Lucknow: The historic Kali Bari Temple in Ghasiyari Mandi will celebrate its 163rd foundation day on Sept 20 with a cultural and musical evening featuring playback singer Vinod Rathod and actor-dancer Rituparna Sengupta.Organised by the Kali Bari Temple Trust, the event will be held at the Sant Gadge Ji Maharaj Auditorium of the Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi.Gautam Bhattacharya, president of the temple’s managing committee, said: “For several years, the trust has been celebrating the foundation day with great enthusiasm by inviting internationally acclaimed singers and dancers. This year, we are organising a grand musical evening featuring actor-dancer Rituparna Sengupta and playback singer Vinod Rathod.”Abhijit Sarkar, president of the board of trustees, said the temple’s distinctive idol of Goddess Kali is depicted in a seated posture, with Lord Shiva represented in his nishkriya (inactive) form supporting Mahakal beneath the deity.“The configuration rests on the Pancha Munda Asana. The idol is made of clay and was conceived by Madhusudan Mukherjee, the temple’s first priest, following a divine vision,” he said.
