Shaktism is a branch of Hinduism that has historically been practised in Eastern India, especially the Bengal region. Shaktas (Shaktism adherents) view the Adi Shakti (Adya) as being feminine and revere numerous manifestations of the same supreme Goddess, from the benevolent Gauri to the ferocious Kali. This is clear from the fact that 13 of the 51 Shakti Peeths are in West Bengal, and half of the 51 Shakti Peeths are in Eastern India. So it seems sense that Bengalis have always been devoted devotees of Kali. In addition to the Shakti Peeths, Bengal and Kolkata are home to some well-known and frequently visited Kali Temples due to this “Bhakti.” One such ancient and “Jagroto” () Kali Temple is Firingi Kali Bari in Bowbazar, North Kolkata.
He arrived in Bengal sometime in the early 19th century as Hensman Anthony and settled in Farashdanga (the old name of Chandannagar). In Bengal during the period, people of foreign descent were referred to be “firingi.”
Anthony not only learnt Bengali, but he also became fascinated with the culture and religion of the region. As a result, he also studied Kabigaan from Bhola Moira.
He became well-known as a Kabial, or literary duel, in which traditional poets sing and perform. Anthony moved from Chandannagar to Kolkata. The residence of his maternal uncle was close to the temple. Early in the 19th century, Antony developed a devotion to Goddess Kali and wrote a number of songs on her.
At the time, it was a noteworthy occurrence. Breaking through religious borders and restrictions, a Christian foreigner was performing Hindu rites and worshipping a Hindu goddess. He married a Hindu Brahmin widow whom he had fallen in love with. Later, his wife Saudamini Devi was burned to death because she had remarried Anthony, a foreigner, although still a widow.
The temple’s precise recorded history is contested, like that of many other historic temples. A plaque on the temple places its construction in the year 905, or roughly 1498 AD. This demonstrates that the temple was constructed far earlier than when the first Europeans arrived in Bengal. It is therefore evident that Anthony Firingee did not construct the temple. So who built this old temple, then.
According to Sir Harry Evan Cotton’s Calcutta Old and New, a guide to the city, Srimanta Dom founded the temple. Since “Dom” was regarded as belonging to a very low caste that was mostly concerned with cremation of remains, his temple was without a priest, thus he used to carry out the functions of one himself.
Additionally, he once administered smallpox treatments and paid respects to a statue of Goddess Sitala. Sitala is a folk god revered in the Bengal region who is thought to be able to heal illnesses including pustules, sores, and ghouls. In those days, a lot of local foreigners (firingi) used to seek treatment at the shrine. Many people think that this incident is what gave the temple its name, Firingi Kali Bari.
According to a different tale, Anthony Firingi later erected the Siddheswari Kali deity in the temple, which was previously a Shiva shrine. Even now, if you go to the temple, you will see that the Kali idol is quite a distance from the Shivalinga that is located beneath the main dome of the building.The Maa Kali idol was originally composed of clay. The outdated clay idol was smashed during the 1946 riots. A concrete idol was built in 1987. Animal sacrifice used to be common. No longer happens.