Goddess Kali Puja Preparations
After the grand celebration of Durga Puja & Laxmi Puja, people across the millennium city gears up for Kali Puja and Diwali celebrations. Like every year this year also the Puja Committees gears up for festive with plans to celebrate this occasion with fervour and gaiety.
In Cuttack city, Goddess Kali is worshipped in about 65 mandaps. Worshipping the dark-coloured deity with a garland of human skulls, a tongue piercing out and stepping on a lying Lord Shiva. Kali Puja in Cuttack city is believed to have started much before the concept of Durga Puja.
It is believed that this puja started in the city about 500 years ago and the concept of idol worshipping started when Bengali’s brought this tradition to Odisha during the 16th century.
Among all the idols in Cuttack, the Goddess worshipped at Bakhrabad area is unique. It is called “Chhinamasta” or headless Goddess who chopped her own head. The idol here holds her severed head on one hand while three streams of blood roll out of her neck.
While one stream goes down to her mouth in the severed head other two goes down to the mouths of her two associates. Instead of stepping on the lying Shiva, the Goddess steps over an embracing man and woman on a lotus.
But nobody knows for sure how Chhinnamastika form of worship began at Bakhrabad. While almost all the Puja mandaps celebrating Durga Puja, Celebrates Kali Puja. But Bakhrabad is the only place where only Kali Puja is being celebrated.
Unlike Durga Puja Celebration, OdiaLive will bring you regular updates of the Festive of Cuttack.
Also Read: Do & don’t for Diwali
