Night Worship of Goddess Kali: A Deep Dive into Nishaa Puja on Maha Saptami
Nishaa Puja, celebrated on Maha Saptami, honors Goddess Kali, believed to dispel negativity and grant blessings.
New Delhi, October 17 (Daily Kiran) : The seventh day of the Sharadiya Navratri festival is marked by the worship of Goddess Kali, known as Maa Kalratri, across India. On this day, Nishaa Puja holds significant importance as devotees seek the blessings of the goddess. According to religious beliefs, this particular time of night is believed to amplify divine energy and the power of the goddess.
During Nishaa Puja, devotees engage in rituals to honor Maa Kalratri, hoping to receive her blessings. In tantric traditions, specific practices and worship are performed at this time to please her fierce and powerful form. The term “Kal” signifies time and death, while “Ratri” means darkness. This worship aims to eliminate deep ignorance, fear, and negative energies from life. Maa Kalratri is known for vanquishing demons like Raktabija and Chanda-Munda, and her worship is said to remove obstacles and enemies.
Religious customs suggest that performing Nishaa Puja during the midnight stillness, known as Nishith Kaal, leads devotees towards mental stability, courage, and the awakening of the Sahasrara Chakra. Maa Kalratri is depicted as a fierce figure riding a donkey, with disheveled hair and a protruding tongue, yet she is revered as “Shubhankari,” bestowing auspicious results to her devotees.
Nishaa Puja takes place for approximately four hours during the night of Maha Saptami. Offerings of flowers that bloom at night, jaggery, or jaggery-based sweets are presented to the goddess, along with adornments. In tantric rituals, symbolic sacrifices are made, typically involving items like pumpkin, coconut, or other traditional offerings. The purpose of these sacrifices is to offer negativity to the goddess. Devotees chant her seed mantra, “Om Aim Hreem Kleem Kalratryai Namah,” during the rituals.
Nishaa Puja is observed in numerous temples dedicated to the goddess across the country. Notable locations include the Kali Bari temples in West Bengal, the Tripura Sundari Temple in Udaipur, Bihar’s Thave Bhawani Temple in Gopalganj, the Mangala Gauri Temple in Gaya, the Shila Mata Temple in Amer Fort, and various other revered sites such as the Kamakhya Temple in Assam and Tarapith.
