Thanthania Kalibari is a Hindu temple devoted to Goddess Kali, revered as the foremost among the ten Mahavidyas in the Tantric tradition and the supreme deity in the Kalikula sect of worship.
Recognized as one of the oldest Kali temples in Kolkata, the goddess is venerated here in the form of “Maa Siddheshwari.” Situated on Bidhan Sarani in Kolkata, West Bengal, the temple draws hundreds of devotees, especially during significant occasions such as Kali Puja, Kaushiki Amavasya, and Phalaharini Amavasya.
History:
The Thanthania Kalibari temple was originally established in 1703 by a tantric practitioner named Uday Narayan Brahmachari, on what was then a shmashana (cremation ground). The clay idol of the presiding deity, Maa Siddheshwari, was initially crafted by Brahmachari himself. Due to limited resources, the temple was first constructed with mud walls and a palm-leaf thatched roof. At the time, the area was deep within the forests of the villages Gobindapur and Sutanuti—long before the city of Calcutta came into existence. As travelers passed through the forest paths near the temple, they would hear the ringing of the temple bells, making a distinct “than-than” sound, which gave the temple its name, “Thanthania.”
In 1806, the current structure of Thanthania Kalibari was re-established by a businessman named Shankar Ghosh. As part of the temple’s revival, he also constructed the ath-chala Pushpeswar Shiv Mandir within the complex. Ghosh took personal responsibility for the daily worship of the deity, a tradition that continues to this day through his descendants, who serve as sevayets (caretakers and priests) of the temple. Notably, Shankar Ghosh’s grandson, Swami Subhodhananda, was a direct disciple of the 19th-century mystic Sri Ramakrishna.
According to local legends, Sri Ramakrishna would often stay near this temple during his visits to the Gobindapur-Sutanuti area. He was known to sing devotional songs to Maa Siddheshwari here and deliver spiritual teachings to the local people. One of his famous sayings inside the temple—“Shankarer hridoy majhe, Kali biraje” (Maa Kali resides within the heart of Shankar)—has been inscribed on the temple walls. His presence and devotion are believed to have spiritually energized the temple, further deepening its sacred significance.
Maa Siddheswari:
At Thanthania Kalibari, Maa Kali is worshipped in the form of “Maa Siddheshwari.” Depicted with a dark complexion, the goddess has four arms, each bearing a symbolic object that conveys profound spiritual meanings. In her upper left hand, she holds a khara (sword), while her lower left hand carries a narakpal (severed head), representing the destruction of ego and ignorance. Her upper right hand is raised in the aashirvad mudra, offering blessings and assurance to her devotees, and her lower right hand is positioned in the barada mudra, symbolizing the granting of boons.
Though adorned with a few pieces of gold jewelry, the deity is primarily decorated with silver ornaments, enhancing her divine and majestic presence.
Worship of deity:
Currently, the idol of Maa Siddheshwari is reconstructed annually and painted in shades of red and black. Tuesdays and Saturdays are regarded as especially auspicious for visiting the temple. The temple itself is over 300 years old, while the tradition of the idol is believed to be even older.
The temple remains open all seven days of the week. Each day, it opens at 6:00 a.m. and closes at 11:00 a.m., reopening at 3:00 p.m. and remaining accessible to devotees until 8:00 p.m. As a Tantric temple, all rituals are conducted according to Tantric traditions. Animal sacrifice, a significant aspect of these rites, is still practiced during every new moon night (Amavasya) and on the occasion of Kali Puja.
On different Amavasyas throughout the year, the goddess is worshipped in various forms. During the month of Jaishtha, she is honored as “Phalaharini” during Phalaharini Puja. In the month of Kartika, she takes the form of “Aadikali” in the Aadikali Puja, and in the month of Magha, she is venerated as “Ratanti Kali” during Ratanti Kali Puja. On Kali Puja day, observed during Kartik Amavasya and Krishnapaksha tithi, the goddess is worshipped in her form as “Siddheswari.” While devotees flock to the temple year-round, Kali Puja sees the largest gatherings.
Prasad:
Thanthania Kalibari is one of the few Kali temples in India, where non-veg prasad is offered to the deity. Although non-veg prasad is offered for the whole year, veg prasad is offered on the days “Dipannwita Amavasya Kali Puja” and “Phalaharini Amavasya Kali Puja”.
The ritual of providing non-veg prasad started by Ramakrishna Paramahansa. He gave puja to Maa Siddheswari with the offerings of “dab-chingri”, praying for the quick recovery of Brahmananda Keshav Chandra Sen. That day onwards, the ritual of offering non-veg as prasad has been followed. When Ramakrishnadev fell sick while his stay at Shyamapukur, his followers prayed at the temple to Maa Siddheswari for his quick recovery, while serving non-veg prasad to the deity.
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