In this screengrab from a video posted on April 26, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offers prayers at ‘Thanthania Kalibari’ amid the ongoing West Bengal Assembly elections, in Kolkata. NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi on Sunday prayed at Thanthania Kalibari – one of the few abodes of goddess Kali where meat is offered as ‘prasad’ – before his roadshow in Kolkata in what political circles interpreted as his emphatic signal to voters to dispel TMC’s projection of BJP as a ‘north Indian party’ steeped in vegetarianism and uneasy with Bengal’s food habits rooted in non-vegetarian meals.Thanthania Kalibari, where the deity is worshipped as Maa Siddheshwari, is one of the oldest and most revered Kali temples of Kolkata and is believed to have been frequented by Ramakrishna Paramahansa, where he sang hymns to the goddess.CM Mamata Banerjee has led TMC’s charge that if elected to office, BJP will seek to curb the state’s meat-eating food habits and substitute them with the practice of north Indian states, where non-vegetarian meal consumption is frowned upon during religiously auspicious days.Her projection of BJP as a party of outsiders unfamiliar to Bengali values has been central to her political attacks, pushing the national party to make concerted efforts to dispel the narrative.BJP functionaries, including MP Anurag Thakur, had shared their pictures eating ‘maach-bhat’ during their campaign in Bengal.The visit of Modi, himself a vegetarian who observes fasting during Navratras, to the temple will drive the message home, BJP hopes.This practice of non-vegetarian ‘prasad’ was started by Ramakrishna Paramahansa, one of the most revered spiritual figures in the state. When he fell sick, his followers prayed at the temple for his quick recovery, serving non-vegetarian ‘prasad’ to the deity.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos“Fix Delhi And Pahalgam First” West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Launches Fierce Attack On BJP“TMC’s Time Is Over” Amit Shah Tears Into TMC Over Infiltrators During Bengal RallyPassport Row Escalates: Pawan Khera Approaches Supreme Court After Gauhati HC Rejects Bail PleaBJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi Attacks TMC, Raises RG Kar Case And Law And Order ConcernsPM Narendra Modi To Inaugurate 594 Km Ganga Expressway In Uttar Pradesh On April 29“India Expands Global Trade Reach” Union Minister Piyush Goyal On NZ FTAMarathi Mandatory In Maharashtra From May 1 |CM Fadnavis Pushes Language Rule For Auto, Taxi Drivers“TMC Is Protecting Goons In Sandeshkhali” PM Modi’s Big Charge At RallyBJP Destroyed All Good Work” Kejriwal Says Schemes Will Be Scrapped In West BengalAAP Seeks Disqualification Of 7 Rajya Sabha MPs Who Joined BJP, Legal Battle On Anti-Defection Law123PhotostoriesFrom facing trolls over husband Shardul Bayas’ past divorces to choosing not to have kids, Nehha Pendse opens up about her career, marriage, and lifeRhea Chakraborty gets relief in Sushant Singh Rajput case: What court said on unfreezing bank accounts and what it meansEat smart for every organ: Foods that support your lungs, liver, gut, and eyes6 foods that spoil faster than most people realise in summerCan a low birth weight increase stroke risk even in healthy adults?Growing persimmon at home? These 5 tips make it surprisingly easy9 foods you should avoid grinding in a mixer grinder’Greenland 2: Migration’ OTT release: Gerard Butler to Morena Baccarin, know all about the cast and charactersUTI symptoms you shouldn’t ignore: How a simple infection can lead to kidney damage5 moments when you should never scold your child (and what to do instead)123Hot PicksTamil Nadu ElectionWest Bengal voter turnoutAssembly Election 2026Mamata BanerjeeTamil Nadu voter turnoutAmit ShahPM ModiTop TrendingRaghav Chadha Joins BJPTamil Nadu electionAP SSC Class 10 resultsRRB opens qualificationAIIMS B.Sc. coursesJac Class 12 ResultPatrick MahomesBengal PollsNirmala SitharamanIPL Orange Cap
NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi on Sunday prayed at Thanthania Kalibari – one of the few abodes of goddess Kali where meat is offered as ‘prasad’ – before his roadshow in Kolkata in what political circles interpreted as his emphatic signal to voters to dispel TMC’s projection of BJP as a ‘north Indian party’ steeped in vegetarianism and uneasy with Bengal’s food habits rooted in non-vegetarian meals.Thanthania Kalibari, where the deity is worshipped as Maa Siddheshwari, is one of the oldest and most revered Kali temples of Kolkata and is believed to have been frequented by Ramakrishna Paramahansa, where he sang hymns to the goddess.CM Mamata Banerjee has led TMC’s charge that if elected to office, BJP will seek to curb the state’s meat-eating food habits and substitute them with the practice of north Indian states, where non-vegetarian meal consumption is frowned upon during religiously auspicious days.Her projection of BJP as a party of outsiders unfamiliar to Bengali values has been central to her political attacks, pushing the national party to make concerted efforts to dispel the narrative.BJP functionaries, including MP Anurag Thakur, had shared their pictures eating ‘maach-bhat’ during their campaign in Bengal.The visit of Modi, himself a vegetarian who observes fasting during Navratras, to the temple will drive the message home, BJP hopes.This practice of non-vegetarian ‘prasad’ was started by Ramakrishna Paramahansa, one of the most revered spiritual figures in the state. When he fell sick, his followers prayed at the temple for his quick recovery, serving non-vegetarian ‘prasad’ to the deity.
