Firingi Kalibari (ফিরিঙ্গি কালীবাড়ী)
This is the famous Kali Temple established by a Portuguese – Hensman Anthony much popular as Anthony Kabiyal. It is named after it's founder as "Firingi Kali" or portuguese Kali temple. He was a Bengali language folk poet of Portuguese origin known for his works in Bengali devotional songs in the early part of the 19th century. He was also noted for his performance in literary face-offs known as Kavigan.
Location: -
It is on the main road of Bowbazar Street. It is about 2.7 km from away Howrah Station. Nowadays it is a popular holy place for Hindu religion in Kolkata.
Hensman Anthony (Bangla: অ্যাণ্টোনি ফিরিংগী), Biography: -
Born Hensman Anthony, the sobriquet Firingee (The foreigner) was used colloquially in deference to his Portuguese origins may be in 1836 (?). Although not much is known of his early life, Anthony arrived in Bengal sometime in early 19th century and subsequently came to settle in "Farashdanga", in the town of Chandannagar in West Bengal.
He married a Hindu Brahmin widow named "Saudamini" and was deeply influenced by Bengali culture and language, as well as the Hindu religion. Eventually, Anthony came to learn the Bengali language and composed a number of noted religious Bengali songs in devotion to the Goddesses Kali and Durga. He is noted for his Agamani Songs, celebrating the return of Goddess Durga to her parents’ home that marks the Bengali autumn festival of Durga Puja. Anthony is also noted for his literary face-offs in Kavigans, or Bard's duels, with a number of noted Bengali composers including Bhola Moira, Ram Basu and Thakur Singh. Anthony also helped construct a temple to Goddess Kali in the Bowbazar locality of North Calcutta that today is famous as The Firingee Kalibari (The Foreigner's Kali Temple).
In popular culture: -
A 1967 Bengali film by Director Sunil Banerjee celebrated the life and works of Anthony, and had noted Bengali actor Uttam Kumar in the title role. The film was noted for its music, composed by famous Bengali musicians Padmashree Manna Dey, Gouri Prasanna Majumdar among others and earned Uttam Kumar an Indian National Film Award for Best Actor in 1968. Mannay Dey had sung the songs against Antony's voice in this movie. They are in Bengali as follows –
১. আমি যামিনী, তুমি শশী হে - ভাতিছ গগনমাঝে
২. আমি যে জলসাঘরের বেলোয়ারী ঝাড়, নিশি ফুরালে কেহ চায় না আমায় জানিগো আর
৩. চম্পা চামেলী গোলাপের বাগে, এমন মাধবী নিশি আসেনি তো আগে
৪. মা, তুই আমায় দয়া করবি কি না বল
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