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Kali puja celebrated with fervour

— Photo: Lingaraj Panda

Imposing view: The pandal put up beside NH 217 at Khodasingh in Berhampur.

CUTTACK: Just a fortnight after Durga Puja, people across the State celebrated Kali puja on Friday night that coincided with Diwali celebrations. People particularly in coastal districts like Cuttack, Bhadrak, Kendrapara and Puri celebrate this occasion with fervour and gaiety. In Cuttack city alone 65 mandaps have been erected worshipping the dark-coloured deity with a garland of human skulls, 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 Bengalis brought this tradition to Orissa during 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 head.

The idol here holds her severed head on one hand while three streams of blood rolls 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.

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