ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Kali Puja

Kali Puja is a celebration of the Hindu goddess Kali, who is a powerful and fierce warrior goddess. During this festival, people worship Kali and ask for her blessings and protection.

Picture a big party where everyone dresses up in beautiful clothes, puts on lots of jewelry, and brings lots of food to share with each other. During Kali Puja, people gather together in temples, homes, and other places to pray, sing devotional songs, and offer food and flowers to the goddess Kali.

Kali is often represented with a dark complexion and four arms, holding weapons, or the severed heads of her enemies. She is also sometimes shown standing or dancing on a corpse. But don't be scared, as Kali is actually a symbol for overcoming fear, ego and negativity.

As part of the celebration, people light candles, lamps, and fireworks to represent the triumph of good over evil. They also prepare special sweets like laddus and offer them to Kali as part of the puja. Once the puja is over, people gather to share food and sweets with each other, and the celebrations continue late into the night.

Overall, Kali Puja is a fun-filled festival that celebrates the power and strength of Kali and reminds us to be brave and fearless in the face of adversity.