Kali at Dakshineswar – The Daily Worship of the Mother

 At Dakshineswar, the worship of Kali follows the rhythm of the day. Harding describes the temple beginning its daily activity in the early morning, when Ma Kali is prepared to receive her devotees. At about 6:30 in the morning, people waiting at the main entrance can see the dhup-arati. During this ceremony, the priest waves incense before Kali until the inner shrine fills with fragrant smoke.

Later in the morning, the priests replace the flowers that have withered during the night with fresh ones. Fresh flowers are placed in Kali’s hands and in her crown, while the priest responsible for the Kali Temple supervises the work. A large mala is also offered to Kali, usually at around nine o’clock. 

The main daily worship begins at about 9:30. The first offering consists of seasonal fruit, sweets and raw rice. These offerings are prepared in the kitchen of the Kali Temple. The servants begin their work early in the morning, washing and cutting the fruit before carrying the food into the temple on a large silver plate. The offering is placed before Kali, while the pujari sits cross-legged on a small mat called an asana and performs the ritual. 

The worship continues through the day, with devotees coming to the temple until the evening arati. Harding describes this evening ceremony as essentially the same as the morning ritual, although it lasts longer, for about three quarters of an hour. Drums, gongs and cymbals accompany the pujari as he performs the ceremony with great intensity. 

At the end of the arati, the conch is sounded. The noise stops, and the pilgrims, priests and servants bow before the Divine Mother. They remain with their heads lowered until the pujari finishes blowing the conch.

The worship of Kali also includes offerings of flowers. During pushpanjali, devotees raise flowers and leaves to their foreheads and then throw them toward Kali while saying “Jai Ma”. Some flowers reach her feet, some fall upon Shiva, and others do not reach the altar. Harding also describes descendants of Rani Rasmani, the founder of the temple, as having the privilege of entering the inner shrine and offering pushpanjali. 

Food is offered to Kali at different times. Harding describes the evening meal as consisting of luchi, fried eggplant, fried potatoes, milk and sweets. In the evening, Kali receives only vegetarian food. Before the temple is closed for the night, the image of Ma Kali is placed on a small bed beside the altar, and a mosquito curtain is drawn around her. 

Animal sacrifice is also described in Harding’s account of worship at Dakshineswar. Animals are offered to Kali as part of a sacrificial ritual, after which the meat is cooked and distributed as prasad. Harding also records that one of Rani Rasmani’s sons-in-law was a Vaishnava and a vegetarian. At his request, Rani promised that every seven years animal sacrifice would not be permitted in the Kali Temple. According to Harding, this custom continues, and every seven years Kali becomes vegetarian. 

The daily worship at Dakshineswar therefore includes many different offerings and ceremonies: incense in the morning, flowers, fruit, sweets and rice, arati accompanied by music, pushpanjali, and food offered to the Mother. The day ends with Kali being prepared for the night and placed on her small bed within the temple. 

Source & Note

This article is based on Elizabeth U. Harding’s Kali: The Black Goddess of Dakshineswar (Nicolas-Hays, 1993). The material has been edited and adapted for this publication.