Kalikapur Temple located at Kalikapur near Katwa in Bengal is an ancient temple famous for the idol of Goddess Mahishasuramardini who is worshipped as Goddess Kali. The murti of Goddess here is black in color and was discovered from the river. The kali puja here if famous and attracts thousands of devotees. Kalikapur Temple Kali Puja 2026 date is November 8.
The Legend of Kalikapur: When the Goddess Revealed Herself
The Brahmin did not ignore the divine command. After all,
how can a child disregard the call of the Mother? Alone, he went to the
riverbank. Chanting “Jai Ma!”, he plunged into the swift current, feeling
through the depths for what he had been shown in his dream. Time passed,
despair began to rise in his chest—had he failed? Would he not find Her?
Just then, from beneath the river’s floor, a radiant light
shimmered through the water. Carved into dark stone appeared a magnificent
image of the Divine Mother—an eight-armed form slaying the buffalo demon
Mahishasura. The Brahmin lifted the idol from the river and recognized its
glory.
Yet, in his dream, the Goddess had revealed Herself as Kali,
not Durga. But this was indeed the image of Mahishasuramardini, Durga herself
in battle. The Brahmin then understood the mystery—during that great cosmic
war, the Goddess had manifested in many forms. She had shown Herself as Durga,
Kaushiki, Katyayani, Gauri, Chandika, and also as Kali and Kalratri.
From that day, the Goddess was established in the village by
the river—not as Durga or Kali alone, but as Durga in the aspect of Kali. Her
worship continues to this day through Kali mantras and meditations, though She
is revered as the eight-armed Mahishasuramardini Kali.
For over a century, Her great puja has been performed on Dipanwita
Amavasya—the night of the new moon that marks Kali Puja across Bengal. The
once-unknown village came to be called Kalikapur, sanctified by the touch of
the Mother Herself.
A Century-Old Legend
An old local account mentions that the original idol was
found near the Kumri River (now reduced to a small water body known as Kumrir
Bil), beside a village named Kumri, not far from Kalikapur.
A Brahmin from that village first received the divine
command in a dream to retrieve and consecrate the idol from the river, but he
hesitated and concealed the revelation. The Goddess did not appear to him
again.
Later, a poor Brahmin from Kalikapur received the same
vision. This time, without hesitation, he entered the river and found the
beautiful stone idol. He brought it to his own village and enshrined it there.
Since then, worship has continued uninterrupted through generations.
The Icon and Its History
No written record reveals the exact age of the idol.
However, scholars suggest—based on its artistic style, posture, ornaments, and
accompanying divine figures—that it dates back to the Pala-Sena period, making
it at least a thousand years old.
Its craftsmanship bears striking resemblance to other stone
deities of the Pala era. Researchers believe the Kumri River was once known as
the Koumari, one of the seven sacred mother rivers (Saptamatrika). The idol may
originally have been worshipped as Devi Koumari on its banks. Over time, the
temple was destroyed, and the image lay submerged in the river until the early
18th century, when the people of Kalikapur rediscovered and reinstalled it.
The land where the present temple stands was donated by Yogendranath
Bandyopadhyay, whose descendants continue to help maintain the temple.
Today, the temple’s chief priest, Ratan Mukhopadhyay, says
that his family has served the deity for generations, their lineage stretching
back to his great-grandfather. Before them, ascetics and household priests
alike tended the Goddess.
Faith and Miracles
The villagers’ faith in their Goddess is unshakable. No
other Kali Puja is held in Kalikapur; even the processions for immersion from
neighboring villages stop outside its boundary. The people of Kumri too worship
no other form of Kali but Her.
One legend tells that during a terrible drought, a massive
fire broke out in the village. Despite all efforts, the flames would not die.
Then, a farmer saw a little girl walking along the edge of the paddy fields. He
asked, “Where are you going, child?” The girl replied, “My village, Kalikapur,
is burning—should I not go?”
Moments later, thunder rolled across the clear sky, and rain
poured down. The fire was extinguished.
Worship and Rituals
Special ceremonies are held twice a year—on Dipanwita
Amavasya (Kali Puja) and in the month of Magh at nearby Kumri village. Apart
from these, all village festivals include prayers offered at the Kalikapur
temple.
No animal sacrifice is performed during the annual Kali
Puja; instead, symbolic or mental offerings (mansik bali) are made.