Sacred rituals

There are five group of Haldars that have been traditionally taking care of the daily puja of Maa Kali. In all, there are about 840 members in the haldar families. Two-three senior members of these families get together to perform the rituals. The event begins at about 3.30 am - the time for the Brahma Muhurta and continues till 1.30 pm. The head priest Shanti Mohan recites the mantras and the haldars bathe the Goddess with the water from the Ganges, perfume, oil (Jabakusum) etc. They paint the body of the Mother with vermillion and dress Her in a Benarasi silk sari bought by members of the Kalighat Temple Committee (KTC). Below the statue of the deity is a silver box in which the Goddess toe is preserved. On that day it is opened and bathed. Nobody is allowed to see that.

On regular days, the morning puja begins between 4 am and 5 am. And the temple is open from 5 am onwards for public. Around 6.30 am the Goddess is offered fruits and sweets and the afternoon bhog comprises pulao, rice, fish, mutton, fruits and sweets. The food is cooked without tomatoes, onion and garlic in the three dedicated kitchens. Between 6 pm and 7 pm, She is offered traditional Bengali food such as luchi, bhaji, fried brinjals, potatoes and sandesh, and between 10.30 pm and 11 pm, She is given the last bhog of the day, sweets and milk.

Goat sacrifice is a common feature at the temple. "If devotees don't perform a sacrifice, the haldar has to offer a goat to the deity. The first sacrifice has to be given to Her. There's a legend that says that the Goddess visits the Dakhineshwar temple at night and returns to Kalighat in the morning.

Tuesdays and Saturdays are special days of the Goddess, where people in thousands throng the temple seeking special darshan. The special feature about Kalighat is that there are no tickets and entry is free to all. The temple administration is run in term of scheme passed by the Kolkata High Court, 1957, and thereafter modified by the Supreme Court in 1962-63. The district judge of 24 Paraganas South is the ex-officio chairman of the KTC but because of his judicial functions he has to nominate a senior member of the Bar as the President of KTC.

The temple is open between 5 am and 10.30 pm on weekdays and till 11 pm on Tuesday and Sunday. It is extended till 11.30 pm on Saturday.

Getting there and Around

By Air - Kolkata is well connected by air to all major countries in the world, as well as to Indian cities. The air carriers that have flights to and from the city include Aeroflot, Air France, Air India, Biman Bangladesh, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Gulf Air, Indian Airlines, Japan Airlines, Jet Airways, KLM-Royal Dutch Airlines, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Royal Nepal Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways International.

By Rail - Trains are available from all parts of the country to Calcutta. Most inward bound trains stop at Howrah, which is also the station from which major trains to other cities depart. Most trains heading to areas such as New Jalpaiguri and other provinces in the north-east stop at the other station, Sealdah. Local trains to nearby towns are available from both stations, depending on which part of West Bengal you want to go to. Since Howrah and Sealdah are not exactly a hop, skip and jump away from each other, do remember to check which station you need you board your train from, when you buy your ticket!

By Road - A few buses ply from Orissa and Bihar to Calcutta. However, these are highly uncomfortable and best avoided. Buses are also available to nearby towns, especially if you wish to visit Siliguri and New Jalpaiguri on your trip to Calcutta. Depending on which direction you're heading in, buses could depart from the end of the Maidan near Chowringhee Road, or the bus stand at Babu Ghat near Fort William. A few tour operators have their own private bus stands, so do make inquiries.

Accommodation

Accommodation is not a problem in Kolkata as there are thousands of Hotels Ranging from Luxurious to Budget hotels,Lodges ,Guest houses and  Resting beds per hour are also available.