MAA KALI

Jai MAA KALI

Kalighat is located in south Calcutta. Buses are available from all parts of Calcutta. All buses going to south Calcutta have to pass through Shyam Prasad Mukherjee road. The temple is off this road. You get down in Kalighat (Kalighat Tram Depot) bus stop and walk down the Kali Temple road to the temple. Kalighat is connected by Metro railway.

The nearest metro stations are Jatin Das Park and Kalighat. Please take the Northern exit in Jatin Das Park and the Southern exit in Kalighat.

The steps in Jatin Das Park station are many and steep. There is an escalator part of the way in Kalighat station. It is advisable for elderly people to alight at the Kalighat station.

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 Aarthis in the morning and evening.

The temple schedule as per the notice put up.
Sun/Sat/Tue
Weekdays
Opening Time
(For Mongal Aarti)
4.00 A.M
4.00 A.M
Opening Time
(For Public)
5.00 A.M
5.00 A.M
Nitya Puja
5.30 A.M to
7.00 A.M
5.30 A.M to
7.00 A.M
Bhog Rag
2.30 P.M. to
3.30 P.M.
2.00 P.M. to
3.00 P.M.
Sandhya Aarti
6.30 P.M. to
7.00 P.M.
6.30 P.M. to
7.00 P.M.
Closing of Temple
11.30 P.M.
10.30 P.M.

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.

There is a general queue which is free. Other than the general queue there is a Sevaits/V.I.P/Staff queue. Other than these queues people muscle in by paying money.

There are two queues. One for going to the Garbha Graha (Nijo -Mandir) and another for having Dharshan from the Varandah (Jor- bangla).

The queue going to the Garbha Graha (Nijo -Mandir) is more orderly, and is controlled by security guards and police men (at least on Tuesdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and festival days).

The queue for the Varandah (Jor- bangla) is under the control of the Dalals and Pandas and they allow people to enter at different points.

You are told by the Dalals and Pandas that it will take hours to have Dharshan in the Garbha Graha (Nijo -Mandir) and advised to go in the Varandah (Jor- bangla) queue. This information is incorrect.

You can have better Dharshan in the Garbha Graha (Nijo -Mandir) and it does not take that long. It took 4.5 hours to 5 hours on Bangla New Year day and Bijoy Dhasami. Average 1 to 1.5 hours. You can also avoid the Dalals and Pandas.

Please read the page PRECAUTIONS. This contains suggestions to make your visit to the temple a worthwhile and pleasant experience.