Kalighat Kali Temple

The temple is open from 5.00 A.M. to 2.00 P.M and 5.00 P.M to 10.30 P.M. It is closed from 2.00 P.M to 5.00 P.M. for Bhog. There are Aartis in the morning and evening. Tuesdays and Saturdays are special days for worship. Ashtami days are also special. If you want to avoid the crowds the best day to visit is Wednesday or Thursday.
Poojas performed in the temple:

The schedule of rituals that take place at the Kalighat Mandir follow a course which reflects rhythm of human life. Kalika is viewed as a living goddess whose daily needs are attended to with the utmost reverence by her priesthood. Beginning at 4:00 am, she is gently awoken, after which her image is cleaned and decorated with garlands of red hibiscus flowers before the temple doors are opened to the public. At 6:00 am the elaborate ceremony of Kalika’s morning aarti begins. The doors to the garbhagriha remain open until 2:00 pm, when they are closed so that the pujaris can offer Kalika her food in private. For a period of time, the temple doors remain locked while the goddess eats and takes a nap. The prasad of this food offering is later distributed to temple employees, pilgrims, and local beggars. At 4:00 pm, the doors are again opened for devotees to commune with Kalika and havedarshan with her murti. Some evening rituals, including a night time aarti, are performed before thegarbhagriha’s doors officially close to the public around 11:00 pm. Kalika is then lovingly dressed and prepared for bed.

Festivals at Kalighat Kali Mandir

The divine pilgrimage destination observes a flock of devotees during the various festivals at the temple which include Durga pooja, Kali Pooja, Poila Boishakh. Dondi festival is a festival performed in the temple during Sheetla Pooja wherein the ladies pray be laying down on the ground and covering the distance to the temple by moving in the same position. They go on marking the distance with a chalk.  (Picture depicting Dondi Festival)

Animal sacrifice or commonly known as Boli, is a vital ritual followed here. A concrete fence serves to obscure the sacrificial area from the view of casual onlookers and define the space within, where goats are beheaded as an offering to Kalika. Almost 499 goats are offered to the Goddess every year which serves as a sacrifice to her blood lust.