Kali Temple Devotees

I am always on the lookout to help out the devotees coming to the temple. I advise them about the easiest way to get Dharshan.

The Pandas do not like my helping out.

A helpful Panda tells you that the temple is about to close and you should hurry up. This is a trick to make you take his help. The temple closes only in the afternoon. But such advise is given throughout the day.

I do not intervene in such a situation.

But I do help people who do not attach themselves to the Pandas.

But how do the people take it? Frankly they do not want such advice. I am ignored and often they try to impress me with their knowledge of the temple. Rarely does someone take my advice.

A couple of days back a group from outside were in the Nat Mandie for a Dharshan. I told them to give some amount to the employee sitting in the front varandah so that they will make way for Dharshan. The immediate reply was " We have already given Rs.50." The fact is that they have given the money to the Panda.

Giving money to the right person is very important.

A gentleman was asking about the Nakuleshwar temple. The pandas told him that it is outside. I stepped in and gave him directions to go to the temple. But the gentlemen almost told me that he knew all about it. Strange behavior.

In general people trust the Pandas than any fellow devotee. No wonder no one helps you out in the temple.

Still, it is my Mother's house and I am duty bound to help the devotees.

What is your experience?

More about Kali temple

Kalighat Kali temple is one of the most popular Saktha temple visited by thousands of devotees every day. MAA is Karuna Moyi, Daya Moyi and Ananda Moyi. MAA is well known for granting boons to devotees. No wonder people come from allover the world to visit the temple.

But about the temple itself. How is it?

1. One of the (if not the) dirtiest temple in India.

2. The only temple in India where Beggars and Vendors have a free rein. The Nat Mandir is used by Beggars as their home. You find them sleeping there at any time of the day. The Beggar Children use it as their play ground. The beggar children sit on the floor among the crowd and tug at your feet. They kick the devotees who are sitting there meditating.

The vendors of the so called Raksha thread forces one mala on your head and demand money. Then you have the vendors of Kumkum and other Puja material. Then you have permanent sweet shops inside the temple.

Is this a way a holy place should be run? Temple for MAA is called MAA Badi or Mother's house. Do we keep our Mother's house like this?

Why this Blog - I

I have been receiving feedback from the guest book of my web site about the Kalighat Temple http://kalighat.jagaddhatri.com

The guest book is not the place to post about bad experiences. So I have been editing out such posts.

But we do need a forum for posting such incidents. And where I can post my experiences in the Kalighat temple.

So here it comes.