Bengali communities prepare for Kali Puja celebrations

Bengali communities in West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, and Hyderabad are preparing to celebrate Kali Puja on November 8, coinciding with Diwali. The festival involves midnight worship of Goddess Kali and is marked by specific cultural rituals and traditional foods.

In Hyderabad, various associations such as Bangiya Sanskritik Sangha, Uttarayan, and Prabashi Socio-Cultural Association have organized celebrations across neighborhoods including Secunderabad, Ameerpet, and Nizampet. Some community groups, such as Krishti Goshti, are planning simpler observances following recent Durga Puja festivities.

Traditional Bengali cuisine plays a central role in the celebrations through the preparation of bhog, or sacred offerings. Common dishes include khichuri made with Gobindobhog rice and moong dal, labra (a mixed vegetable dish), and chhanar payesh (a milk-based pudding). In some traditions, niramish pathar mangsho, a mutton curry prepared without onion or garlic, is also offered.