Balurghat: About 350-yr-old Kali Puja honours Goddess as daughter

BALURGHAT: Among the oldest and most revered Kali Pujas in Raghunathpur, Balurghat, the Rajnandini Kali Mata Puja has been celebrated for around 350 years. A long-standing tradition of the Munshi family, the ritual uniquely honours the deity not as a mother but as a daughter.

Shibam Munshi, a member of the Munshi family, shared insights into the history of this worship: “Our Rajnandini Kali Mata Puja originated in Faridpur, Bangladesh, over three centuries ago. One of our ancestors, who once led a group of bandits, began this worship in a dense forest, where locals referred to the deity as ‘Jhau Kali’. The worship of Jhau Kali involved human sacrifices to please the goddess. Near the forest was an ancient banyan tree and a marketplace. After each market day, the last person passing through would be taken for sacrifice to the goddess.”

The practice of human sacrifice, however, ended abruptly when one of their own family members fell victim to it. The leader refused to sacrifice a family member, marking the end of this dark tradition. Although the bandits disbanded, worship of the goddess continued in the dense forest.

As the years passed, the ritual grew sacred to the family, with the worship held in secrecy every year on Kali Puja night. When the Munshi family migrated from Faridpur to Raghunathpur after the Partition, they brought a piece of soil from the original shrine to continue the worship. While the Jhau Kali idol was left behind, the essence of their ancestral worship was preserved. Since then, the family has conducted the Rajnandini Kali Puja every year, adapting some practices over time. Animal sacrifices ceased following unforeseen circumstances and they now offer a goat-shaped sweet made of kheer instead.

Every year, the Rajnandini Temple is filled with traditional offerings of fruits, sweets, puffed rice and more. The devotion remains strong among the Munshi family and Raghunathpur residents, who often visit the temple to fulfill their vows.