The Diwali festival is being celebrated with great enthusiasm across the country. While Diwali in North India involves worship of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha, in West Bengal, Odisha, and Assam, there is a tradition of worshipping Goddess Kali. In West Bengal, Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped 6 days after Dussehra, on Sharad Purnima, while Diwali holds significance for the worship of Goddess Kali.

Kali Puja on Amavasya

Diwali is celebrated through the combination of both Pradosh and Amavasya. According to scriptures, Lakshmi Puja should be performed during Pradosh period. Diwali night is Kartik Amavasya. The lord of Amavasya night, the Moon, is zero, and the Goddess of darkness, Mahakali, represents that very power. On this night when the entire sky is filled with darkness, the seeker achieves victory over that darkness through worship of Mother Kali.

In fact, after destroying the demons, Mother Mahakali’s anger was not subsiding, so Lord Shiva himself lay down at the Mother’s feet. With just the touch of Lord Shiva, Mother Mahakali’s anger was pacified. Remembering this, worship began in her peaceful form as Goddess Lakshmi, while in some states they worship the fierce form of Mahakali.

Diwali

Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a major religious and cultural celebration originating in India. Its history is rooted in Hindu mythology, often symbolizing the victory of light over darkness and good over evil, such as the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya. Today, it is celebrated by millions worldwide with lights, fireworks, feasts, and family gatherings.

Goddess Lakshmi

Goddess Lakshmi is a principal deity in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, and prosperity. She is the consort of Lord Vishnu and is believed to have emerged during the churning of the cosmic ocean, a foundational event in Hindu scriptures. Lakshmi is a central figure in festivals like Diwali, where she is worshipped to invite abundance and well-being into the home.

Lord Ganesha

Lord Ganesha is a major deity in Hinduism, revered as the god of wisdom, success, and new beginnings. He is easily recognized by his elephant head, a feature stemming from a myth where his head was replaced by Lord Shiva. Devotees worship him at the start of any venture and during the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi.

Goddess Kali

Goddess Kali is a major Hindu deity, revered as the fierce and powerful goddess of time, change, and destruction. She is often depicted with a dark or blue complexion, a garland of skulls, and a tongue dripping with blood, symbolizing her role in destroying evil and ego. Her origins are deeply rooted in ancient Hindu scriptures like the Devi Mahatmya, where she emerged from the brow of the goddess Durga to defeat powerful demons.

Dussehra

Dussehra is a major Hindu festival celebrated across India, marking the victory of good over evil. It commemorates Lord Rama’s triumph over the demon king Ravana, as described in the epic Ramayana. The festival also symbolizes Goddess Durga’s victory over the buffalo demon Mahishasura in some regions.

Sharad Purnima

Sharad Purnima is not a physical place but a significant Hindu festival marking the full moon night of the lunar month of Ashvin (typically in October). It is celebrated as a night of bliss and is historically associated with the divine dance of Lord Krishna, known as the Raas Leela, with the Gopis in Vrindavan. On this night, many people prepare and leave a special dish called ‘kheer’ under the moonlight, believing it absorbs the moon’s nourishing rays and gains medicinal properties.

Kali Puja

Kali Puja is a Hindu festival dedicated to the worship of the goddess Kali, primarily celebrated in the Indian states of West Bengal, Odisha, and Assam. It coincides with the Lakshmi-focused Diwali in other regions but gained prominence in Bengal during the 18th century under the sponsorship of Raja Krishnachandra of Navadvipa. The festival involves rituals, prayers, and offerings performed at night to honor Kali as a destroyer of evil and a protective mother goddess.

Mahakali

Mahakali is a revered Hindu goddess primarily worshipped as a fierce form of Shakti, the divine feminine energy. She is often depicted as a powerful protector who destroys evil and grants liberation to her devotees. Her worship is particularly prominent in the eastern regions of India, especially in Bengal, where major festivals like Kali Puja celebrate her.