Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered prayers at Kolkata’s Thanthania Kalibari on April 26, a 300-year-old temple known for its rare tradition of offering non-vegetarian prasad, before heading for a roadshow in the city. The visit comes amid a political debate over food culture in the state.
The stop brought focus to one of Kolkata’s oldest shrines, where Maa Kali is worshipped as Maa Siddheshwari and long-standing rituals continue to draw devotees.
Thanthania Kalibari is among the few temples in India where non-vegetarian prasad is offered to the deity.
The practice traces back to Ramakrishna Paramahansa, who once offered ‘dab-chingri’ to Maa Siddheshwari while praying for the recovery of Brahmananda Keshav Chandra Sen.
Since then, the ritual has continued. Devotees followed the same practice when Ramakrishna fell ill during his stay at Shyamapukur, offering non-veg prasad while praying for his recovery.
A TEMPLE OLDER THAN THE CITY
Established in 1703, the temple predates the formal development of Kolkata. The presiding deity is considered ‘Jagrat’, believed to be ever-awake and responsive to devotees’ prayers.
The shrine continues to attract large numbers of devotees and remains deeply rooted in the city’s spiritual identity.
LINK TO RAMAKRISHNA PARAMAHANSA
The temple shares a strong association with Ramakrishna Paramahansa, who is believed to have frequently visited and sung devotional hymns here.
An inscription inside the temple reads: “Shankarer hridoy majhe, Kali biraje” – meaning Maa Kali resides within the heart of Shankar.
POLITICAL DEBATE OVER FOOD
The visit comes amid ongoing political exchanges in West Bengal over non-vegetarian food habits.
Leaders of the Trinamool Congress, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, have claimed that the BJP may interfere with the state’s food culture if voted to power. They have pointed to restrictions on the sale of fish and meat in some NDA-ruled states such as Bihar and Gujarat during certain festivals.
Banerjee has said such measures show a lack of understanding of Bengal’s cultural identity.
The BJP has however, rejected the allegations. State president Samik Bhattacharya and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar said there is no plan to ban non-vegetarian food and that people’s food choices will be respected.
BJP leader Temjen Imna Along also weighed in, sharing a video of himself eating meat dishes and writing, “Mamata Didi, I am in the BJP and a non-vegetarian by hobby.”
Union Minister Anurag Thakur, along with other BJP leaders, was also seen eating fish and rice on the last day of campaigning for the first phase of the Assembly elections, in what was seen as a counter to the claims.
VISIT BEFORE ROADSHOW
Modi’s visit came ahead of his roadshow in North Kolkata, adding a religious dimension to his outreach in the poll-bound state.
The stop at Thanthania Kalibari placed the spotlight on Kolkata’s enduring spiritual traditions even as the political campaign gathered pace.
