Song of Kali by Dan Simmons
"Song of Kali" is a novel by the author that delves into themes of mythic evil within a contemporary context. The story follows Robert Luczak, a poet and journalist, who travels to Calcutta with his wife, Amrita, and their infant daughter, Victoria, in search of the elusive Bengali poet M. Das, who is believed to be dead. Amidst a backdrop of local lore and superstition, Luczak encounters a cult of Kali through Muktanandaji, who claims to have witnessed Das being revived by the goddess after a suicide attempt.
As Luczak navigates the complexities of Das’s mysterious new poetry and the conflicting narratives surrounding the poet’s fate, he becomes embroiled in a series of chilling events, including a harrowing visit to a temple of Kali. Tragedy strikes when the couple's baby is abducted, leading to a devastating discovery that deepens their trauma. Ultimately, Luczak’s journey culminates in a confrontation with his own violent impulses, as he grapples with the haunting legacy of his experiences in Calcutta. The narrative weaves together elements of cultural mysticism and personal despair, examining the impact of violence and loss while portraying the struggle for healing and reconciliation.
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Subject Terms
Song of Kali
First published: 1985
Type of work: Novel
Type of plot: Fantasy—mythological
Time of work: Summer, 1977
Locale: Calcutta, India
The Plot
Song of Kali explores mythic evil in a modern setting. Poet and journalist Robert Luczak is assigned to travel to Calcutta to find the great Bengali poet M. Das. Although Das disappeared years ago and is believed to be dead, new poems supposedly written by him have surfaced. Luczak travels to Calcutta with his Indian-born, British-educated wife, Amrita, and their seven-month-old baby, Victoria. They are greeted by M. T. Krishna, who introduces Luczak to a student, Muktanandaji, who says that he is an initiate into the Kapalikas, the cult of Kali. Muktanandaji claims to have taken a drowning victim to Kali as an offering and to have seen Kali bring that person, Das, back to life.
The Bengali Writers’ Union has a more prosaic explanation for the new work by Das. Its representatives show Luczak a letter, purportedly from Das, explaining how he had a life-changing experience that caused him to seek new subjects anonymously in Calcutta. In the meantime, Amrita befriends a young woman, Kamakhya Bharati, who introduces herself as Das’s niece. Police inspector Singh asks Luczak about his knowledge of the poet’s whereabouts.
Luczak receives a purported Das manuscript in the midst of a mob, and Krishna gives him a revolver “in anticipation of your meeting with Mr. M. Das.” At night, Luczak reads most of the poem, a “Song of Kali,” which is about the goddess’s reign on Earth. After threatening to accuse the Bengali Writers’ Union of counterfeiting the poem, he convinces its leaders to arrange an interview with Das. He takes a taxi to an agreed-upon location, then is escorted to an abandoned factory. There he meets Das, who is disfigured by leprosy. Das claims that, despairing of his disease, he committed suicide by jumping into a river but was revived by Kali. He urges Luczak to have his poem published in the United States, then requests that Luczak bring him some books and alludes to a poem that ends in suicide. Luczak, suspecting that Das is insane and being held captive, intuits that Das wishes to die. He places the revolver Krishna gave him in a hollowed-out part of one of the books he buys.
When Luczak meets Das’s representatives to give them the books, they insist that he accompany them. He gives the books to Das and is allowed to leave, but when his escorts hear gunshots, he is taken back to see Das lying dead. At this point, Luczak’s nightmare truly begins. Men whom he presumes to be Kapalikas subject him to a terrifying series of events. He finds himself in the temple of Kali, where he believes he encounters the living goddess herself. His captors take him from the temple, then Krishna rescues him in a breathless escape through the filthy streets of Calcutta. When Luczak returns to his hotel, he discovers that Amrita’s friend Kamakhya has stolen their baby. After a few days of agonizing waiting, they receive a tip that a couple detained at the airport has her, but when they arrive with Inspector Singh they find the child dead, the couple having stuffed her with jewels in a smuggling attempt.
The Luczaks return to New Hampshire to try to get on with their lives, but the haunted protagonist takes an interest in guns and impulsively flies to Calcutta. Feeling the song of Kali running through him, he envisions a killing spree in the airport, but he resists the urge to respond violently to the violence that has afflicted him. He throws the gun away. After his return, he and Amrita come to terms with their pain and settle in Colorado. The novel ends with the couple expecting another child.