Kali Mata Mandir, Patiala

One of the consecrated place of worship for the Hindus, the Kali Devi Temple in the city of Patiala in the Indian state of Punjab, is devoted to the Hindu goddess Durga—an incarnation of Kali Mata (Mother Kali). Located on the Mall Road of this city, the magnificent temple lies just in front of the Baradari Garden next to the Rajendra Tank. The temple was built by the late Maharaja Bhupinder Singh in 1936.

The maharaja brought the six-foot idol of Kali Devi and the “pawan jyoti” (sacred flame) from the East Indian city of Calcutta. The temple is an architectural wonder from the great days gone by when the city was ruled by the great Patiala maharajas who were great promoters of art and culture.The Hindu temple draws many devotees from places across India , who visit the temple to seek divine blessings for eternal happiness from the great goddess Durga. Visitors to the temple can witness traditional rituals and customs of the Hindu society that have been passed down the ages to the modern day India. It may be of great interest to Hindu visitors that one can still observe traditional rituals being performed at this temple, which are slowly fading away with gradual westernization of the Indian society. The temple inspires the devotees to rigorously adhere to all the great age old customs of Hinduism. The sacred sanctorum of the Kali Devi Temple bears witness to the rich Hindu architecture and art of the ancient times. The walls of the temple have beautiful sceneries and mural paintings from the great Hindu epics and mythology that add to its beauty; so much so that it has been declared a national monument. The attractive and colorful paintings on the walls draw devotees from far off places that throng the holy shrine in search of eternal happiness. Interestingly, an older temple to a Hindu deity Raj Rajeshwari also stands in the middle of the temple complex.