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Kaali Poster

Kolkata's Dakshineswar Kali Temple condemns Kaali film poster, backs Mahua Moitra's statement on goddess

Souvik Ghosh/IBNS | @indiablooms | Jul 07, 2022, at 09:59 pm

#KaaliPoster #KaaliPosterControversy #MaaKaali #MahuaMoitra #DakshinewarKaliTemple

Kolkata/IBNS: The Dakshineswar Kali Temple in Kolkata has condemned the controversial film poster featuring goddess Kali as a cigarette smoker, stating it "is hurting the sentiments of the Hindu community".

However, the temple has backed Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra's comment where she called goddess Kali "meat-eating, alcohol-accepting goddess".

The temple has put up a tweet which reads, "We are all worshipers of Maa Kali. Holding a cigarette in her hand is hurting the sentiments of the Hindu community. In many places, maa is given alcohol and goats are sacrificed. But holding a cig is highly reprehensible. We are strongly opposed to it."

*Her
— Dakshineswar Kali Temple (@KaliTempleKol) July 6, 2022

"As we said before, we still say that there are many places where worship is done with wine, that is the rule there. But what is shown in the much-discussed poster is never acceptable. The Dakshineshwar Kali Temple strongly condemned the incident. We made our position clear," another tweet reads.

As we said before, we still say that there are many places where worship is done with wine, that is the rule there. But what is shown in the much-discussed poster is never acceptable. The Dakshineshwar Kali Temple strongly condemned the incident.
We made our position clear.
— Dakshineswar Kali Temple (@KaliTempleKol) July 7, 2022

What is the controversy?

The poster of a documentary titled Kaali is creating quite a stir online for showing the Hindu goddess Kaali smoking a cigarette.

It all started after the director, Leena Manimekalai, shared the poster of the film on Twitter.

Super thrilled to share the launch of my recent film - today at @AgaKhanMuseum as part of its “Rhythms of Canada”
Link: https://t.co/RAQimMt7Ln

I made this performance doc as a cohort of https://t.co/D5ywx1Y7Wu @YorkuAMPD @TorontoMet @YorkUFGS

Feeling pumped with my CREW pic.twitter.com/L8LDDnctC9
— Leena Manimekalai (@LeenaManimekali) July 2, 2022

Speaking at the India Today Conclave East 2022, Moitra, who is an MP from West Bengal's Krishnanagar, said Tuesday, "Kaali to me, is a meat-eating, alcohol-accepting goddess. You have the freedom to imagine your goddess.

"There are some places where whiskey is offered to gods and in some other places it would be blasphemy."

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