Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered prayers to Goddess Durga on Tuesday, November 30, at Chittaranjan Park Kali Mandir in South Delhi. It was around the ‘sandhikaal’, the transition between Ashtami and Navami.
He performed rituals at the Kali shrine and took part in the evening ‘aarti’, accompanied by the rhythmic beats of the ‘dhak’ and the jingling of bells.
Kali and Durga are revered as two manifestations of Shakti.
Experts note that sandhikaal is associated with the time when Devi Chamunda appeared to vanquish demons Chanda and Munda.
It is also connected to Lord Ram, invoking the goddess during his battle with Ravan.
Locals of Chittaranjan Park said they could not recall a previous instance when a sitting Prime Minister had attended Durga Puja celebrations in their neighbourhood.
The moment wasn’t random; PM Modi’s visit arrived at a sensitive time and in a meaningful place.
Historic Visit During Ashtami
Analysts tied it to Bengal’s upcoming elections, where the BJP is already under pressure for allegedly mistreating Bengali-speaking locals by branding them as illegal migrants.
Chittaranjan Park was set up 60 years ago for people coming from East Pakistan. Later, it was named after freedom fighter Chittaranjan Das.
Its Kali Mandir, first built in 1973 as a Shiva temple, was enlarged in 1984 with shrines for Kali, Radha, and Krishna. Since 1977, the temple has hosted Durga Puja every year.
The neighbourhood buzzed with excitement as residents reflected on the rarity of the moment.
“In my 31 years here, I’ve never seen this happen,” said Gautam Hore. Journalist Saumya Bandopadhyay, too, could only remember past presidents stepping into temples many years ago.
Security measures were extensive. The area around Kali Mandir was monitored for nearly two weeks.
Residents were asked to remove vehicles from key streets, and street vendors were temporarily restricted.
The Special Protection Group inspected the locality ahead of the visit.
Residents got WhatsApp pings about a ‘VVIP movement’ on Ashtami, and soon schools stepped in, offering parking to offset the security hassle.
Prime Minister Modi’s participation at Chittaranjan Park during Durga Puja symbolised both cultural reverence and political visibility. This marked a historic occasion for Delhi’s Bengali Community.
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