THE KALIGHAT TEMPLE

The old Zamindar of Calcutta further claim, that it was the Hat and Bazaar round their idols and their pucca zamindari Cutcherry west of the tank, that gave Calcutta its original importance and gave rise to the names of Hattola, latterly corrupted into Hatkhola and Burrabazar (Bura being familiar name of Siva) and it were the doles near Kali's temple that attracted a large population and contributed to the reclamation and cultivation of marsh and jungle and that their culverts, landing ghat and roads with a shady avenue of trees on both sides formed the only adornment of Rural Calcutta in its early days."6

The Sabarna Roy Choudhurys by their deep religiosity and liberal charities running through several generations
indirectly gave the shape to Calcutta through the celebrated Kalighat temple. No Hindu paying his first visit to Calcutta ever misses visiting the Kalighat temple. It is the Holy Mother at Kalighat that has spread the cult of Shaktaism throughout Northern India. There is a proverb "Jekhane  Ba Sekhane Kalibari" (Wherever there are
Bengalis, Sekhane Kalibari). The sponsors of the Kali inandirs (temp, at Delhi, Simla, Jaipur and various other places indifferent, parts of India have drawn their inspiration from the Kalighat temple of the Holy Mother.

6 Brahman Itihash in Bengali by Harilal Chattopadhyaya. This very old book is available in National Library, Calcutta. Mr. A. & Roy's Calcutta Census Report.

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