Orissa Review * October - 2004 Goddess Kali in Orissan Art : With Special Reference to Shyamakali at Puri Santosh Kumar Rath In the history of religion mother worship Among these goddesses Kali is the first occupied a prominent place. The antiquity of and most important Mahavidya. Literally Kali mother worship in India dates back to means "Dark-complexioned One". According Harappan civilization. The discovery of to Mahabhagavata Purana, Kali as a Mahavidya originated from the fury of Devi several terracotta female divinities testifies this 2 Sati to terrify Lord Siva. According to fact. The Aryans also gave priority to the 3 Saktisangama Tantra, the Mahavidyas are worship of mother goddesses. Later on during linked with ten Bhairavas. In this way Kali is historical period Devi worship got wide linked with 'Mahakala Bhairava'. Kali is also acclamation due to the patronage of liberal known as Ratri Devi or Kalaratri. kings. They used to build several temples for worship of the supreme goddesses like Parvati Legend has it, that after her fight with Mahisasura, Devi Durga became extremely and Durga. In course of time many Sakta rituals angry and took the ferocious dark and festivals have been created for the spread complexioned form, assumed short height and of Saktism. Later on many religious texts based began to walk on the ground. This form of Devi on Shakti or Devi were written during medieval came to be known as Kali. With lolling out period. Till today Devi worship continues in tongue, she started dancing blindly. The gods full swing during Dassehra Festival held in and people in extreme fear appealed Siva for the month of October. help. Lord Siva realising the gravity of the situation lay himself down on the way on Among the several manifestations of the which the ferocious naked Kali was coming. supreme goddesses, her ten terrifying forms are In her blind fury the Devi could not see him popularly called Dasamahavidya. These ten and stepped on his chest. On the very moment forms are very popular since medieval period Siva's linga became erect and entered Kali's and also in modern age. The Dasamahavidya body. At that time Kali recognised her husband are Kali, Tara, Sodasi, Bhubanesvari, Lord Siva and pulled out her tongue in shame. Bhairavi, Chhinnamasta, Matangi, Kamala, This description of Kali engaged in reverse Dhumavati and Vagalamukhi. Thus mentioned copulation with Lord Siva became very in Chamunda Tantra. popular in texts and iconography. According to these texts her Dhyanas have been created. Kali Tara Mahavidya Sodasi Bhubanesvari The above mentioned description confirms the Bhairavi Chhinamastacha Matangi Kamalatmika / 1 iconography of Daksina Kali which is very Dhumavati cha Vagala Mahavidyah Prakirtitah// popular. 27 Orissa Review * October - 2004 Antiquity of Goddess Kali day of 'Dipavali'. Her Vija-mantra is krim. It Kali is regarded as one of the famous is to be noted that animal sacrifice is a special deities in India. The earliest reference of Kali feature during the worship of Kali. The present 4 can be found in the Mundak Upanishad. form of Kali worship is mainly based upon three texts namely Kali Tantra, Tantrasara and "Kali karalika manojabhaca sulohitaya ca Shyamarahasya. sudhumra varna sphulingini visvarupa ca Various Forms of Kali Devi lolayamanaiti saptajihva". The Vedic literature associates Kali with Devi Kali's position was raised to a another ferocious goddess Nirtti as both of greater height by seveal Tantra Sastras. According to Tulaja Tantra, Devi's well them are dark complexioned. But during post- 11 Vedic period Nirtti lost her popularity and Kali known forms are eight, such as Daksina Kali, 5 rose to prominence. According to scholars Siddhi Kali, Guhya Kali, Sri Kali, Bhadra Kali, Kali is the later form of Vedic goddess Nirtti. Chamunda Kali, Smasana Kali and Mahakali. The great epic Mahabharata also depicts about The Mahakali Samhita give the names of nine Kali. Goddess Chamunda is referred as Kali Kalis, such as - Daksina Kali, Bhadra Kali, 6 in the famous Durgasaptasati. It is to note that Smasana Kali, Kalakali, Guhya Kali, earlier in Hinduism Kali was not regarded as Kamakali, Dhana Kali, Chandi Kali. The text Tantraloka written by Abhinavagupta mentions an important deity, but later on she is 12 considered as a form of Durga. In Agni Purana about thirteen forms , such as : Kalisri Kali, and Garuda Purana, Kali is described as the Samhara Kali, Sthiti Kali, Rakta Kali, Sukali, furious aspect of Durga and worshipped for Yama Kali, Mrityu Kali, Rudra or Bhadra Kali wining wars. It is also described that she (concert of Virabhadra), Paramaraka Kali, resides in the cremation ground wearing a Martanda Kali, Kalagni Rudra Kali, Mahakali, garland to skulls. Jadabharata worshipped Kali and Mahabhairavaghorachanda Kali. The nine forms of Kali are described in the Tantrasara as the tutelary deity of the bandits. The famous 13 text Silapadhikaranam of South India has and Agamatatvavilasa of Raghunatha are as described her as the goddess of death follows : Daksina Kali, Maha Kali, Smasana 7 worshipped by the bandits. The Kinasariya Kali, Guhya Kali, Bhadrakali, Chamunda Kali, Stone Inscription of Cacca dated 999 A.D. Siddha Kali, Hamsa Kali and Kamakala Kali. 8 referred about Kali in her terrific form. In the Kali in Orissan Art Oriya Ramayana written by Balaram Das in Though Kali is regarded as an important the 15th c. A.D. vivid description about Kali 9 deity in Sakta pantheon, but her images came occurs. In Shyamasaparyavidhi written by into existence only from 15th c. A.D. onwards Kasinath in the year 1699 A.D., the first 10 when Dasamahavidya worship gained reference of Kali worship occurred. popularity. Kali images are less depicted in Kali worship is prevalent in whole India temple walls in comparision to Mahisamardini but it is very popular in eastern part (mostly in images. It is noteworthy that after the Bengal and coastal Orissa), next to the worship completion of deplastering work of Jagannath of Durga. She is worshipped both at home in temple at Puri, an image of Kali came to 14 her benevolent aspect and in shrines with limelight. She serves as an Avarana-devata. tantric rituals. Besides daily worship at shrines The image is carved on the western side on Goddess Kali is specially worshipped on the the south-west corner in the upper Angasikhara 28 Orissa Review * October - 2004 of the Vimana. The image is partially eroded. Another image is found at the base of the back Here goddess Kali is seen standing in Rahapaga of the Baliharachandi temple near Pratyalidha pose. She has dishevelled hair Puri. Here Kali holds a serpent. She holds a and wears a garland of skull. She holds a skull and a severed head by her left hands. She sword and an indistinct object (possibly stands in Alidha pose on the body of Lord Siva severed human head) in her right and left hands who is Urdhvalinga. Images of Kali as Parsva- respectively. Her image is flanked by devata are found in places like Palur in Ganjam attendants. Perhaps this is the earliest Kali district, Bhagavati temple at Sonepur, in the image as an Avarana devata in Orissan temple. Jagamohana of Samalai temple at Sonepur, Another image is located in the premises of Bausani temple in Phulbani district, Dhavalesvara Siva temple near Cuttack. Here Daksinachandi temple at Kantilo etc. Devi is seated in Lalita pose on a lotus under Goddess Kali as a presiding deity can which a corpse can be seen. In her principal be seen in several shrines of Orissa. In the right hand she holds a rosary and holds a sword compound of Kosalesvara temple at by her uplifted back hand. Her right middle Badakanjia in Puri district a two-armed image arm as well as all the left arms are broken. of Kali is worshipped as Rudrani. She is seen She wears a Kirita-mukuta and posseses a seated in Lalita pose on a corpse. She holds a third eye. In later examples when Kali images sword over her head by her right hand while 17 are standardised, many new things are added. her left hand holds a severed head. She wears A four-armed Kali image can be noticed in an a garland of skull. On stylistic ground this exterior niche of the Samalai temple at image belongs to 16th/17th c.A.D. Another Sonepur. Here Kali is depicted in dancing pose image is located near the Lankesvari temple at on a corpse. She holds a Kartri and a sword Junagarh, who is known as Bhubanesvari. She by her right hands while she holds a Kapala posseses four hands and is seen dancing on a 15 by her uplifted back right hand. She has placed corpse. She holds a severed head and a sword her left hand in the neck of a standing figure, in her lower right and uplifted hands while her other corresponding hands hold a noose and a who is Urdhvalinga. She possesses 18 dishevelled hair and wears Patra-kundala. skull. One rare image of Devi is noticed in a small temple at Laksminarayanpur in Cuttack As a Parsva-devata, the images of Kali district. She posseses four-arms and stands on appeared from 10th c.A.D. onwards. For Lord Siva's body. She displays Abhayamudra example the image of Kali as a Parsva-devata and Varadamudra by her uplifted right and appear on the ruined Bhimesvari temple at lower hands, while she holds a sword (now Pedagadi, dated to late 10th c.A.D. In the not in situ) and a severed head by her uplifted 19 compound of Samalai temple at Sambalpur a left hand and lower hand respectively.