Kali Puja 2026 Date: Check November 8 Celebration, Nishita Muhurat, Puja Vidhi And Significance

Kali Puja 2026 falls on November 8, coinciding with Diwali. Check the Nishita Muhurat, Amavasya timings, puja vidhi, traditional offerings and significance of worshipping Goddess Kali during Kartik Amavasya across India.

Kali Puja 2026 will be celebrated on Sunday, November 8, coinciding with Diwali festivities. Dedicated to Goddess Kali, the festival is observed with devotion across West Bengal and several other eastern states. The occasion is marked by midnight worship, elaborate pandals, traditional offerings and prayers seeking divine protection.

Also known as Shyama Puja in Bengal, the festival falls on Kartik Amavasya, the new moon night of the Hindu lunar calendar. While many regions worship Goddess Lakshmi during Diwali, devotees in Bengal traditionally offer prayers to Goddess Kali on this auspicious night.

Kali Puja 2026: Date And Nishita Muhurat

Kali Puja is performed during the night, with Nishita Kaal considered particularly significant for worshipping the goddess. Devotees can refer to the following timings for the 2026 celebrations:

• Kali Puja Date: Sunday, November 8, 2026
• Amavasya Tithi Begins: November 8 at 11:27 AM
• Amavasya Tithi Ends: November 9 at 12:31 PM
• Nishita Puja Muhurat in Kolkata: 10:55 PM to 11:46 PM
• Nishita Puja Muhurat in Delhi: 11:39 PM to 12:31 AM on November 9

These timings are location-specific. Devotees are advised to consult their local Panchang before conducting the rituals, as auspicious periods may differ depending on the city.

Kali Puja 2026: Puja Vidhi And Rituals

The worship of Goddess Kali is traditionally conducted after sunset, particularly during the Nishita period. Preparations begin with cleaning the house and decorating the prayer space, where devotees place an idol or image of the goddess.

Red hibiscus flowers, fruits, sweets and traditional bhog are among the offerings commonly presented during the puja. Devotees light oil lamps, burn incense and recite Kali mantras while seeking the goddess's blessings.

Special rituals and aarti are performed by priests at temples and community pandals. Some devotees also observe fasts and participate in late-night prayers as part of the celebrations.

Kali Puja 2026: Significance Of Worshipping Goddess Kali

Goddess Kali is regarded as a powerful manifestation of divine Shakti, representing strength, protection and the destruction of evil. Her fierce appearance symbolises the elimination of ignorance, negativity and harmful forces.

According to Hindu beliefs, worshipping Maa Kali helps devotees seek courage, spiritual strength and protection from adversities. The festival also signifies the triumph of righteousness over evil and the transformative power of divine energy.

For devotees, Kali Puja is an opportunity to strengthen their faith, overcome fears and pray for peace and prosperity.

Kali Puja 2026: How The Festival Is Celebrated Across India

Kali Puja is celebrated on a grand scale in West Bengal, particularly in Kolkata, where neighbourhoods organise elaborate pandals featuring artistic idols of Goddess Kali. Temples and cultural organisations arrange special worship ceremonies, devotional programmes and community gatherings throughout the night.

The festival is also observed in Assam, Odisha, Tripura and Jharkhand, with regional traditions adding their own distinctive elements to the celebrations. Known as Shyama Puja in Bengal, the occasion brings families and communities together through prayers, festive decorations and traditional offerings.

A notable aspect of the festival is the difference in worship traditions across India. While Lakshmi Puja remains central to Diwali celebrations in several regions, many Bengali households and communities dedicate the new moon night to Goddess Kali.

With illuminated pandals, midnight rituals and devotional gatherings, Kali Puja remains an important expression of eastern India's religious and cultural heritage.

Kali Puja 2026: Date, Muhurat And Significance At A Glance

Kali Puja 2026 falls on November 8, coinciding with Diwali. Check the Kolkata and Delhi Nishita Muhurat, Amavasya timings, puja vidhi, traditional offerings and significance of worshipping Goddess Kali during the auspicious Kartik Amavasya night.