I walked into the Dakshineswar Kali Temple at 5:55am. After a nearly sleepless night trying to book airline tickets with a poor internet connection. Fighting with the internet in my room, unable to connect to wonky Druk Air and Birman air lines.I had to turn in my phone. No shoes no phone. A pleasant middle aged Bengali explained no phones and no pictures in the temple. I thanked him and he motioned for me to follow him. I explained I still had to pay for my shoe storage. A hundred people waiting in line, to see the Kali deity. Also was the home of two famous saints Ma and Rama Krishna, and Swami Vivekananda who first carried the message of yoga to the western world . People wait in line the crowd builds. Hundreds of people wait in line with baskets of flowers, women in pretty colorful saris looking like a bunch of multi colored skittles. After perhaps a hour in line Saw Kali , then sat with a group of Kirtan singers and drummers , the small cymbals. Chanting the women ululating in joy. Several people in the crowd at back were screaming in rage or ecstasy, one woman wearing a black saree collapsed on the floor. A few Others, men and women howled. People would walk over and touch them and bow, these are people close to Kali.
