The origin of the puja dates back to nearly 400 years ago when Pritichand, a zamindar from Purnia district in Bihar, initiated the worship of Kali Maa to ensure the happiness and well-being of his people. The zamindar’s efforts to establish the worship led to the establishment of a strong religious following in the region, which persists to this day. Over time, the tradition passed down through the family, even after the decline of the zamindari system, with Lalkeshwar Singh, a respected local judge, taking charge of the puja following Pritichand’s death.
Lalkeshwar’s leadership ensured the continuation of the worship practices, which were later handed down to his son-in-law, Kathulal Singh. After Kathulal’s passing, Sushil Singh, his son, took over the puja and continued the family tradition for 51 years until his death three years ago. Today, the responsibility of conducting the puja rests on the shoulders of Sushil’s three sons—Devashish Singh, Palash Singh, and Ashutosh Singh—who continue to carry forward the ritual with great devotion.
The annual celebration begins the day after Diwali and continues through the night with a cultural program and Sandhya Puja, which culminates with the immersion of the idol on the following evening. According to Ashutosh Singh, the construction of the idol begins the day after Mahalaya, and it is completed by Diwali. On the night of Diwali, a grand cultural program is held at Dumradangi village to honor Kali Maa, and devotees flock from early morning to Jujharpur, where the puja is conducted with utmost reverence.
The event sees an overwhelming turnout of people, with over a lakh of devotees arriving from various districts in Bengal and Bihar, including Uttar Dinajpur, Siliguri, Balurghat, Cooch Behar, Malda, Kolkata, and Bihar. The worship is not only a religious occasion but also a deeply spiritual experience for the people, as it is believed that the Goddess fulfills the wishes of the devotees who earnestly pray for her blessings.
The puja’s significance is heightened by the fact that it is a family tradition that has been maintained and nurtured across multiple generations, further solidifying the deep-rooted cultural importance of this sacred event in the lives of the people. The Singh family’s unwavering commitment to keeping the rituals alive, despite the passing of generations, ensures that this ancient tradition continues to flourish, allowing future generations to experience the same devotion that has been passed down through centuries.
As the puja draws to a close, the culmination of the worship is marked by the immersion of the Goddess in the evening, in accordance with the traditional route, signaling the end of the grand festival for another year.