“Well, I must endure the presence of a few caterpillars if I wish to become acquainted with the butterflies.”

Darshan during the Pandemic

We are trying our best to behave responsibly to prevent the community spread of COVID-19 as well as protect the health and safety of our resident staff and guests (some of whom are in the high-risk category for life-threatening complications if they contract the virus). Kali Mandir has been closed to the public since March 13th. The state of California has updated restrictions and recommendations for places of worship. In light of this guidance, Kali Mandir is taking cautious steps towards reopening, a process complicated by the fact that the temple room and our living quarters are the same.

Our temple room has the space-equivalent of a living room, so it is not yet possible to have gatherings and still follow protocols for physical distancing. For now, festivals, important pujas, satsangs, and evening arati will continue to be broadcast live via our Facebook page.

Starting on Saturday, June 20, as part of Phase 1 of reopening, we are allowing a limited number of local devotees to visit the mandir for brief darshan of Ma Dakshineswari Kali from the temple courtyard by appointment. For more information and guidelines for visiting please go to our When Visiting page or see below:

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

COVID-19 PHASE ONE REOPENING

We are now inviting local devotees to visit the mandir for darshan of Ma Dakshineswari Kali by appointment.

Please contact Kali Mandir by phone or email to make an appointment to visit.

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When visiting Kali Mandir:

• Please visit only after confirming with us directly your appointment time.

• Please check yourself for coronavirus symptoms before visiting.

• Please wear a covering over your nose and mouth.

• Hand sanitizer will be available in the courtyard.

• We will open the large glass doors, giving full darshan of Ma from outside in the courtyard. Please do not directly enter the temple-room.

• Please try to maintain a physical distance of at least 6 feet from our resident staff.

• To help maintain physical distancing, if other devotees are in the courtyard when you arrive, please wait for them to leave before entering.

• Please keep visits under 15 minutes.

• Offerings of flowers may not be offered on the altar immediately, but will be offered when they can be safely processed by our staff. Please do not bring fruit or cooked food at this time.

• Our restrooms and the Hanuman and Shiva areas in the back are temporarily closed.

• Packets of prashad and kumkum will be available in the courtyard to take home.

• Although Kali Mandir is taking all possible safety measures, it is impossible to guarantee that visitors will not be exposed to coronavirus. Those who visit are doing so at their own risk, and Kali Mandir cannot be held responsible for any potential exposures.

Please note that the CDC has advised that certain groups of people may be at higher risk from coronavirus. This includes people over 65 years of age, and people with underlying conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, or lung conditions. Please consult with your doctor for guidance on visiting any public places. Also, anyone with symptoms of Covid-19 such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath should stay home and consult their doctor. Anyone who has had symptoms of Covid-19 should wait two weeks after the symptoms end, or consult their doctor as to when it is safe to leave the house. Those who may have had intimate contact with someone with the virus or with someone with symptoms should follow the same precautions.

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With prayers for the health, safety, and prosperity of you and yours,

Kali Mandir Staff

Usha Ma took this rare footage inside the Dakshineswar Kali temple in the late 1980s. It captures Sri Haradhan Chakraborti performing morning Kali puja in front of Ma Bhavatarini. This video was professionally edited, color balanced and sound engineered. We are making it available free of charge during this difficult time. If you like our efforts in producing more such videos and would like to contribute, you are welcome to donate to Kali Mandir.

Watch video>>