The Kalighat story: Enduring legacy and an artist’s touch

Kalighat is a shrine steeped in centuries of devotion, and many believe the name Kolkata evolved from Kalikshetra, the sacred land of goddess Kali. The Greek geographer Claudius Ptolemy also mentioned a place called Kaligram in his work Geographia (c.

150 CE). Stories from medieval Bengali texts such as Manasamangal Kabya recount how the merchant Chand Saudagar and his son Shrimanta, travelling on a saptadinga along the Adi Ganga, stopped to pray at a Kali shrine believed to have stood at Kalighat. When it comes to the idol made of Koshtipathor, gold and silver, it is said to have been made and established by the ascetics Brahmananda Giri and Atmaram Brahmachari, with later patronage from the Sabarna Roy Chowdhurys and the Halders, who owned the temple land.

Located in a bustling commercial neighbourhood, Kalighat remains one of the most revered Shakti Peeths, where the toes of Sati’s right foot are believed to have fallen, drawing thousands of devotees daily.A temple shaped by patronageThe present structure of the temple was built in 1809 under the patronage of the Sabarna Roy Chowdhurys. Under continued patronage, the complex expanded over time. In 1835 Kashinath Ray built the natmandir, while in 1843 members of the Bawali Rajbari constructed the Shyam-Rai temple near the main shrine.

A notable feature is the tiles lining the walls of the main temple, in the Art Nouveau style. Terracotta appears only under the eaves.

“The motifs – birds, flowers and hanging tiles, all represent Bengali terracotta,” says Tamal Bhattacharya, a ceramic exponent involved in research and design development during the temple’s restoration, alongside conservation architect Kalyan Chakraborty. “Having found no prior mention of terracotta work at the temple, we discovered the pieces only during renovation, and old photographs confirmed they predated the Art Nouveau tiles.” Above the sanctum ceiling, a fresco emerged during restoration, hidden behind layers of soot and dust. “There are motifs of leaves, hibiscus, lotuses and peacocks,” Tamal says. “The peacock suggests Rajasthani influence, as it is unusual in Bengali temple imagery. The fresco rises above the Goddess’s head from the first chala of the sanctum, about 25–30 feet high, and is now visible from inside”

The art of reviving a shrineTamal still remembers his first visit to the temple for this purpose.

“Architect Rajesh Shukla and Kalyan da were present. When I first saw the designs, I was amazed.” The Art Nouveau tile replicas were designed at Tamal’s Studio Calyx, Baruipur, while production took place in Gujarat. “The terracotta design development for the first chala also happened here, with pieces for the upper chala produced in Bankura using the same mould, as it was impossible to produce everything locally within such a short time.

My only condition was that the pieces had to be fired at 1,000°C,” he says. The entire tile and terracotta restoration was completed by March 2024. Broken elements were replaced with tiles casts, achieving about 80–90% fidelity to the originals. “I’m grateful to my team members Sanjay, Abhijit, Ankush, Jayanta & Lalit for their assistance,” he adds.Why we love itRare blend of terracotta eaves, Art Nouveau tiles and a fresco in one temple complexTerracotta eave motifs of birds, flowers and hanging tiles in the Bengali traditionDespite centuries of change and restoration challenges, Kalighat remains a vibrant centre of faith, art and culture