BALURGHAT: Long before dawn breaks over the Atreyee River, the flicker of oil lamps glow faintly in the dense forest near Balurghat. There, under the starlit sky, villagers gather to perform a ritual that has survived the passage of centuries — the secretive Tara Kali Puja, once conducted by dacoits before setting out on their midnight expeditions.
What was once a clandestine offering by outlaws has now transformed into a community ritual, yet its mystery and sanctity remain untouched. The Puja takes place near the bamboo bridge that connects Raghunathpur and Kalikapur, where local residents still uphold the customs of their forefathers.
No grand temple marks the site — only an earthen altar temporarily covered with a thatched roof. The idol is crafted on the eve of the ceremony and by the time the last stars fade, it is immersed in the Atreyee River, marking the end of a ritual that unfolds entirely in the dark.
Interestingly though, dedicated to Goddess Kali, the ritual follows Vaishnavite traditions — a rare fusion that reflects Bengal’s spiritual diversity.
Local elder Dilip Kumar Munsi recalls hearing stories from his ancestors about the dacoits who once sought divine blessings before looting and returned before sunrise for immersion. “Even after those days ended, the Puja never stopped. Villagers revived it as a barowari celebration to keep our heritage alive,” he said.
Today, the dense grove still hides the ancient shrine. “We don’t build anything permanent here,” said organiser Amitabha Ghosh. “Each year, we put up a temporary shed for the night of the Puja and remove it after immersion. It’s our way of preserving both nature and tradition.”
In an age when many folk rituals have faded into memory, the Tara Kali Puja of the Atreyee jungle endures — a silent echo of Bengal’s mystical past, where faith and folklore meet under the veil of night.