Contemporizing Kalika

After some brainstorming, I decided to pick the Hindu Goddess Kalika, often called “Kali Ma” and referred to as Mother Goddess, great protector, mother of language. Her name comes from one of the names of the 7 tongues of the Goddess of fire.

She is the Goddess of Time, Change, Abode and Destruction.

Her mount is the Tiger and her weapons include a trident, scimitar, sword. She is presented as dark and violent. The way she is displayed is as she’s dancing on her husband, Shiva.

Kali Ma has no permanent qualities. It is believed that the concepts of color, light, good, do not apply to her. She is pure, unmanifested.

Physical features include 4 arms, black or blue skin, red eyes of intoxication and rage, disheveled, long, black hair and the iconic lolling tongue. She is often displayed either naked or wearing a skirt made of human arms, garland of human heads, accompanied by serpents and jackal.

There are several changes I’ve made:

1.     The way she dresses. The only garment she is clad in over here is a high-waisted “underwear” with a full-length translucent skirt. My idea of epitome of beauty is that she can cover what she wants to and not, what she doesn’t. And not only is it socially accepted, but also men don’t stare inappropriately.

2.     Jewelry. “Hindu Goddesses must be adorned with jewelry” She doesn’t have to, but she does, because she wants to. A simple nose ring as a cherry on top.

3.     Hair. While maintaining her extremely long, disheveled–state of hair, I chose to add my own kick to it and gave her (strategically placed) dread locks and also made her hair white because I think it looks really awesome on her.

4.     Feet. She wears flip flops because why not?

5.     Tongue. Her iconic lolling tongue doesn’t always loll.

I maintained some features as well:

1.        Her gorgeous dark skin.
2.       Her expression of rage.
3.           Intoxicated red eyes.
4.      The disheveled state of her hair along with the length.