Petkati Temple draws huge crowds during Kali Puja

Jalpaiguri: People from far and wide travel to Maynaguri in Jalpaiguri district to witness the famous Kali Puja at Petkati Temple located in Ward 1.

A two-day-long fair is also held here centered around the Puja that started around hundreds of years ago.

Legend has it that this statue was unearthed hundreds of years ago during an excavation work when the spade accidentally struck its stomach. Hence, it received the name ‘Petkati Kali’ (Kali with a cut in her stomach) or ‘Petkati Mao’, in local dialect.

This black-stone idol of the Goddess stands at four-and -a-half-feet tall and is adorned with ten hands. Unfortunately, three hands were damaged during excavation. In her hands, the Goddess carries an elephant, bell, severed head and ‘Naramurti’ (garland of skulls).

The idol’s belly displays a scorpion. The Goddess wears a garland of ‘Narmunda’ around her neck and the entire body is decorated with serpentine garlands.

Umesh Sharma, a history researcher, explained: “Due to the cut on the belly, the Goddess is locally known as ‘Petkati Mao.’ Although ‘Petkati Mao’ is traditionally an idol of Goddess Kali, it is worshipped as Dhumavati Chandi Kali Devi during Kali Puja.”

Priest Bablu Dev Sharma said: “Our family has been faithfully tending to this temple for several generations. However, the true age of this statue remains a mystery. The Goddess is highly revered. Devotees from near and far visit the temple almost daily. During Kali Puja, people from Assam also come. The black-stone idol of this temple is worshipped first, followed by the ‘Shyama Kali’ (blue hued) idol in a nearby temple.”

Bablu Dev Sharma’s grandfather, Hemchandra Dev Sharma, and father, Keshab Dev Sharma, also served as priests in this temple. Tushar Majumdar, secretary of the Petkati Temple Committee, mentioned: “Devotees sacrifice goats on the night of the Puja and the meat is distributed among them. The temple draws huge crowds on the Kali Puja night.”