About Kali Puja
Kali Puja is the worship of Goddess Kali, the fierce yet deeply loving form of the Divine Mother who destroys negativity and protects her devotees. It is celebrated in West Bengal, Assam, Odisha and Tripura on the Amavasya night of the Diwali season, while much of North India worships Goddess Lakshmi. Because Kali Puja is performed at midnight and needs Amavasya to be present at that hour, it can sometimes fall on a different day from Lakshmi Puja elsewhere. In Bengal the festival is also called Deepanwita, and homes are lit with lamps and candles.
The puja is held late at night, with offerings of red hibiscus flowers, sweets and lamps, and devotees often stay awake through the night with prayers and devotional songs. Community pujas set up images of the Goddess much like Durga Puja pandals, and famous temples such as Dakshineswar and Kalighat in Kolkata and Tarapith in Birbhum draw large crowds. The night before is Bhoot Chaturdashi, when families light fourteen lamps around the home and eat fourteen kinds of leafy greens, remembering fourteen generations of ancestors.
How it is observed
- Lighting fourteen lamps and eating fourteen greens on Bhoot Chaturdashi
- Decorating the home with lamps and candles for Deepanwita
- Offering red hibiscus flowers and sweets to the Goddess
- Attending the midnight puja at home, a temple or a community pandal
- Visiting Dakshineswar, Kalighat or Tarapith, for some devotees
Kali Puja dates in past and coming years
| Year | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Thursday, 31 October 2024 | Past |
| 2025 | Monday, 20 October 2025 | Past |
| 2026 | Sunday, 8 November 2026 | Next |
| 2027 | Thursday, 28 October 2027 | Upcoming |
| 2028 | Tuesday, 17 October 2028 | Upcoming |
| 2029 | Monday, 5 November 2029 | Upcoming |
| 2030 | Saturday, 26 October 2030 | Upcoming |
Dates are calculated from the Panchang for New Delhi. Some regions may observe a day earlier or later.
Across India
Celebrated widely in: West Bengal Assam Odisha
The same season is marked in many ways. Where a region keeps the festival on a different day, its calculated date is shown.
West Bengal
Kali Puja, Shyama Puja
Kali is worshipped through the night of Amavasya at Kalighat, Dakshineswar, Tarapith and countless pandals, with lamps and fireworks.
West Bengal
Bhoot Chaturdashi
The night before, Bengalis light 14 lamps and eat 14 kinds of greens to keep away evil and honour ancestors.
Tripura
Diwali Mela
The Tripura Sundari temple in Udaipur holds a large fair, and Kali Puja is celebrated across the state.
Assam
Kali Puja
Assam celebrates Kali Puja with pandals and lights, along with Diwali lamps in homes.
North and West India
Diwali Lakshmi Puja
Most of India worships Lakshmi and Ganesha on the evening of Amavasya. Kali Puja is set by midnight, so the two can occasionally fall on different days.
Date: Sunday, 8 November 2026
Kali Puja follows the Amavasya at midnight, so its day can differ from Lakshmi Puja observed in other regions.
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