Kalipuja, worship of power at midnight

Not the biggest but Kalipuja is a major religious festival of the Hindus in Bangladesh and all over the world. Known as Diwali (festival of light), it is the largest Hindu religious festival in Northern and Western India. The word Kali has been derived from Sanskrit word kaal meaning Time (Mahakaal), one who consumes or destroys everything. Kali is its feminine form meaning one who controls time. 
History informs that worship of Goddess Kali with idol was introduced in Bengal by Krishnananda Agambaghish, a Tantric saint from Navadwip. Prior to it, saints used to worship Goddess Kali carving her on copper plates. In the 18th century, King Krishna Chandra Roy of Nadia made Kali Puja widely popular. In the 19th century, Kalipuja became cosmopolitan under the patronage of wealthy landlords of Bengal. Shekharnagar Kalipuja at Sirajdikhan, Munshiganj is a century-old celebration in Bangladesh. It is one of the largest religious events in South Asia where lakhs of devotees gather.  
According to scripture, she is dark complexioned, deep black or blue, open –haired and four-handed. Normally depicted as red protruding tongue, stepping on the chest of Lord Shiv.  Jajabar (Binoy Mukherjee), in his famous book Dristipat, has written– “-- when two Bengalees unite, they build a Kalibari (temple of Goddess Kali). Among all Hindu gods and goddesses idol of goddess Kali is not at all pleasant-looking. Beauty of flute-playing Saraswati or charm of lotus-seated Laxmi is absent in her dark-black body. She wears a necklace of severed human heads on neck and a skirt of human wrists around waist, holds a blood-soaked human head in one hand, an open sword in the other hand. There is no sign of softness in her wide face: she has robeless chest, unadorned body. Devotees call her Ma Voyonkora  (Dreadful mother). Catherine Mayo has termed her Bibhatsa (disgusting) but the Hindus love this formidable idol.”
All Hindu gods and goddesses are worshipped normally by day or at evening but Kalipuja is held at the new moon night of dark fortnight in the month of Kartik. For this year the day is Sunday, 8 November. Kalipuja is observed in households or in cosmopolitan temples at many places.
Time of Kalipuja, which is midnight, is significant in many ways. It is believed that goddess Kali, as the supreme power symbolising creation and destruction, shows the way to spiritual liberation. According to Tantra, cosmic energy reaches its peak during the darkest night. During this time, power of the goddess impacts deeply on devotees. According to scriptures, late night of the new moon creates a bridge between human mind and energy of the universe. Kali is the destroyer of evil forces. Evil and demonic forces become active during dark night. To destroy those negative powers, goddess Kali is worshipped at night. Darkness is a symbol of ignorance and fear. Inversely, lighting lamps during Kali Puja is a symbol of knowledge and hope that removes darkness and spreads light in the world. Kali is a symbol of fierce form and power of crematorium. The silence of night reminds us of the image of crematorium that helps to free our mind from worldly delusions.
As mentioned in mythology, two demon brothers Shumbha and Nishumbha evicted the gods from heaven. Then Kali emerged from the forehead of Durga. When blood of demon Raktabij fell on ground hundreds of new demons were born from that drops of blood. Goddess Kali drank that blood before falling on ground and destroyed Raktabij. For this reason, goddess Kali is worshipped as destroyer of all evil forces and establishing fearlessness in life.
After killing the demons she started dancing wildly which almost destroyed the whole creation. To stop her Shiv (husband of Kali) placed himself flat on ground. In course of dancing she stepped on Shiv’s chest. Being ashamed, she bit her blood-soaked protruding tongue and stopped dancing which sumbolises controlling anger and recklessness with calmness and restraint. It is very much necessary in our life. 
In both science and philosophy, all creations end in an infinite darkness or emptiness. All colours merge in black. Similarly, all living beings and objects in the world are absorbed in the womb of the black universe.  Her open and flying hair represents absolute freedom. She cannot be bound by any rules. Her four hands essentially represent destruction and fear on one side and fearlessness and blessings on the other. Arrogance is the root of fall. With the sword she cuts ignorance, pride and illusion of human mind and destroys human ego.    

The writer is a former Commissioner of Taxes