Maa Kali,My own Deity

Maa  Kali ,my own deity: 

Part 1---She is such a close person to me ,she is not someone outside me ,she is within.the love for maa was something I got in inheritance,my parents loved her did everything with blessings so naturally she was mine too.within 15days of Durga pujo ,Kali pujo is celebrated .this pujo was a part of my family.our family originally in their hay days did all the pujo s at home but later that being impractical by baba took up this pujo.and in that he was so passionately supported by my ma,like in everything .so it was a very sacred period in our house and it was done  paying total attention to the minute details.with the sacrifice of a goat and all.the goat came nearly 10days before the pujo,it had to be young ,one colour-black ,with no defects .I remember my vegetarian friends made a lot of fuss over this sacrifice,I totally understood it but never questioned my baba why we needed to do that,in my heart I always knew baba did whatever was necessary .

My mother went into a total house cleaning mode before the pujo.everything was washed and cleaned-and the house was minus everything nonveg to the extent of onion,garlic,Bengal -grams.

That was being ready for maa to enter the house.Three days before the pujo ,ma stopped any nonveg to enter the house.we did not eat it outside also.Then the shopping for the pujo,vegetables,

Rice ,grams and other grains,flowers, fruits ,sweets,sarees for maa,the clothes for pujaris -one main pujari and two assistants.Ma had a pujo room where everything was kept ,lots of gangajal,to keep the place pure.Every year ma got pujor bashon that is only for pujo use and jewellery for Maa Kali.Ofcourse clothes and jewellery for ma and us too.

Then the pujo day arrived ,ma and baba used to be totally into it the pujari with his assistants  and Ma's assistant mogru started with the preparation.Kali pujo usually was for one day ,the main pujo was at night usually starting at after 9 p.m. at night going on till 2/3a.m. In total a 24hrs nonstop schedule.