Kali Puja and Snan Yatra
काली पूजा और स्नान यात्रा
Page 6 of 7. Checked 17 October
Kalighat is at its busiest on festival days. This page covers Kali Puja and Snan Yatra and how to plan around them. The temple has published no schedule that we could find, so we report what recent sources say.
This is page 6 of our Kalighat series. Start with the Kalighat Kali Temple complete guide if you are new here.
Quick answer: Kali Puja falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026, per VedPanchang and a 1 October 2026 post. Snan Yatra is held on the full moon of Jyeshtha, in May or June. A guide updated on 30 August 2026 says Kali Puja waits run 2 to 3 hours. We found no temple schedule.
Last verified: 17 October 2026. Timings, rules and facilities can change. Please confirm with the temple priests before you travel.
| Kali Puja | Sunday, 8 November 2026. The worship is around midnight |
| Snan Yatra | Full moon of Jyeshtha (May to June). A closed ritual |
| Crowd | Waits of 2 to 3 hours on Kali Puja, even early (IndiaEsque) |
| Days to avoid | Tuesdays, Saturdays and Amavasya, per IndiaEsque |
| Check first | A Kolkata panchang, local news and the temple priests |
Kali Puja
काली पूजा
Kali Puja is held on the new moon night of the month of Kartik, close to Diwali. VedPanchang gives Sunday, 8 November 2026. HappyFares says the main worship happens around midnight and that it can fall late on 8 November or early on 9 November. Tithi and muhurat times depend on the place, so check a Kolkata panchang. We did not find Kolkata times we could verify.
IndiaEsque says waits can be 2 to 3 hours, even early in the morning. We found no temple notice about special darshan hours, so ask on the day.
A short clip from Kali Puja 2024 at Kalighat, posted by a channel named "Kalighat Kali Temple - Shebait". We could not confirm who runs the channel, so treat it as unverified.
Snan Yatra
स्नान यात्रा
Kali Bhakti, citing a scholar's account, says the svayambhu image is washed in a closed ritual on the full moon of Jyeshtha. Four Haldar shebaits attend, blindfolded, and devotees seek cloth from the old wrapping. Wikipedia ties the festival to a dip in the Kundupukur tank.
Because the main ritual is closed, ordinary devotees do not see it. Plan your own darshan around it and ask about the day's timings. The Kali Bhakti site is undated, so treat these details as the writer's account.
Other Festival Days
अन्य उत्सव
Wikipedia lists Kali Puja, the Bengali New Year (Poila Baisakh), Durga Puja and Amavasya days as drawing large crowds. Our post on Navratri covers the nine days. We found no Kalighat-specific schedule for these days.
Plan Your Festival Visit
यात्रा की योजना
- Check local news and ask the priests a few days before.
- Book your room early, because festival days fill Kolkata.
- Go very early, or accept a long wait. Carry water and a small snack.
- Dress modestly and leave valuables at your stay.
- Do not pay a stranger for a quick line. See Page 3.
Our timings and rules are on Page 3, and travel details are on Page 4.
Tips for Seniors and Families
बुज़ुर्गों और परिवार के लिए
- Skip festival nights if a senior is unwell. The crowd and lanes are tiring.
- Agree on a meeting point in case you get separated.
- Keep children close and hold their hands in the lanes.
Beware
सावधान
- Touts who sell festival darshan or puja at high prices.
- Booking links for a festival puja. We could not confirm an official booking site.
- Pickpockets in crowded lanes. Keep bags in front.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers
When is Kali Puja in 2026?
What is Snan Yatra?
When is Snan Yatra?
How long is the wait on Kali Puja?
Which days should I avoid?
Can I watch the festival online?
Is the temple open at night on Kali Puja?
Previous: Places to Visit Nearby | Next: Fact Check, True or False | Hub: Kalighat Kali Temple complete guide
Kalighat Kali Temple - Complete Guide (7 pages)
Plan your Kolkata trip
Affiliate links: booking through these links supports Dekho Dham at no extra cost to you. They open general search pages, so enter your own city and dates. Never pay anyone for a "darshan booking" through these or any other site.
Sources and further reading
- We found no official website for the temple, so nothing below is an official temple notice. The Incredible India page is the Ministry of Tourism's own listing.
- IndiaEsque: Kalighat Temple guide, updated 30 August 2026 (third party)
- Kali Bhakti: Kalighat Kali Mandir, by William Clark (third party, undated; used for history only)
- Wikipedia: Kalighat Temple (third party)
- VedPanchang: Kali Puja 2026 date (third party panchang)
- HappyFares: Kali Puja 2026 in Kolkata, posted 1 October 2026 (third party)
Have a question, or spotted something we should verify? Ask in the comments and we will check it against reliable sources and correct the post. See how we source information.
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