Shyama Puja, popularly known as Kali Puja, is being celebrated across West Bengal and several other parts of India on Sunday with religious devotion and traditional rituals. The festival coincides with Diwali and is observed on the new moon day of the Hindu lunar month of Kartik.
Dedicated to Goddess Kali, the festival holds particular religious and cultural significance in West Bengal. Devotees worship the goddess at temples, community pandals and household shrines, offering prayers and performing traditional rituals. Night-time worship, particularly during the Nishita Kaal, or midnight period, is an important feature of the observance.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
Shyama Puja, also known as Kali Puja, is being celebrated on November 8, 2026.
The festival coincides with Diwali.
It is observed on Kartik Amavasya.
Dakshineswar, Kalighat and Tarapith are among West Bengal's prominent religious centres.
Night-time worship is an important part of the celebrations.
Among the prominent religious centres associated with Goddess Kali in West Bengal are the Dakshineswar Bhavatarini Temple and the historic Kalighat Kali Temple in Kolkata. Dakshineswar is closely associated with the spiritual legacy of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa, while Kalighat is regarded as an important Shakti Peetha. Tarapith in Birbhum district is another major pilgrimage centre associated with the worship of Goddess Tara.
Kali Puja reflects Bengal's longstanding religious traditions and devotion to the divine feminine. While Diwali is widely associated with the worship of Goddess Lakshmi in many parts of India, the worship of Goddess Kali on this occasion is a major religious tradition in West Bengal.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
Shyama Puja is an important religious and cultural observance in West Bengal. The festival reflects the region's distinctive traditions, spiritual heritage and devotion to Goddess Kali.
