Mythology has it that Ma Kali is an avtaar of Parvati, the wife of Lord Shiva. And so is Ma Durga. Both depict the strength and power of good over evil. Both are destroyers of evil and are therefore worshipped by Hindus. The Dakhineshwar Temple also enshrines the belongings of the greatest devotee of Ma Kali - Ramkrishna and his wife Ma Sharada. Swami Vivekanand, a follower of Ramkrishna also found his life's mission here. He later went on to become a freedom fighter who fought to make India free from British rule.
As is common in most of the temples around India, the temple complex at Dakhineshwar is surrounded by rows and rows of shops selling mementoes of all shapes, sizes and prices.
Visitors to the temple visit these shops to carry home some memories of their visit here. Among the shops are also food stalls and restaurants that serve food for the hungry devotees. On one side of the complex is the Dalla Arcade which sells only offerings that can be made to Ma Kali. This part of the temple complex is fully commercialized and generates revenue for the temple and provides employment to hundreds.
Another aspect that is all to familiar are the scores of beggars that can be found in and around the temple complex.
These beggars do not know any other means of livelihood than the one they follow and living in the temple is the only way of life they know. This picture depicts the other side of developing India - abject poverty, people living in unhygenic conditions, malnoursihed children..... and a few more..... I sometimes wonder what motivates them to continue with this kind of life - paying for their sins or just the need to be beside a holy figure or is it something else altogether.... who knows!
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