Bonedi Bari’s of North Kolkata celebrate Goddess Kali in rituals rooted in century-old traditions

After Goddess Durga's farewell, it is now time to welcome Maa Kali. The dark Goddess, in her fierce form, with bloodshot eyes and a red tongue, standing on Lord Shiva, is considered the symbol of driving away all evil. Just as Durga is worshipped through grand traditions in the Bonedi Baris of Kolkata, Goddess Kali is also welcomed with much pomp and grandeur during Amavasya. Here are six Bonedi Baris of North Kolkata that you must not miss during this time. It is suggested to quietly visit the households and connect with the divine, as these are private Pujas.

Started by Nandalal Mullick, the Jorabagan Mullick Bari Kali Pujo is almost 150+ years old. The Goddess here is worshipped as the Dakhina Kali. Another interesting ritual of the family is the burning of jute sticks to get rid of bad aura. The Goddess is offered Sukhno bhog like Luchi, mishti, fruits, goja, etc. Today, the Puja is carried out by the 6^th and 7^th generations. While the Puja happens on private property, guests are welcome on the day of the Puja or on November 8 (this year). The venue is a 10-minute walk from the nearest metro station – Girish Park. 

Another important Kali Pujo of the North is the Pramanick Bari Kali Pujo. The deity of the house in Simulia – Kansaripara neighbourhood is Dakhina Kali, or the Goddess with the black skin tone. It is said that the Pujo is almost 400+ years old and is performed jointly by seven related households, which gives the Puja the unique name of Saatghor Pramanick. Some of the special traditions include dhuno porano, daaker shaaj decorations, lighting of 108 pradips, and offering siddhi to the Goddess. This year, the Pujo is open to the public purely as a space to connect with spirituality. It can be accessed by a 10-minute walk from Girish Park Metro Station.  

While hearing of candle –light dinners is no big deal in today’s time, have you heard of a candle-light Kali worship? When modern pandals and even several traditional families have electric lights, the Lakshmi Narayan Haldar Bari in Bowbazaar chooses to uphold its century-old tradition of worshipping the Goddess in candlelight. Started around 1750, the Puja is almost 275+ years old, keeping alive one of the most intriguing rituals in today’s age. It is a 15-minute walk from the Central Metro Station.

Started by Ramkrishna Mitra, the Kali Puja is almost 234 years old and follows the tradition of Dakhina Kali worship. Moreover, one distinctive feature of the idol is that it has its left foot forward instead of the usual depiction of the right foot forward in deities. Another interesting part of the Puja is that no dhaak is played during the ritual prayers. It is said that the Kali Puja started during a time of financial difficulty in the family and that it was a sign of better days ahead. It can be accessed by a 5-minute walk from Girish Park or Sovabazar Metro stations.

The Kali Puja was reinstated in 2007 and has been practiced ever since. The most intriguing part of the tradition is the idol of the Goddess. She is worshipped as Sri Sri Maa Kali Krishna Jiu with six hands, two holding a flute near her mouth as she stands on Lord Shiva, who in turn is lying on a lotus. An idol of Radha is also kept beside the Goddess. The deity is all dressed up right before the commencement of the Kali Pujo at midnight. The traditional Puja happens at College Street, just a few minutes from Mahatma Gandhi Metro station.

While the Kali Puja has been hosted for over a century, one of the most attractive activities during the festive period is the hosting of the Fanush Utsav. This has also given the house the name – Fanush Bari. Every year the sky above Beadon Street glows with fire and multiple colours, shapes and sizes of Fanush creating a surreal skyline above. People of all ages and from all over the city gather to take part in this unique activity, which has now become its distinct tradition. Bholanath Dham can be reached from Girish Park Metro station.

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