Invoke the shakti of the Goddess

October is a month of festivity, celebrations and joy for all. The month began propitiously with the grand Durga Puja festivities across the city and a fortnight into the month people are preparing again to celebrate the ‘festival of lights’ – Diwali! The most important festival in the Hindu calendar, Diwali also beckons Kali Maa for the Bengali community. On the day of Diwali when North Indians perform Lakshmi Puja and invoke the blessings of the goddess of wealth and prosperity, the Bengali community celebrates Kali puja.

According to Hindu mythology Goddess Kali is one of the incarnations of Goddess Durga. Depicted with a fierce face, Kali is regarded as more aggressive than Goddess Durga. The image of Kali shows her foot on Lord Shiva’s chest, a severed head in one hand, a sword in the other and wearing a garland of skulls.

And like Durga Puja, Kali puja too is celebrated in a grand manner. One of the biggest Kali pujas in the city is held at the Dakhin Delhi Kalibari. Established in 1967, the Kalibari is situated in Sector 7, Ramakrishna Puram.

A development board was constituted in early 1982 with the then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee as chairman for the construction of the temple complex. On the basis of the model of the temple and other documents prepared, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi ultimately approved the temple design in January 1984 although application was submitted in October 1982. This was for the first time in Delhi that a temple design was approved both by Urban Arts Commission and Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

In 1991 Dakhin Delhi Kalibari Trust was also formed for the first time under the guidance of Mukherjee and other key members.

The temple complex comprises the main temple including a hall, pilgrim shelter, a library, dispensary, Durga bedi and an open air theatre.

The timings of the mandir also changes according to seasons. From April 1 to September 30, the temple is open in the morning from 6 am to 12.20 pm and in the evening from 5.30 pm to 9.30 pm.

The Mangal aarti is held at 6 am and the Sandhya aarti at 7.30 pm. And from October 1 to Ma­rch 31, the temple is open in the morning from 6.30 am to 1 pm and in the evening from 4.30 pm to 9pm. The Mangal aarti is held at 6.30 am and the Sandhya aarti at 7. The mandir also organises Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Lakshmi Puja, Jagodhatri Puja, Saraswati Puja, Maha Shivratri and Basanti Puja.

Dakhin Delhi Kalibari has a dharamshala for devotees as well. It also has an exclusive hall facility for conferences, weddings, birthdays or any other social gatherings.