Kali Devi Temple

One of the consecrated places of worship for the Hindus, the Kali Devi Mandir in the city of Patiala, Punjab, is devoted to the Hindu goddess Durga – an incarnation of Kali Mata (Mother Kali). Located on the Mall Road of this city, the magnificent temple lies just in front of the Baradari Garden next to the Rajendra Tank. The Patiala Kali Mata Mandir was built by the late Maharaja Bhupinder Singh in 1936. The Maharaja brought the six-foot idol of Kali Devi and the “Pawan Jyoti” (sacred flame) from the East Indian city of Calcutta. The temple is an architectural wonder from the great days gone by when the city was ruled by the great Patiala Maharajas, who were great promoters of art and culture.

History

Kali Puja is celebrated with a lot of gusto and fanfare in Bengal after Durga Puja during the time of Diwali. It is believed that Maharaja Krishnan Chandra of Nawadweep was the first to celebrate Kali Puja in his territory. Everyone was ordered to celebrate Kali Puja and thus 10,000 images of Kali were worshipped. Ratanti Kali Puja was celebrated in ancient times before the present Kali Puja. It is believed that the present form of Kali is due to a dream by a distinguished scholar of Indian charms and black magic (‘Tantra’) and the author of Tantric Saar, Krishnananda Agambagish. He was also a contemporary of Lord Chaitanya. In his dream, he was ordered to make her image after the first figure he saw in the morning. At dawn, Krishnananda saw a dark-complexioned maid with her left-hand protruding with her right making cow dung cakes. Her body was glowing with white dots. The vermillion spread over her forehead while she was wiping the sweat from it. The hair was untidy as well. When she came face to face with an elderly Krishnananda, she bit her tongue in shame. This posture of the housemaid was later utilized to envisage the idol of Goddess Kali. Thus, the image of Kali was formed.

Architecture

The six-foot idol of Kali Devi is black and seen in a standing position inside the gold-plated sanctum. Being the ferocious form of Goddess Durga, Kali Devi is seen with bloodshot eyes, an open mouth, and a drooping tongue, with a bent sword and a human head in her hand.

Built entirely in white marble, the Patiala Kali Mata mandir is also known for its beautiful architecture. The walls of the temple have beautiful murals and frescoes depicting the stories from Hindu epics and mythological stories.

The temple inspires the devotees to rigorously adhere to all the great age-old customs of Hinduism. The sacred Sanctorum of the Kali Devi Temple bears witness to the rich Hindu architecture and art of ancient times. The walls of the temple have beautiful sceneries and mural paintings from the great Hindu epics and mythology that add to its beauty; so much so that it has been declared a national monument. The attractive and colorful paintings on the walls draw devotees from far-off places that throng the holy shrine in search of eternal happiness. Interestingly, an older temple to the Hindu deity Raj Rajeshwari also stands in the middle of the temple complex.