Kali
Kali isdestructivecreative mother goddessHinduism. Kali isfierce aspectDevi,supreme goddess, whofundamentalall other Hindu deities.
The continuous, ongoing workCreationdescribed as "the playKali".
Kaliconsideredbedestroyerevil spirits andpreserverdevotees. She isconsortShiva. Her name apparently derives fromword 'kala' (Sanskrit'time' or 'dark');also means Black Female,contrasther consort, Shiva, whowhite;Kali iscommon nameEnergyher form as Shiva's wife, or Shakti. Shealso called Durga. Other names are: Bhowani Devi, Sati, Rudrani, Parvati, Chinnamastika, Kamakshi, Uma, Menakshi, Himavati, Kumari. These names, if repeated, believedgive special power toworshipper.
Skulls, cemeteries,bloodassociatedher worship. Sheblackemaciated. Her faceazure, streakedyellow, her glanceferocious; her disheveledbristly hairusually shown splayedspread liketail ofpeacocksometimes braidedgreen serpents. She wearslong necklace (descending almosther knees)human skulls. She may be shown wearinggirdlesevered arms. Children's corpses as earrings,cobras as bracelets or garlands addher terrifying adornments. Her purple lipsoften shown streamingblood; her tusk-like teeth descend over her lower lip;her tongue lolls out. Sheoften shown standing oninert formher consort, Shiva. Shesometimes accompanied by she-demons. Her eight arms hold weapons orsevered head ofdemon: these objects symbolize both her creativeher destructive power,Kali personifiesambivalencedeity, which manifests itself, accordingIndian tradition, inunceasing cyclelifedeath, creationdestruction.
Her poor reputation inWest came fromcult ofThuggee, HindusMuslims who tookgoddess Kali as their deity. They robbedmurdered travellers as sacrificesKaliwere destroyed byBritish.
For her Tantric worshippers,was essentialface her Curse,terrordeath, as willingly asaccepted Blessings from her beautiful, nurturing, maternal aspect. For them, wisdom meant learning that no coin has only one side: as death cannot exist without life, so life cannot exist without death.
Kalialsomartial art. See Eskrima.
