Kali puja 2017 (Naraka Chaturdashi): Date, significance, muhurat and bhog

While most people in India worship Goddess Lakshmi on Amavasya Tithi during Diwali, people in West Bengal, Orissa and Assam worship Goddess Kali on new moon day, the most important day of Diwali.

Kali Puja 2017: Today, the third day of five-day Diwali festival. The festival of Kali Chaudas will be celebrated in eastern India. Goddess Kali is considered as the incarnation of goddess Parvati.

Kali Puja, also known as Shyama Puja or Mahanisha Puja, is a festival dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali, celebrated on the new moon day of the Hindu month Kartik especially in West Bengal, Odisha, Assam and Bangladesh.

It coincides with the pan-Indian Lakshmi Puja day of Diwali. This year Kali puja will be celebrated on Thursday, October 19.

Highlights of Kali Puja has to be the 'bhog' that is served in the pandals, which could be 'khichudi' and labra or 'luchi' and some vegetables. People also enjoy a lavish meal-'mangsho' or goat meat- after the conclusion of Puja.

While most people in India worship Goddess Lakshmi on Amavasya Tithi during Diwali, people in West Bengal, Orissa and Assam worship Goddess Kali on new moon day, the most important day of Diwali.

Why should you worship Kali?

• To ward-off negative waves around you, family members and home
• Goddess Kali lifts up the stamina of their devotees
• The fill your house with happiness
• Worshipping goddess Kali cuts down all kind of impurities
• The darkness goes away from your life

Muhurat

Amavasya Tithi Begins = 00:13 on 19/Oct/2017
Amavasya Tithi Ends = 00:41 on 20/Oct/2017

People in festive mood

In most of the years, Diwali Puja and Kali Puja falls on the same day but in some years Kali Puja might fall one day before Diwali Puja.

People purchasing in a market in Kolkata on Friday to celebrate Kali Puja and Diwali. PTI Photo

Kali idol in the making

For Kali Puja, the day when Amavasya prevails during midnight is considered while for Lakshmi Puja the day when Amavasya prevails during Pradosh is considered.

An artist works on an idol of the Goddesses Kali ahead of Diwali festival on the outskirts of Agartala. PTI photo

World famous Dakshineswar Kali Temple, at Dakshineswar, Kolkata

In West Bengal, Orissa and Assam, the most important day to worship Goddess Lakshmi falls on the full moon day in lunar month Ashwin. PTI photo

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi offers prayers at the historic Bhadra Kali Mataji Temple in Ahmedabad

Lakshmi Puja on Purnima Tithi in month of Ashwin is known as Kojagara Puja and more commonly known as Bengal Lakshmi Puja. PTI photo

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