Kali puja typically takes place at midnight, when devotees gather at temples and homes to offer prayers and perform rituals to appease the Goddess. Worshippers light oil lamps, chant hymns, and offer a range of traditional items, including hibiscus flowers, which are considered sacred.
Video Credit: Debjanir Rannaghor
Animal sacrifices were once a part of the rituals in traditional settings, though now they have largely been replaced with offerings of fruits, sweets, and symbolic sacrifices. Firecrackers are often lit, symbolising the destruction of darkness and evil forces. Kali Pujo food offerings are simple yet meaningful. Dishes like khichuri (a rice-lentil porridge) are commonly prepared and served with seasonal vegetables, and symbolise purity and sustenance. Traditional Bengali sweets, including sandesh, rasgulla, and nadu (coconut balls), are offered as prasad to the Goddess. Following the rituals, families and friends gather to enjoy a festive meal, celebrating with foods that honour tradition, community, and the blessings of Goddess Kali.
Early Memories
“I was born and brought up in North Kolkata. It was special. In our para (area) my father was always an integral part of the Pujacommittee and he would fast all through the day of the Kali Pujo. I’m not a very religious person but I believe in the supreme power and when I saw my father doing the fast I was in seventh or eighth standard at that time I started doing the fast of Kali Pujo as well. So that is my earliest memory,” says Kolkata-based food blogger and home chef, Debjani Chatterjee Alam.
“My other memories revolve around my mother's grandparents’ place in a village called Maluti, in Dumka, on the border of West Bengal and Jharkhand. It is also near Tarapith and a famous archeological site. The village is famous for the 8 Kali pujos held there. The culture there is a mix of the traditions of West Bengal and Jharkhand. They have a Bengal-style Kali Pujo and a Santhal tribe one as well. My mom still visits the place, this time of the year. The Santhal oujo still practices the ritual of animal sacrifice. The experience of witnessing that is surreal. These days my family participates in the Kali Puja in our complex,” she adds.
The Food
The Kali Pujo bhog mainly includes luchi, one or two types of vegetarian delicacies - something made with cauliflower since it is in season, a dalna and mishti. Nothing is made with rice or grains. Then day after Kali Pujo is known as Annokut - when dishes such as khichdi, pulao and chaler (rice) payesh are made. Apart from the bhog which is offered to the deity during the pujo, the time of Kali Pujo is associated with some specific dishes.
The popular “Niramish Manghso” is one such dish. While the name of the dish translates to Vegetarian Mutton, which is an oxymoron, the dish is popularly made during the Kali Puja festivities. “Niramish Mangsho is a special dish for Kali Pujo because, despite being a mutton curry, it is considered ‘niramish’ (vegetarian) as it omits onions and garlic. This reflects how food plays a role in maintaining purity during rituals while still adhering to tradition,” explains artist, author and homechef Ananya Banerjee.
Debjani explains that the dish was also connected with animal sacrifice in the past. “In my home making mangsho (mutton) during the festival was not necessary, but I have seen the mangsho being cooked in Maluti. That is where I learned to cook Niramish Mangsho about which I wrote on my blog Debjanir Rannaghar, and going by the data that I have, that particular recipe on my blog is one of the most searched recipes to date. One of the most important ingredients for this dish is Asafoetida or Hing. Since we do not use onion while cooking it, you have to substitute onion with something to balance the flavour of meat. Hing and Ghee work amazingly for this,” she shares.
“I have had another version of this dish at my cousin's home. So they bring the ‘Bhoger Mangsho from the Kalighat temple and they cook it at home. There are two versions of this recipe. Some people say you cannot use yoghurt while cooking Niramish Mangsho. and some people say you can. To me, food is all about your palate. I usually cook this dish the day after Kali Puja, mostly on the day of Diwali. It's a ritual at home now,” she explains.
The other significant rituals during this festival include the Choddho (14) Pradeep and 14 Shaak rituals. “These rituals are powerful, and it's fascinating how these elements carry such deep symbolic meaning. The lighting of the 14 lamps dispels spiritual ignorance, while the offering of 14 types of leafy greens reflects a profound connection to nature and well-being,” says Ananya.
“With age, I think I have realised what these rituals signify. Choddho Pradeep is to show respect and light to your forefathers. As far as Chodhho Shaak is concerned, these seasonal greens, are good for health. In the local bazaars, you now get packets of mixed shaaks. It's a tedious job to separate all those shaaks and cook them.
Lost Recipes
According to Ananya, food offerings such as Khichuri, Labra, and sweets like Narkel Naru and Sandesh have always been integral parts of Kali Pujo. “Over time, the practice of making sweets at home has changed, with many families opting to buy from sweet shops. Time-consuming rituals like homemade sweets have become rarer, which marks a shift in how traditions evolve, making things more convenient while perhaps losing some of the old charm,” she says.
Debjani tries to revive these lost recipes and has fond memories of some of these dishes. “My Dida (grandmother) would make a dish called Narkhel Cheera. It needed very fine slices of coconut. Those were cooked in a syrup of sugar. The texture was almost like chura or cheera, which is beaten rice. Even today I am skeptical about making it because it is almost an art to finely cut the coconut into such delicate pieces.
Another dish that is difficult to replicate today is a sweet from Maluti. Since the village is in the border area, you get different kinds of sweets there. For example Monda and Mithai. Both sweets are cooked with chhana. The cooking process to get the right texture is extremely difficult. It took me a few years to get it right. To make Monda and to give that shape, they make two pieces of Mondas and then they throw them towards each other to join them. So ultimately they get a shape that looks like the number eight. It is beautiful and the work is delicate.”
The “Scary” Perception
The traditional puja always begins at midnight and because of traditional rituals such as animal sacrifice and tantric prayers, there are many misconceptions associated with Kali Puja. “The practice of lighting diyas across Bengali homes during Kali Puja is one of the most cherished rituals, symbolising light's victory over darkness, says Ananya.
“Many people, especially outside Bengal, see Kali Pujo as a celebration of darkness, destruction, and fierce imagery, missing the deeper message of dispelling ignorance and embracing spiritual renewal. The festival is often misunderstood as a wild, destructive celebration, it’s also a time for reflection, inner strength, and light. For example, my Thamma (grandmother) would tell us a story called “Nishi ‘r daak which was about not responding if someone calls your name at night because it could be a ghost. Though amusing now, as a child I found it scary. It connects to the mysterious side of Kali Pujo, where the night takes on a symbolic significance,” Banerjee explains.
Video Credit: Bong Eats
Debjani reveals that during her time in Delhi, someone asked her directly if she does black magic as people believe that Bengalis indulge in such activities during Kali Puja. “There is one Pujo that is famously known as Dakaat (dacoit) Kali. Back in the day when these pujas were conducted in the villages or the deep forests, those processes were not meant for the regular society. However, while Durga is the daughter who comes to her maternal home, Kali is the goddess whose idol is fierce. That is how it should be. Why should all festivals and rituals look and feel the same?”