The Kalighat Kali Temple in Kolkata is built in the ath-chala style of Bengal temple architecture, with gabled chala roofs and a truncated dome. Construction began in 1798 under Santosh Roy Chowdhury and ended in 1809, after 11 years. The article names no architect and calls the patronage by the Roy Chowdhury family disputed. Terracotta motifs run below the ath-chala, the roofs are painted metallic silver and the outer walls have a green and white diamond chessboard pattern.
Later patrons added a Nat Mandir in 1835, the ShyamRai temple in 1843 and a Dal Mancha in 1858. A renovation in 2024 had a budget of ₹200 crore, with ₹165 crore from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and ₹35 crore from the Reliance Foundation. It used about 110 pounds (50 kg) of gold on the three spires.
It is one of the four Adi Shaktipeeth and draws large crowds at Kali Puja and Durga Puja.
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