Kali Puja, celebrated in West Bengal and Assam on the night of Diwali, is held on a:

Kali Puja is held on the new moon day (Amavasya) of the month of Kartika (October-November), the same night as Diwali. It is one of the most important festivals of West Bengal, and it is also celebrated in Assam, Odisha, Tripura, Jharkhand and Bangladesh. While the rest of India worships Goddess Lakshmi on Diwali night, Bengalis worship Goddess Kali.

Goddess Kali is a fierce form of the Divine Mother (Shakti). She is usually shown with dark blue or black skin, four arms, a garland of skulls, a skirt of severed arms, a protruding red tongue, and holding a sword and a severed head. She stands on Lord Shiva, who lies beneath her feet. According to the Devi Mahatmya, Kali emerged from the forehead of Goddess Durga to destroy the demons Chanda and Munda and the demon Raktabija, from whose every drop of blood a new demon was born. Kali drank his blood so that no new demons could be born. In her fury, she began to destroy everything, and Shiva lay down in her path to stop her; when she stepped on him, she put out her tongue in shame and calmed down. Kali symbolises the destruction of evil, ignorance and ego, and she is worshipped as a protective and loving mother.

Kali Puja is performed at midnight. Devotees worship clay idols of Kali in homes and in pandals, offering red hibiscus flowers, sweets, rice, lentils and fish. Homes are lit with lamps and candles, and fireworks are burst. The most famous Kali temples, such as Kalighat and Dakshineswar in Kolkata and Tarapith in Birbhum, attract huge crowds. The Dakshineswar temple is associated with Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, who was its priest. In West Bengal, Lakshmi is worshipped on Kojagari Purnima, the full moon after Durga Puja.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Full moon day (Purnima): Kojagari Lakshmi Puja is held on the full moon after Durga Puja.
• ✗Eighth day (Ashtami) is the most important day of Durga Puja.
• ✗Ninth day (Navami) is the last day of Navratri before Dussehra.