Kali Puja: Weather plays spoilsport as Kalight and Dakshineswar temples see lesser footfall

KOLKATA: The weather conditions coupled with diversions at different places on the way to the temple due to the ongoing work of Kalighat skywalk resulted in at least 40 per cent less turnout on the occasion of Kali Puja. During the Kali Puja, there is usually a huge turnout of devotees at the shrine.

It drizzled in the city throughout the day due to the effect of Cyclone Sitrang with spells of medium rainfall in phases. However, the weather

conditions improved after 8 pm

and there was a good turnout late at night that somewhat made up for the poor attendance during the day and evening.

"We had thought of closing the temple gate at midnight. However, devotees turned up from far-off places and wanted to get inside. So it was decided that the temple should be kept open the whole night," Sandip Halder, a Sebayet of the temple said. After a gap of

two years with Covid restrictions

being lifted, devotees were allowed inside the sanctum sanctorum of

the temple.

According to the sebayets, with the construction of Kalighat skywalk, the parking space for vehicles have been earmarked between the Kalighat fire station and Kalighat police station which is quite a distance from the shrine. So, the elderly are finding it difficult to come to the temple. The roads leading to the temple are also having diversions here and there blocking the smooth movement of the people.

"For the last two years, Covid had played spoilsport and we had expected a good turnout this year. But the weather god did not smile upon this year too,"a Puja component seller near the temple said. Dakshineshwar temple also witnessed less turnout on Monday than normal. "The number of devotees was somewhat less and that was because of the weather and drizzle throughout the day till evening,"Kushal Chowdhury of the Dakshineshwar Kali Temple trust said.