KALISTHAN: KALI IN A RARE VISAGE

(C) Copyright of Prabuddha Biswas

‘KALISTHAN’ AT PATNA CITY IS THE OLDEST TEMPLE OF ‘GODDESS KALI’ IN THE STATE CAPITAL

THE GODDESS IS HELD IN GREAT REVERENCE BY THE LOCAL POPULACE AND IS CALLED AS CHATURBHUJI MAHA KALI ‘KANKALI’

INTRODUCTION

Kalisthan situated near the Choti Patan Devi Temple and south of the Harmandir temple (in Hajiganj, Patna City) is one of the oldest temples of Goddess Kali in the State Capital.

THE TEMPLE BUILDING

The temple is unusual in its architecture as instead of the regular dome top temple complex, it is more like a single storey residential building with flat roof. A huge peepal tree greets one at the entrance and covers the temple like umbrella. The temple opens into a courtyard. The idol of the Goddess is installed on the western side (facing east). There is a big window in the eastern wall for the devotees to have ‘darshan’ from outside the temple.

MUGHAL RULER SHAH ALAM-II VISITED THE TEMPLE

Shah Alam II had visited the temple in 1765 AD (1188 Hijri) for a ‘darshan’ of the divine image from the window. The emperor was impressed by the then priest of the temple, Baba Basti Ram and donated ‘sanad’ of the land of Kalisthan written in Persian. The present priest Sashi Kant Mishra, is the descendent of Baba Basti Ram.

THE IMAGE OF CHATURBHUJI MAHA KALI ‘KANKALI’

The image of the Goddess is held in great reverence by the local populace and is called ‘Chaturbhuji Mahakali (Kankali)’. There is also an idol of Lord Mahadeva in the reclining posture.

The idols are kept covered with red cloth throughout the year except on special days when devotees are allowed to have a ‘darshan’. The priest of the temple, Sashi Kant Mishra said that the idol of Goddess Chaturbuj Mahakali (Kankali) is very rare; as the stomach of the Mother Goddess is missing.

The sculpture of Chaturbhuji Mahakali (Kankali) is made of touchstone. There are also smaller idols of Goddess Lakshmi and Saraswati. On the right of Mahakali stands the sculpture of ‘Jaya’ and on her left is of ‘Vijay’.

The idols are placed in a higher pedestal, along with roof and pillars, made of stone, similar to the stone pedestals of Choti Patan Devi. On the right side of Maha Kali’s idol is a small earthen mound called ‘Sidha Peeth’.

‘THE EIGHTEEN-CENTURY IDOL OR OLDER’???

The temple has a huge bell gifted by the Maharaja of Nepal in 1853. He had also presented a similar bell (but bigger in size) to ‘Padri Ki Haveli’. Though history of Kalisthan can be traced up to the middle of the 18^th century, the sculpture and the spot is older, according to its priest.

THE PRESENT STATUS

At present the temple is in the midst of a legal dispute over ownership and its day-to-day functioning. The point of dispute is whether it should be controlled by the present line of priests by virtue of inheritance or by a trust. The matter is sub-judice in the Patna City Court. The ‘Sanad’ of Shah Alam-II is also in the custody of the court, according to Mishra.

[Published in Sunday Hindustan Times, Patna, August 10, 2003]

(C) Copyright of Prabuddha Biswas