Kalighat temple is one of the most important place of worship for Hindus of goddess Kali in the country of Kolkata. The temple was originally build in 1809, at Kalighat of the banks of the river Hoogly (ganga) and was renovated in 1971. The name Calcutta is said to have been derived from the word Kalighat.
Kaali is regarded as one of the principal idolism of Bengal and kali made of black stone and decorated with gold and silver jewelry.
There are other temples to Kaali - Sahasrabhuja Kaali, Sarvamangala, Tarasundari and Simhavaahini.
More interesting than the architecture are the jostling pilgrim queues that snake into the main hall to fling hibiscus flowers at a crowned, three-eyed Kali image. Priests loitering around the temple might whisk you to the front of the queue for an obligatory ‘donation’. Behind the bell pavilion but still within the mandir complex, goats are ritually beheaded to honour the ever-demanding goddess, or, as locals describe it, to buy ‘God power’.
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