Dokra Kali in Kolkata is the only idol in the world, where Goddess Kali is worshipped in this ancient tribal art form. Dokra is a traditional craft that uses lost-wax casting, commonly called “Cire Perdue,” to cast non-ferrous metals. In 2017, this form of the Goddess Kali came in the dreams of a Kolkata-based artist consecutively for three days. He then realised that this might indicate he starte
d worshipping the Goddess, and he sketched the form exactly as the Goddess appeared in his dream. Then he went to the Dokra village, Biknah, in Bankura, West Bengal district. Normally, a single figurine takes several weeks to be created, but astonishingly, when the craftsmen started working on the figure, there was no interruption in work due to rain (which usually happens specifically during the months of September-October) and the form of Ma Dokra Kali was completed in 3 weeks. The 3-feet metal alloy figure was then brought to Kolkata and worshipped on the auspicious day of Kali Puja in 2017. Since then, the puja has gained immense popularity, and every year, hundreds of people flock to the temple to pay their homage to the Goddess. The Dokra Temple Trust Committee members also organise social welfare campaigns like blood donation camps, eye-checkup camps, health-checkup camps, and so on. The Dokra Kali Mata Temple now acts as a platform where people from all religions, castes, and creeds come together and spend a happy time with each other, acting for a social and noble cause.
