Kalka Mandir, Hindu temple in south Delhi, India
Kalka Mandir is a Hindu temple in south Delhi featuring a distinctive twelve-sided central chamber with multiple entrances. The structure is carefully arranged to guide visitors through to the inner sanctum where the deity is worshipped.
The current structure was built in 1764 by the Marathas and underwent major expansion in 1816 under Mirza Raja Kidar Nath. These two construction phases shaped the temple's form and reflect its evolution across generations.
The temple serves as a central place of worship for devotees from across the city, where daily prayers and rituals take place. Goddess Kali's veneration shapes the spiritual rhythm here and draws people from different walks of life.
The temple is open daily from early morning until late evening and is fairly easy to reach on foot. During busy days, separate queues may be organized, so plan accordingly if you visit during peak times.
The temple priests come from over 1,000 families descended from four Brahmin clans and one Jogi clan. This ancestry means that centuries-old traditions and knowledge pass from one generation to the next in an unbroken line.
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