UpdateBot at 13:54, 5 November 2021

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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Coord|28|32|12|N|77|14|51|E|display=title}}
{{Infobox temple
| name = Chittaranjan Park Kali Mandir
| image =
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| coordinates =
| country = India
| state = [[New Delhi]]
| district = [[Chittaranjan Park]]
| location =Chittaranjan Park
| elevation_m =
| deity = Lord ([[Shiva]])
| year_completed =
| architecture =
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}}

[[File:I1377 shivmandir crp-g2.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Chittaranjan Park Kali Mandir at sunrise. The entrance to the main kali temple can be seen at center. The Bengali-majority colony of [[Chittaranjan Park]] in the background.]]
'''Chittaranjan Park Kali Mandir''' (Chittaranjan Park Kali Bari) is a temple complex and [[Bengali people|Bengali]] community cultural center in [[Chittaranjan Park]] in [[New Delhi]], India. Built on a small hill, it started as a Shiv temple in 1973, which still stands within the complex, the larger shrines dedicated to goddess [[Kali]], [[Shiva]], and [[Radhakrishna]] were added in 1984. Over the years it has remained an important centre of convergence of local [[Bengali people|Bengali]] community during annual [[Durga Puja]] festivities.<ref>{{cite news |title=City pandals step up security ahead of Puja |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/city-pandals-step-up-security-ahead-of-puja/369841/ |newspaper=Indian Express |date=6 October 2008 }}</ref>

The temple also hosted its first Durga Puja in 1977, a tradition that continues to date.<ref>{{cite news |title=How community pujas came about|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/How+community+pujas+came+about/1/63510.html |publisher=[[India Today]] |date=25 September 2009}}</ref>

==History==
It was founded in 1973, on land designated by the nascent EPDP colony, and a small temple to [[Shiva]] was consecrated on small hill at the edge of the colony. The tradition of [[Durga Puja]] started in 1977. Expansion of the devotee base enabled the construction of an imposing [[Kali]] temple in February 1984 in [[Bengali architecture#West Bengal terra cotta temple architecture|Bengal terracotta temple architecture]]. This was followed by two temples, one for [[Shiva]] and the other for [[Radha]]-[[Krishna]]. The temples was overlaid with elaborate terracotta designs around 2006–2009.

The Kali Mandir is a hub of Bengali activity owing to the high density of Bengalis residing in [[Chittaranjan Park]]. Managed by the ''Chittaranjan Park Kali Mandir Society'', it organizes a number of cultural and religious events throughout the year.

==Pujas and Festivals==
Religious functions include the major five-day festival of [[Durga Puja]], which is one of the most popular in Delhi<ref>{{cite web|author=A walk with the Goddess |url=http://www.dailypioneer.com/vivacity/10248-a-walk-with-the-goddess.html |title=A walk with the Goddess |publisher=[[The Pioneer (Indian newspaper)|The Pioneer]]|date=2011-10-01 |accessdate=2011-10-07}}</ref> and attracts enormous crowds every day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://durgotsav98.tripod.com/kalimandir_crpark.htm |title=Durgotsav '98: Kali Mandir, Chittaranjan Park, New Delhi |publisher=Durgotsav98.tripod.com |date= |accessdate=2011-10-07}}</ref> The rituals are observed with great fidelity; barrels of bengal-specific flowers are flown in fresh for the puja every day. For procuring sufficient quantities of blue lotus, needed for ''sandhi puja'', entire ponds from Bengal are booked well in advance.<ref name=it>{{cite web|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/Slowdown+fails+to+dampen+puja+spirits/1/63529.html |title=Slowdown fails to dampen puja spirits : What's Hot: News India Today |publisher=[[India Today]] |date=2009-09-25 |accessdate=2011-10-07}}</ref> Other religious functions at the Mandir include Kali Puja, Lakshmi Puja, [[Saraswati Puja]], [[Ganesh Chaturthi]] etc. The mandir attracts a large volume of donations from devotees, particularly during the Durga Puja period.<ref name=it/> There is also a small atelier where artists create the earthen idols of durga and other goddesses.<ref>{{cite web |author=Alokparna Das |url=http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Divine-image/369468/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130122165753/http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Divine-image/369468/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-01-22 |title=Divine image |newspaper=[[Indian Express]] |date=2008-10-05 |accessdate=2011-10-07 }}</ref>

The Mandir also houses a large library with books on various aspects of Bengali culture and runs [[bengali language]] classes for those wishing to learn bangla. A number of cultural programmes and competitions are organized for children. The mandir also manages a guest house.

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="150">
Image:Crpark5.jpg|Kali mandir facade, from the main access direction, with Shiva (left) and Radhakrishna (right) temples. The temples themselves open on the other side.
Image:Kali-CR-Park.jpg|[[Kali]] idol at the mandir
Image:durga puja immersion i5650 CRPk-kalimandir-ThAkur-being-lifted-onto-truck.jpg|[[Durga Puja]] at Chittaranjan Park Kali Mandir (2004): the large durga idol is physically lifted onto a truck while devotees offer their tearful goodbyes.
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://kalimandircrpark.org/ Official CR Park Kali Mandir Society Website]
* [http://wikimapia.org/130522/CR-Park-Kali-Bari Chittaranjan Park Kali Bari] at [[wikimapia]]

{{Hindu temples in Delhi}}

[[Category:Hindu temples in Delhi]]
[[Category:Bengali culture]]
[[Category:Kali temples]]
[[Category:South Delhi district]]
[[Category:1973 establishments in Delhi]]
[[Category:Durga temples]]

Chittaranjan Park Kali Mandir - Revision history

UpdateBot at 13:54, 5 November 2021