The Kali Puja in Kaliganj, adjacent to Murshidabad district, was established as a fair and festival during the reign of Nawab Alivardi Khan of Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha. However, the myths surrounding this Puja predate Alivardi’s era. For over 300 years, folklore about this Puja has spread across various districts of Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha, and even beyond these states. The village of Kaliganj is named after Goddess Kali. For the past two years, the famed Bhattacharya family Kali Puja in Harinathpur, Kaliganj, was limited to a small symbolic setup due to the pandemic.

However, this year, the Puja returns with a grand 14- foot Dakshina Kali idol, attracting thousands of devotees from far and wide. Known as “Buro Ma,” this towering deity, complete with her crown, draws long queues of de votees seeking her blessings. Family sources indicate that the origins of this Puja as a festival and fair can be traced back to the rule of Nawab Alivardi Khan (1676- 1756). Legend has it that Benidas Bhattacharya, along with his sons Nrisimha Torkabagish and Rajaram Siddhanta, migrated from Natore in Rajshahi (now in Bangladesh) to Harinathpur. Here, Rajaram, in deep devotion, performed intense penance under a banyan tree in Jurandpur, hoping to have Goddess Kali as his divine consort. Nrisimha, concerned about his brother’s devotion, arranged for his marriage.

However, Rajaram received a divine vision instructing him to marry Shachidevi, daughter of Avinandana Saraswati of Mahula village. During the wedding feast, an astonishing event unfolded: Shachidevi’s veil slipped, revealing an extra pair of hands, a divine sign of Goddess Kali. She then disappeared, leaving behind a profound spiritual impact on Rajaram. Rajaram’s descendant, Dinanath Torkalankar, continued the family’s spiritual legacy by performing rigorous penance under a neem tree. He too received a divine vision, instructing him to worship Kali in her Dakshina Kali form. Thus began the Bhattacharya family’s grand Kali Puja tradition, which gained immense popularity during the reign of Nawab Alivardi Khan.

To this day, the festival is celebrated with tantric rituals, following age-old methods. A symbolic worship of the idol’s framework is performed with Ganga water and vermilion on Vijaya Dashami. Starting from Ekadashi, mud is prepared for the deity’s structure, and the festivities continue with dedication and devotion. Mousumi Bhattacharya, an elderly member of the Bhattacharya family, shared that her elder son, an Air India officer, performs the main puja and yagna as part of the family tradition. The Puja involves elaborate rituals, including the offering of various vegetarian dishes as bhog to the goddess. Devotees receive prasad, and a large gathering takes place, necessitating significant police deployment. While animal sacrifices were once common, they have now been reduced to three. However, despite its rich history and religious significance, this Puja has not yet received heritage status.