Suvendu Adhikari visited Kalighat Temple to offer prayers on Kaushiki Amavasya. He highlighted the festival's importance in Sanatan culture, spoke of Kolkata's spiritual significance, and partook in the traditional bhog of pulao and fish.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari offered prayers to Maa Kali at the Kalighat Temple on the sacred occasion of Kaushiki Amavasya and partook of the traditional bhog of pulao and fish as per the temple's customs.
Adhikari on Festival's Significance
Speaking to reporters after offering prayers on Thursday, Adhikari described Kaushiki Amavasya as a significant occasion in Sanatan culture and said that the festival was being observed with devotion at major temples across the state, including Kalighat and Tarapith. "Today is Kaushiki Amavasya. Today is a very big day in our Sanatan culture, a major worship (Mahapuja). Whether it is Kalighat here or Tarapith there, it is happening simultaneously. State-level worship is being held in Tarapith. Here in Kalighat, all our lighting has been set up; it is an atmosphere of celebration throughout," he said.
On the sacred occasion of Kaushiki Amavasya, Chief Minister Shri @SuvenduWB offered prayers to Maa Kali at Kalighat and, following the temple’s traditional customs, partook of the sacred bhog of pulao and fish. pic.twitter.com/CRWHKzW3gZ — BJP West Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) September 10, 2026
'This is a spiritual land'
Adhikari said Kolkata holds a special spiritual significance, recalling its association with Maa Kali, Maa Durga, Ramakrishna Paramahansa, Maa Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda and Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. "This is a spiritual land. It is the land of Ma Kali, the land of Ma Durga, the land of Thakur Ramakrishna Dev, the land of Ma Sarada Devi, the land of Swami Vivekananda, and the land of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu," he said.
He said he visited Kalighat on the festival to seek the blessings of the deity and recalled seeking Maa Kali's blessings when his name was declared in Bhawanipur. "Here on this grand festival of faith, Kaushiki Amavasya, I came today and offered prayers. When my name was declared in Bhawanipur, I first sought the blessings of the Mother (Ma). Mother had given me a lotus, and that same lotus bloomed across all of Bhawanipur," Adhikari said.
He prayed for the welfare and happiness of the people and expressed his commitment to carrying out the responsibilities entrusted to him. "May Mother keep everyone well. May I fulfill the responsibility Mother has given me with dedication and purity," he said.
Devotees at Tarapith
Meanwhile, devotees thronged the Tarapith Temple in Birbhum district to mark Kaushiki Amavasya, with elaborate worship and religious rituals being conducted on the occasion.
The observance comes days after Bageshwar Dham chief Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, during his visit to West Bengal for a three-day Hanumant Katha in Howrah's Liluah, appealed to Bengali Hindus to observe Navratri with devotion and sincerity. (ANI)
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