Kali

Kali is the dark, fierce goddess of time, death and liberation, the first of the ten Mahavidyas. She is shown with dark skin, a garland of skulls and a protruding tongue, standing on the body of Shiva in her Dakshina Kali form. She is worshipped in the Shakta and Tantric traditions as destroyer of fear and protector of her devotees. In Odisha, Kali Puja is held on Dipabali night, the new moon of Kartika, in homes and large pandals across towns such as Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.

In the Devi Mahatmya, Kali first appears in the battle with Shumbha and Nishumbha, when the goddess Ambika, enraged at the demon generals Chanda and Munda, gives rise from her brow to Kali, who is dark and carries a sword and a noose. Kali kills them and is thereafter called Chamunda. In the same...