Suno gau vaalo!(Hear me, hear me)…We’ve been duped by our elders (who in all fairness probably didn’t even know! :P). For years children have been frightened into waking up before sun rise, bathe and get dressed and do pooja else face some very dark and evil happenings. Kali Chaudas has always been portrayed as something bad.
In fact it is something to be celebrated. I say Since after Diwali comes a New Year. Kali Chaudas should be a day of setting New Year’s Resolutions!
Kali means Dark (eternal) and Chaudas – Fourteenth. Thus, celebrated on the 14th day of the dark half of Kartik month, Kali Chaudas is the day allotted to the worship of Mahakali or Shakti and is believed that on this day Kali killed the most wicked Narakasura. Also referred to as Naraka-Chaturdashi, Kali Chaudas is day to abolish laziness and evil which create hell in our life and shine light on life. The strength to protect others is referred as Kali, and if its used for God’s work is called Maha-kali.