Goddess Kali is worshipped in Bengal in countless forms in Bengal. Sometimes she is worshipped in the form of Bamakali (left foot forward), sometimes Dakshinakali (right foot forward), sometimes Shyamakali (skin colour blue), Krishnakali (idol resembling Krishna) and various other forms. The names are endless. Similarly, Kali with different numbers of arms is also worshipped. Usually her two-armed and four-armed idols are worshipped across the state on the occasion of Kali Puja which coincides with Diwali.
According to the Chandi Purana, Goddess Durga took many forms while killing demons. One of them was her thousand-handed form. A thousand-handed Kali idol was made as described in the Chandi Purana.
Unlike the usual idol with four hands or 10 hands, Goddess Kali’s idol protects her devotees with 1000 hands in Hajar Haat Kali Mandir located in Shibpur, Howrah district of West Bengal. The name “Hazar Haat” literally translates to “thousand hands”.
There are a lot of legends surrounding this temple located in Olabibitala area of Shibpur. Legend says that a blind devotee from South India regained his eyesight by praying in this temple.
Why 1000 hands of Hajar Haat Kali idol?
This temple was built on the initiative of a tantric named Ashutosh Mukherjee, who used to reside in Chorbagan, Kolkata. Ashutosh Mukherjee, also known as Tantric Ashutosh Tarkaratna used to travel to various pilgrimage sites in different parts of the country. He used to devote himself to worship, meditation, and sadhana. Once, Ashutosh saw this thousand-handed form of Goddess Kali in his dream. He also dreamed of the place where this temple is currently located in Olabibitala.
Following his dream, Tantric Ashutosh decided to build the temple and bought 3 kathas (8640 square feet) land from local resident Haldar family for Rs 125. On that piece of land, Ashutosh established a mud temple in 1870. Priyanath Pal of Kolkata’s potter’s settlement Kumaratuli made the idol.
Initially, a clay temple was planned. But Ashutosh did not have the capacity to build that either. Then the Haldar family from whom the land was purchased and other local residents came forward to help in the construction of the temple. The clay idol was made and the thousand-handed Kali temple was established on the day of Buddha Purnima.
Temple rebuilt by Tantric Ashutosh after demolition
The temple was even demolished once. Ashutosh rebuilt the temple again. After a lot of efforts, a cemented temple and idol were made. Later, this huge statue of a thousand-handed Kali was formed using lime, cement, sand, bricks, and American plaster. The massive 25-feet-long idol of the goddess Kali is blue in colour. The goddess stands on a lion with her right leg forward.
Tantric Ashutosh’s family still serving the temple
The members of Ashutosh Mukherjee’s family are serving this temple for generations. To ensure that there is no problem in worshipping and auspicious occasions for his mother, Ashutosh Mukherjee has left several properties in the name of his mother’s temple. The income from those properties is used to worship the mother and renovate the temple.
When a blind devotee from South regained sight with Goddess Hajar Haat Kali’s blessings
It is said that about 60 years ago, Krishna Subrahmanyam, a resident of South India, came to this temple on a Friday in the Bengali month of Shravan. He was blind and offered prayers at the temple wishing to regain his vision. Within a year, he regained his sight. Since then, he started spreading the greatness of the mother throughout South India. Now, many devotees from South Indians perform puja in this temple on Fridays in the Shukla Paksha of the month of Shravan.
Hajar Haat Kali’s ‘Bhog’
Puja is performed at Hajar Haat Kali temple every day at 6:30 am, 2 pm and 8:30 pm. The ‘Bhog’ or offering to the deity comprises fish, rice, various fruits and sweets every day. Prasad is distributed after the evening aarti. Even though worship is done as per Tantric rituals, there is no tradition of animal sacrifice in this Kali temple.
In addition to the daily puja, special festivals are held on Buddha Purnima, which is the foundation day of this temple and on the day of Kali Puja which mostly falls on the day of Diwali. According to the locals, the Hajar Haat Kali does not return any devotee empty handed. Every year before Kali Puja, the idol of the mother is freshly painted. It is said that no one has been able to count the thousand hands of a mother till now. There is also a taboo against counting the hands.
