Kali Maa Temple in Kolkata Serves Momos & Noodles as Prasad: Know More

India is a nation where different religions, ethnicities and diverse groups co-exist peacefully, sometimes even leading to the mingling of different cultures. One of these mixtures is the Kali Temple in Kolkata that serves noodles and momos as prasad.

Prasad or Bhog is very significant during puja, as it symbolizes the act of sharing, devotion and gratitude. When one thinks of prasad, usually sweets, fruits or khichdi comes to mind, and Kali Maa’s prasad might includer ice dishes, deep-fried items, Luchi or sweets like rasagulla and Sandesh. Non-vegetarian offerings, such as fish or meat, are also served to the goddess by some communities. But momos and noodles are not your typical prasad dishes.

Located on Matheswartala Road in the Tangra region, a Chinese Kali Temple is a special place that blends two cultures together. The temple has statues of Goddess Kali and Lord Shiva, and the locals gather to perform traditional puja, twice every day, like all the other Kali temples across Bengal. But unlike the other temples, this one offer Momos and noodles as prasad.

According to the locals, the temples origins lie years ago when a Chinese young boy became gravely ill, and there was hope for recovery. So, his parents took him to where two black stones lay beneath a tree, that was worshipped by locals as Maa Kali. The boy miraculously recovered and his parents decided to build a temple at the same spot. Members of the Chinese community came together to raise money for the project, making it a community endeavour. The end product was a temple that unites two different cultures and serves as a symbol of cultural unity.

Eventually, noodles, a staple of Chinese cooking, were included in the temple's prasad. The practice of serving special foods to deities was one of the customs brought to Kolkata by the large number of Chinese refugees who came there during the Chinese Civil War. They then began serving Maa Kali noodles, which eventually became into a regular prasad. Devotees now regard noodles, momos, and other Chinese foods to be supernatural blessings from Maa Kali, and they accept them as prasad.

Tangra, also known as Kolkata's Chinatown, got their name from the arrival of Chinese immigrants there a few decades ago. These migrants, who were originally from Guangdong province, established many tanning plants in Tangra and were mostly involved in the leather tanning sector. Chinese restaurants emerged as a result of the community's shifting focus as the leather sector faced difficulties and regulations over time.

Tangra's reputation as a culinary hub began with this shift, which brought Indo-Chinese food to the city. Today, the neighbourhood is filled with family-owned restaurants serving dishes like fried rice, chili chicken, and Hakka noodles. Tangra is a must-visit location for foodies in Kolkata because of its unique fusion of cultures, which is evident in its cuisine.

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