Asim Bando's KOLKATA BLOG

Kripamoyee Kali Mandir of Baranagar, popularly known as Joy Mitra Kali Bari, is situated on the bank of river Hooghly at Baranagar of Kolkata. Baranagar is a very old place, more than 500 years ago this place was existed.  Famous zaminder Joyram Mitra of Sovabazar established this temple in mid-April of the year 1851. He bought about 3 bighas land at Baranagar from some James saheb and established the temple there similar to Brahmamoyee Kali temple of Mulajor of Shyamnagar.The goddess here is Dakshina Kali (দক্ষিণা কালী). If you walk from 'Kuthi ghat' of Baranagar river bank a few steps ahead, you'll reach to the temple - 171 years old this temple is situated by the side of Hara Kumar Thakur Strand. Twelve temples of lord Shiva are there beside the main temple. The array and formation of these Shiva mandirs are very innovative. Ramakrishna Paramahansa dev used to visit this temple frequently. This temple was erected as 'Navratna' art. But it is not the formal slop...

Mahalaya marks the end of "Pitri Paksha" and the beginning of "Devi Paksha". People believe that Lord Shree Rama invoked Ma Durga on this day of 'Mahalaya Amavasya' for her blessings, just before his journey to Lanka to fight with Ravana and rescue his wife Sita. Some people believe that on this auspicious day Parvati - the wife of Lord Shiva started her journey from mount Kailash to her father mount Himalay's residence for five days. This annual arrival of Parvati is called Durga Puja in Bengal. The Bengalees worship Ma Durga with due devotion and dedication. Irrespective of castes and creeds, all the people enjoy this festival - young & old. Traditional pujas are performed in 'Banedi' families of Kolkata and Bengal. 'Baroari' puja also a phenomenon where Durga Puja is concern. The Bengalees wait throughout the year for this biggest festival of the year.  Another significance of 'Mahalaya' is  "Tarpan". At the end ...

Jamai Sasthi is a traditional custom of Bengal. This ritual is from the 'parban' of Debi Sasthi. It is a tradition since the time of Veda.         On the day of first Sasthi tithi of Jaisthya month, it is observed in the first hour of morning before a painted picture of Debi Sasthi or before a 'ghot' as idol of debi.           Sasthi Debi looks like a mother of our everyday life but with all grace of a goddess. The cat is her 'bahan'. The welfare and wishes of well-being of our children is the main blessings of debi Sasthi. Every member of the family wear new clothes kept in 'malsa' during puja. Fruits, paan, supari, dhaan, durba, handmade fan of palm leaves are the requirements during puja.           Once upon a time, someone housewife stealthily used to eat fish and blamed cat. As the cat is 'bahan' of debi Sasthi, she became angry and thus the child of that housewife was missing. The housewife realised her...

I visited the Sati Shaktipeeth Kankalitala with my own and my younger brother's family last winter. It was a pleasant journey by car from Rampurhat of Birbhum district. We started our journey at about 9 am from my elder sister's house at Rampurhat. On the way we took rest at some market place for breakfast. After that, we again moved by car for our destination Kankalitala.            Finally, we crossed about 63 kms and reached at the desired Shaktipeeth after one and half an hour.           When we reached there, we saw that a good number of beggers were sitting on both side of the entrance road. We slowly crossed the road and entered into the main premises of the temple. The temple is a traditional 'pacca' construction with adjacent 'Nat Mandir' for the devotees and pilgrims. At that morning time, some of family's were busy with the rituals of goddess and some of them came for...