Kalighat Kali Temple, in Kolkata in West Bengal, is a shrine to Goddess Kali (Kalika). It is also known as Kalighat Mandir, Kali Ghat Kali Mata Mandir.
One of the most revered Shakti Peethas and Kali temples in India, and an important centre for Tantric worship. It is among the most visited pilgrimage sites in Kolkata. Kalighat is counted among the 51 Shakti Peethas of India, the site where, by tradition, a toe of the goddess Sati fell.
West Bengal carries a distinct temple identity of its own: Land of the Divine Mother, where Kali is worshipped with fervour at Shakti Peethas along the Ganga and the tantric shrines of Birbhum.
Darshan hours and daily worship
| Session | Timing (as published) |
|---|---|
| Morning | 5:00 AM - 2:00 PM |
| Evening | 5:00 PM - 10:30 PM |
The temple is closed from about 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM for Bhog. Mangal Aarti is around 4:00 AM. On some days closing extends to about 11:30 PM; timings change during festivals and special days.
Poojas and daily rituals
Mangal Aarti around 4:00 AM; daily darshan from 5:00 AM; Bhog offering during the midday closure.
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Kali Puja | October-November | The temple's grandest festival, drawing huge crowds of devotees. |
| Navaratri / Durga Puja | September-October | Marked with special worship of the Divine Mother. |
| Snan Yatra | June | Ritual bathing observance held at the temple. |
History and architecture
Architecture
The shrine houses a distinctive, non-anthropomorphic idol of the Goddess that appears deliberately incomplete, with a gold tongue and three large gold eyes. It stands on the banks of the Adi Ganga.
History
Kalighat is counted among the 51 Shakti Peethas of India, the site where, by tradition, a toe of the goddess Sati fell. The idol is associated with the saints Atmaram Giri and Brahmananda Giri. The city of Kolkata (Calcutta) is widely believed to derive its name from Kalighat / Goddess Kalika.
Planning your visit
How to reach
Located in south Kolkata. Nearest metro station is Kalighat, a short walk from the temple; well connected by bus, taxi and auto. Nearest airport is Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata (about 17 km).
Kalighat Kali Temple in photographs
5 freely-licensed photographs of this temple, from Wikimedia Commons. Each is credited to its photographer.
Where this information comes from
Confidence: High. Confirmed via a dedicated search that www.kalighatkalitemple.com (the site wikipedia's infobox lists as this temple's website) is a private commercial venture ('Nirvana India Enterprise') that explicitly disclaims any official temple/trust affiliation, so it was deliberately not adopted as officialWebsite here. no alternative genuine temple-committee, Haldar-family (hereditary shebait), or government portal with its own published schedule/fee page was found (checked wikipedia, general web search, wb tourism coverage, and 2024 kmc renovation news). under the strict official-source-only policy, no individually-sourced ritual clock times or darshan-fee tiers were added as a result. shakti peetha status, idol description and the existing darshan timings (5 am-2 pm, 5 pm-10:30 pm, midday bhog closure) remain sourced only from a temple-timings aggregator as before; exact festival dates and the closing minute can still vary.