Which goddess is the focus of Kali Puja, celebrated on the same night as Diwali? Kali.
Kali Puja is devoted to the goddess Kali and is celebrated on the same night as Diwali, especially in Bengal and other parts of eastern India. Worshippers install clay images of Kali in homes and temporary pandals, perform prayers and mantras at night, and offer flowers, sweets, rice, lentils, and fruit.
Kali is associated with time, death, destruction, protection, and transformative divine power. In a well-known Hindu story, she emerges from Durga's fierce energy to defeat the demon Raktabija. Her frightening imagery is therefore not simply sinister: it represents the destruction of evil and the power of the divine mother to protect devotees.
A common mix-up is assuming that all Diwali worship centers on the same deity. Many communities emphasize Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, while Bengali Hindu communities often make Kali the focus. Ritual practice also varies: some observances follow mainstream Brahmanical forms, while others include Tantric elements.