tantric rites and mantras. 
During kali puja (like Durga Puja) worshippers honour the goddess Kali in their homes in the form of clay sculptures and in pandals (temporary shrines or open pavilions). Along with Durga Puja, Kali Puja is the biggest festival in Tamluk, Barasat, Naihati and Barrackpore.
Kali Puja gained popularity in the 19th century, when kali saint Shri Ramkrishna became popular among the Bengalis wealthy landowners began patronizing the festival on a grand scale. In Bengal during the 18th century, King (Raja) Krishnachandra of Krishnanagar, Nadia, West Bengal also made this puja wide spread. Kali Puja was practically unknown before the 16th century famous sage Krisnananda Agambagish first initiated Kali puja, also a late 17th-century devotional text Kalika mangalkavya mentions an annual festival dedicated to Kali. The festival of Kali Puja is not an ancient one. Artisan making an idol of goddess Kali at Kumortuli, Kolkata.
0 kommentar(er)
