Festive Spirit in Puri District During Kali Puja
During Kali Puja, Puri district comes alive with vibrant celebrations. India holds a special place for Kali worship, and three prominent shrines in Puri are widely revered for their devotion to the goddess. These are the Dakshina Kali of Biragobindapur, Maa Ugratara Kali of Samajapur, and Maa Kamarupa Kali of Bir Pratappur.
According to historical beliefs, nearly 900 years ago, a Tantric practitioner named Nitei Dhobani used to stay spiritually awakened to protect the holy land of Shreekhetra (Puri) from external demonic forces. It is said that while bathing in a pond near Bir Pratappur, she had a divine vision — she saw that Goddess Kamakhya had come all the way from her sacred seat in Assam to visit Lord Jagannath and had taken shelter under a karamanga (carambola) tree.
Realizing this, Nitei Dhobani humbly requested the goddess to remain there, and from then on, she began to be worshipped at that very spot as Maa Kamarupa Kali.
Over time, Bengali spiritual practitioners learned of the goddess’s presence and came to worship her. As their numbers grew, they gradually spread to nearby villages like Samajapur and Biragobindapur, continuing the traditions of Kali worship.
