Guest guest Posted November 9, 2007 Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 The City of Joy bathed in fairy lights during Diwali " The Festival of Lights in Bengal is inexorably interlaced with Kali Puja. The City of Joy worships Goddess Kali and celebrates the Festival of Light with equal fervour, with Diwali marking the victory of good over evil. " Kumar Sarkar MeriNews 09 November 2007, Friday THE FESTIVAL of Lights is hovering over the City of Joy. It is said that the Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, visits those whose homes are lit the brightest. Not a dark corner, therefore, is to be found in the city as it is bathed in fairy lights and candles of myriad hues. Twinkling lights sparkle from every direction as Kolkata gears up for yet another Diwali, preceded by its very own traditional Kali Puja. Close on the heels of Durga Puja, comes yet another festival that the Bengali revels in worshipping the Goddess Kali. The night of Kali Puja heralds the new moon and is the darkest night in the Hindu calendar. Legend has it that the night of the Puja marks the triumph of good over evil, earthen lamps were lit to welcome the Goddess as well as Lord Ram on his return from exile after a hiatus of 14 years. Traders and business families also worship the elephant-god Ganesha, along with his sister Lakshmi, on this day, as it marks the beginning of a new fiscal year for many. Innovative pandals dot the city landscape where the Goddess Kali is worshipped throughout the long night. Very often cultural programmes are organised to inaugurate the Puja. The famous temples of Kalighat and Dakshineshwar also play host to the goddess during Kali Puja and devotees from across the state throng these places of pilgrimage. According to myths and legends, which have come down through the ages, worshipping the goddess Kali was first initiated by dacoits who used to plunder villages and offer animals as sacrifice. They used to set up small deities hewn from stone and worship the Goddess with a fervour, which struck terror in the hearts of their would-be victims. Many of these small temples and their deities set up by various dacoits are still extant in and around the city and its neighbouring areas. For instance, not far from the steel city of Durgapur, deep inside the dense jungles is a Kali temple. Legend has it that it was built by dacoit Bhabani Pathak who looted the rich and gave the wealth to the poor much in the manner of Robinhood. Surrounding the temple are labyrinthine tunnels hewn in and under the rock face, which the dacoit and his band used to evade the law, hundreds of years ago. The Thanthane Kali Bari in north Kolkata dates back 300 years. The legendary Christian singer-poet, Anthony Phiringi, established the Phiringi Kali Bari. Resplendent in lights, candles and diyas, the city also witnesses a dazzling array of fireworks. Sparkling stars and pots of showers fill the darkened sky amidst rousing cheers. Sound pollution control norms may have put a spanner in the works, with noisy crackers being banned by the law, but a few adventurous souls do get away with bursting noisy and irksome crackers. This year, however, seems a bit different. After doing up their homes, most families have plans of hitting the posh multiplexes in town. With two blockbusters releasing simultaneously as Diwali releases, the muliplexes are raking in the moolah with record sales over the weekend. Haldiram's a popular eatery in town has been flooded with orders of sweets. Sales of their Kaju Barfis and Laddos have surpassed all previous sales figures and a good 10-15 per cent rise is also expected. Despite new-age hampers of chocolates, juices and salted snacks doing the rounds, sweets remain the flavour of the festive season. Most festivals give the teeming millions of any city a reason to celebrate, to break free from their monotonous drudgery of earning a livelihood, and Diwali or the Festival of Lights is no different. It truly lives up to the biblical adage of " Let there be Light " ! http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=127628 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 I had a question on this, for historical clarification. Were all dacoits who worshiped Kali Robin Hood type figures in the East, or were they all considered selfish thieves? I was curious for there are a few articles that popped up on google about human sacrifice, and I do not believe it would be something condoned by a Kali tradition, from what I understand. I only understood animal sacrifices being done, at most. Thank you. Jai Ma! Sincerely, Christina H. ---- msbauju <msbauju wrote: > The City of Joy bathed in fairy lights during Diwali > > " The Festival of Lights in Bengal is inexorably interlaced with Kali > Puja. The City of Joy worships Goddess Kali and celebrates the > Festival of Light with equal fervour, with Diwali marking the > victory of good over evil. " > > Kumar Sarkar > MeriNews > 09 November 2007, Friday > > THE FESTIVAL of Lights is hovering over the City of Joy. It is > said that the Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, visits those whose > homes are lit the brightest. Not a dark corner, therefore, is to be > found in the city as it is bathed in fairy lights and candles of > myriad hues. Twinkling lights sparkle from every direction as > Kolkata gears up for yet another Diwali, preceded by its very > own traditional Kali Puja. > > Close on the heels of Durga Puja, comes yet another festival that > the Bengali revels in worshipping the Goddess Kali. The night of > Kali Puja heralds the new moon and is the darkest night in the > Hindu calendar. Legend has it that the night of the Puja marks > the triumph of good over evil, earthen lamps were lit to welcome > the Goddess as well as Lord Ram on his return from exile after a > hiatus of 14 years. Traders and business families also worship > the elephant-god Ganesha, along with his sister Lakshmi, on this > day, as it marks the beginning of a new fiscal year for many. > > Innovative pandals dot the city landscape where the Goddess > Kali is worshipped throughout the long night. Very often cultural > programmes are organised to inaugurate the Puja. The famous > temples of Kalighat and Dakshineshwar also play host to the > goddess during Kali Puja and devotees from across the state > throng these places of pilgrimage. > > According to myths and legends, which have come down > through the ages, worshipping the goddess Kali was first initiated > by dacoits who used to plunder villages and offer animals as > sacrifice. They used to set up small deities hewn from stone and > worship the Goddess with a fervour, which struck terror in the > hearts of their would-be victims. Many of these small temples > and their deities set up by various dacoits are still extant in and > around the city and its neighbouring areas. > > For instance, not far from the steel city of Durgapur, deep inside > the dense jungles is a Kali temple. Legend has it that it was built > by dacoit Bhabani Pathak who looted the rich and gave the > wealth to the poor much in the manner of Robinhood. > Surrounding the temple are labyrinthine tunnels hewn in and > under the rock face, which the dacoit and his band used to > evade the law, hundreds of years ago. > > The Thanthane Kali Bari in north Kolkata dates back 300 years. > The legendary Christian singer-poet, Anthony Phiringi, > established the Phiringi Kali Bari. > > Resplendent in lights, candles and diyas, the city also witnesses a > dazzling array of fireworks. Sparkling stars and pots of showers > fill the darkened sky amidst rousing cheers. Sound pollution > control norms may have put a spanner in the works, with noisy > crackers being banned by the law, but a few adventurous souls > do get away with bursting noisy and irksome crackers. > > This year, however, seems a bit different. After doing up their > homes, most families have plans of hitting the posh multiplexes in > town. With two blockbusters releasing simultaneously as Diwali > releases, the muliplexes are raking in the moolah with record > sales over the weekend. > > Haldiram's a popular eatery in town has been flooded with > orders of sweets. Sales of their Kaju Barfis and Laddos have > surpassed all previous sales figures and a good 10-15 per cent > rise is also expected. Despite new-age hampers of chocolates, > juices and salted snacks doing the rounds, sweets remain the > flavour of the festive season. > > Most festivals give the teeming millions of any city a reason to > celebrate, to break free from their monotonous drudgery of > earning a livelihood, and Diwali or the Festival of Lights is no > different. It truly lives up to the biblical adage of " Let there be > Light " ! > > http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=127628 > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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