Kalkaji Mandir (also Kalkaji Temple) is the famous temple dedicated to Goddess Kali. Mythology and history have combined to give the shrine at Kalkaji (near Badarpur village), dedicated to goddess Kali, an air of mystery which no other temple in Delhi possesses. Millions of years ago, it is said, the gods, who dwelt in the neighborhood of the present temple, were terrorized by two demons and they were compelled to seek the help of Brahma. Brahma referred the matter to the goddess Parvati, who from her mouth produced the goddess Kushki Devi to kill the demons. Kushki Devi attacked and slaughtered the demons. But this was not the end of the trouble. As the blood of the two demons fell upon the earth, thousands of demons came to life and it was with great difficulty that Kushki Devi was able to hold her own in the grim struggle against the myriads of demons. Parvati came to her rescue. She created from the eyebrows of Kushki Devi the goddess Kali “whose lower lip rested on the hills below and her upper lip touched the sky above”. Kali Devi obtained a complete victory by drinking the blood of the slaughtered demons oozing from their wounds. Then, according to the story, Kali Devi made her abode on the battle and from that time was worshipped as the chief divinity of the place. It is believed that a very ancient temple lays buried under the present shrine.
The oldest part of the existing temple was built in 1764 A.D.
At the entrance of the Kalkaji temple are the figures of two tigers carved out of red sandstone and over their heads are bells which votaries ring on leaving the shrine. A large trident, also of red sandstone, stands close to the tigers. Day and night, a lamp fed with ghee burns before the image of the deity. On Tuesday, the day of the weekly mela and on October 8, when the annual fair is held, Kalkaji springs to life and colour as thousands of people come from distant places to make offerings at the shrine of Kali. After the harvesting what the villagers come in large numbers to offer their newly harvested crop to the goddess.
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