Kali (deity)
Kali is a significant deity in Hinduism, revered as a manifestation of the goddess Durga and an embodiment of Shakti, which represents empowerment and energy. Known for her fierce and complex nature, Kali is associated with themes of power, time, and the cyclical nature of creation and destruction. Her name derives from Sanskrit, where "Kalam" means "dark colored" and "Kala" refers to "time," reflecting her dual roles as both a nurturing mother and a destroyer of evil forces.
Kali is often depicted with a striking appearance—wearing a garland of skulls, a skirt made of dismembered arms, and carrying symbolic items that signify her power and protective nature. She has various forms, including Dakshina Kali, representing her benevolent aspect, and Vama Kali, showcasing her aggressive side. While she is a central figure in Bengali culture, with significant festivals like Kali Puja, her worship extends across India and is especially prominent among followers of Shaktism and Tantra.
Kali is also linked to several mythological tales that highlight her protective and maternal qualities, such as saving Shiva from poison and bestowing knowledge upon the poet Kalidasa. Celebrated in various temples, including the renowned Kalighat temple in Kolkata, Kali continues to inspire devotion and cultural expression among her followers.
Kali (deity)
Symbols: Sword; lion
Culture: Hindu
Kali is the manifestation of goddess Durga and is considered to be an embodiment of Shakti (empowerment). She is also known as Kalika and is often associated with power, time, creation, preservation, and destruction. Kali is derived from the Sanskrit words Kalam, meaning "dark colored," and Kala, meaning "time." She is also known as Kalaratri due to her dark skin color. She is a benign mother to the devotees but also a destroyer of evil forces. She is worshipped by all Hindus in general and by Shakta and Tantra devotees in particular.
She is often depicted wearing a garland of skulls and a skirt of dismembered arms. Hinduism states that she is Prakriti (nature) in its raw form. There are two depictions of Kali; one where her right foot is forward, known as Dakshina Kali, and the other where her left foot is forward, known as Vama Kali. While Dakshina Kali is her benevolent form, Vama Kali is her aggressive form. Her hair is long, black, and free flowing. She is the consort of Shiva and the cremation grounds are her place of dwelling. She has four arms. In one hand she carries a sword; in another, a severed head; and in a third hand she carries a bowl made from a skull to catch the blood from the severed head. The fourth arm is raised in blessing.
In Mythology
Kali’s destructive form was created in battle. Once there was a terrible war between the gods and the demons. The gods lost the battle and the demon king Mahishasura (buffalo demon) took control of the heaven and realms of the gods. He also drove away Indra, who was the king of gods, and the other deities from their palace. Enraged at Mahishasura’s blasphemy, Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma and all the other gods beamed a sharp ray of light in the same direction. The blazing concentration of light then took the form of a woman and became the mother goddess Durga. In desperation the gods approached mother goddess and sought her intervention. They pleaded with her to restore their abode and pleaded with her to get rid of Mahishasura.
The goddess engaged the demon and his army in a battle. When she rode out on her lion she was attacked from all sides by the demons. Raktabheeja was one of Mahishasura’s generals. He had the power to regenerate himself from droplets of his own blood. Every time a drop of his blood fell on the battlefield, thousands of Raktabheejas emerged. The mother goddess realized that it would be difficult to kill Raktabheeja without his blood from spilling onto the battlefield. The goddess then created Kali out of the frown on her forehead. The aggressive Kali emerged clad in tiger skin and wearing a garland of skulls. She picked up Raktabheeja and drank his blood before devouring him.
Another story points out Kali’s motherly aspect. A long time ago gods and demons churned the oceans in order to extract nectar that would grant immortality. The gods and demons held the divine snake Vasuki as a rope and used the mountain Mandara as the churning rod. During the process, several precious items emerged. One was the poison Halahala, which threatened to destroy the universe. Shiva drank up the poison and saved the world. Kali stopped the poison at his throat by holding his neck. However, he was in severe pain after consuming the poison. On the request of goddess Kali, Shiva took the form of an infant. Kali then fed him with her milk and thereby soothed the effect of the poison.
The benevolence of Kali as a mother is depicted through the story of the Sanskrit scholar poet Kalidasa. The story says Kalidasa was an illiterate shepherd but he was very well known for his beauty. A princess named Vidyottama was attracted by his appearance and married him. Some accounts believe she was tricked into believing he was an intellectual. However, when she discovered that Kalidasa did not have any education, she was ashamed and angered by his ignorance. Humiliated by his wife, Kalidasa, who was an ardent devotee of goddess Kali, sought the godess’s blessing when he was going to commit suicide in a well. The goddess bestowed him with extraordinary knowledge, helping him become a renowned Sanskrit poet and playwright.
Origins and Cults
There are various cults dedicated to the goddess Kali and although she is worshipped by Hindus all over India, she has a major cult following in Bengal, Assam, and southern India. Her devotees are known as Shaktas and they consider her to be the mother goddess as well as the creator of the universe.
Kali is widely worshipped in Bengal and is a central figure in medieval Bengal devotional literature. Bengali devotional music, known as Shyama Sangeet, is sung in honor of Kali. The most famous Bengali festival is the Kali puja, held in the Hindu month of Ashwin (October or November). Kali puja is also known as Shyama puja or Mahanisha (big night) puja and is also celebrated in Odisha, Bihar, and Assam. Devotees throng the Kalighat temple in Kolkata and the Kamakhya temple in Guwahati, Assam on the day of Kali puja.
The important shrines dedicated to goddess Kali that are located in India are Bhimakali temple in Himachal Pradesh, Dakshineshwar Kali temple in Kolkata (Bengal), Kalighat Kali temple in Kolkata, and Shri Bhadrakali Devaswom Temple in Kanya Kumari (Tamil Nadu). Draupadi, the wife of Pandavas in Mahabharata, is believed to be an incarnation of goddess Kali. The Banni Mata Temple in Himachal Pradesh is dedicated to Draupadi.
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