Of Monsoons, Miracles, and Murtis: Kolkata’s Kali Puja Weather and India’s Great October Transition 

As Kolkata prepares for Kali Puja, the India Meteorological Department’s forecast of clear skies and mild temperatures brings immense relief and joy to the city, marking the end of a humid monsoon and the beginning of Bengal’s most cherished season. The week’s weather mirrors a cinematic buildup—partly cloudy days, a hint of thunder, and finally, a rain-free festival night that allows artisans, devotees, and revellers to celebrate without disruption.

Across India, however, the picture is more varied: the South braces for heavy rains with the onset of the North-East Monsoon, central regions face thunderstorms, and the West sees lingering showers. This climatic patchwork reflects India’s complex post-monsoon transition—and while Kolkata readies for its night of devotion under partly cloudy skies, the forecast itself becomes a symbol of quiet gratitude, hope, and the city’s enduring bond between weather, worship, and wonder.

Of Monsoons, Miracles, and Murtis: Kolkata’s Kali Puja Weather and India’s Great October Transition 

As the last vestiges of a retreating monsoon whisper their farewell, a collective, unspoken sigh of relief seems to ripple through the humid air of Kolkata. The city, having weathered months of sultry oppression, is on the cusp of its most beloved season. This isn’t just a meteorological shift; it’s a cultural, emotional, and spiritual transition, perfectly encapsulated by the imminent arrival of Kali Puja. The India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) recent forecast—predicting a weekend of drizzle but clear skies for the festival itself—isn’t just a weather bulletin. It’s the opening line of a beloved annual story that every Kolkatan knows by heart. 

The Celestial Countdown: Kolkata’s Weather Dance 

The week leading up to Kali Puja is a masterclass in atmospheric suspense. The IMD’s seven-day forecast reads like a carefully paced script: 

• The Calm Before: The week begins under a canopy of clear skies, a final, deceptive taste of the departing summer’s glare. It’s a brief period of reprieve, a chance to air out the dampness clinging to the city’s old brick and mortar. 

• The Build-Up: By October 17th, the skies turn partly cloudy. The temperature nudges up slightly—a maximum of 33°C and a minimum of 25°C. This isn’t the dry heat of April, but a thick, heavy warmth that carries the memory of recent rains. The air becomes still, charged with a latent energy that every local recognizes. The partly cloudy trend continues through the 18th and 19th, with the added drama of a chance for thunder or lightning. These are not the torrential downpours of July, but the fitful, moody outbursts of a season in flux. 

• The Climax Averted: Then comes the pivotal day—October 20th, Kali Puja. The forecast is a gift to millions: partly cloudy, with highs of 32°C and lows of 26°C. No rain. The threat dissipates. The celestial drama, it seems, will not upstage the earthly one. 

This forecast is more than data; it’s a reassurance. It means that the intricate, temporary temples (pandals) rising in every neighbourhood, often crafted from bamboo and cloth, will remain dry. It means the millions of dazzling, artistic lights won’t short-circuit in a sudden downpour. It means that the city can collectively exhale and prepare for a night of devotion and spectacle. 

Beyond the Barometer: The Soul of a City Preparing for its Mother 

To understand why a weather forecast holds such weight, one must understand Kali Puja’s place in the Bengali heart. It is not merely a festival; it is an expression of raw, fierce devotion to the Dark Mother, the goddess who destroys evil and grants liberation. The preparations are a city-wide phenomenon. 

In the narrow bylanes of North Kolkata, artisans work round the clock, their hands meticulously painting the third eye on the murtis (idols) of the goddess, their fierce expression and outstretched tongue a symbol of the annihilation of the ego. The scent of shola pith (a spongy plant) used to make decorative ornaments mixes with the smell of wet clay and incense. In the more modern suburbs, massive pandals replicate everything from the temples of Khajuraho to scenes from popular web series, all dedicated to the goddess. 

The weather plays a crucial, unseen role in this entire operation. A forecast of clear skies allows for: 

• Uninterrupted Construction: The artisans and laborers can work in the open, without tarpaulin covers hampering their progress. 

• Perfecting the Art: The final touches of paint on the idols and the delicate electrical work for the lighting can proceed without fear of ruin. 

• The Nightlong Celebration: The core of Kali Puja is the ‘Nishita Puja’—the worship performed at the stroke of midnight. This is followed by a night of visiting pandals, feasting with family and friends, and immersing oneself in the city’s vibrant energy. Pleasant, rain-free weather is not a convenience; it is the canvas upon which the night’s memories are painted. 

A Subcontinent in Flux: India’s Patchwork Weather Quilt 

While Kolkata breathes easy, the IMD’s weather warnings paint a picture of a subcontinent simultaneously experiencing vastly different climatic moods. This contrast highlights the complex and localized nature of India’s post-monsoon transition. 

1. The Drenched South: The monsoon is still very much active over South Peninsular India. Tamil Nadu and Kerala are bracing for isolated heavy rainfall between October 16th and 21st. For Chennai and its neighbouring districts, this isn’t just a shower; it’s the setting in of the North-East Monsoon, their primary rainy season. The scene is starkly different from Kolkata’s festive preparations. Here, residents wake to dark, thunderous skies and the very real concerns of waterlogging, disrupted commutes, and the cancellation of trains. In the coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh and the islands of Lakshadweep, winds reaching 30-40 km/h whip across the sea, posing risks to fishermen and delaying travel. The mood here is one of caution and battening down the hatches.
2. The Flickering East and Central Heartland: Regions like South Odisha and parts of Madhya Pradesh are experiencing a different kind of atmospheric unrest—thunderstorms with lightning and strong, gusty winds. This is the weather of transition, where residual moisture from the retreating monsoon collides with cooler, descending air. It’s a brief, volatile period that can disrupt power lines and outdoor agricultural work, a reminder that nature’s shifts are not always gentle.
3. The Lingering Showers of the West: In Goa and the Konkan region, the memory of the monsoon lingers a little longer. Thunderstorms with lightning and scattered heavy showers on the 16th and 17th are the last, parting gifts of a season that has defined the landscape for months. For tourists, it might be an inconvenience; for the locals, it’s one final replenishment before the long, dry stretch begins.

The Bigger Picture: Reading the Climate’s Subtle Signals 

This mosaic of weather patterns across India in mid-October is a fascinating case study. The timely withdrawal of the monsoon from West Bengal, allowing for a smooth transition into the festive and winter season, is a crucial marker for agricultural cycles and cultural planning. Conversely, the vigorous onset of the North-East Monsoon in Tamil Nadu is equally vital for the water security and agrarian economy of that region. 

These patterns, while annual, are being watched with increasing scrutiny in the context of a changing climate. Erratic rainfall, unseasonal storms, and shifting monsoon withdrawal dates are no longer abstract concepts but real-world variables that can impact everything from crop yields to the success of a multi-million-dollar festival celebration. The IMD’s ability to provide granular, localized forecasts is becoming not just a service, but a critical tool for adaptation. 

Conclusion: A City’s Quiet Gratitude Under Partly Cloudy Skies 

As Monday, October 20th, approaches, Kolkata stands ready. The kash flowers will bloom in the countryside, their white plumes a classic herald of the Bengali autumn. The air will carry the first, faint crispness of the coming winter. And under the forecasted partly cloudy skies, the city will come alive in a way that is uniquely its own. 

The fireworks will crackle, not with rain, but with colour. The chants of “Bolo Kali Maayer Ji Jai!” (Hail Mother Kali!) will echo through the night, un-dampened. The streets will be a river of humanity, moving from one dazzling pandal to the next. The IMD’s prediction of no rain is, in the end, a small miracle for the millions who wait all year for this night. It is a promise that for one magical evening, the weather will be a silent, accommodating guest, allowing a city to celebrate its Dark Mother in all her fierce, magnificent glory.