Her skin, the colour of the inky tropical skies at dusk, is the embodiment of tamas. The usual aspects of the Kali iconography include the long garland of the heads of Adharmees She has just slayed, the skirt of severed human arms She wears that is an offering by Her devotees of their karma, and Her luscious tongue protruding out of Her mouth in a stance that is decidedly bloodthirsty. What makes this a signature, one-of-a-kind Mahakali is the ten crowned heads and the ten limbs each. While the composure of each of Her beauteous countenances is superbly fierce, it is set off by the sheer variety of weapons and ritual implements in each of Her intricately sculpted hands. With five pairs of legs to match, the deity is in the middle of a tandava ritual on a battlefield lain with vanquished adharmees and their fallen weapons, embossed on Her enormous shield. Her luxuriant, dishevelled tresses complete the iconography, a symbol of Her untramelled freedom (this lends Her the name, Muktakesi).Her form is characteristically naked punctuated by hints of shringar at the neck, waist, wrists, and ankles. Despite Her divinely fierce portrayal, it is impossible to miss the supple beauty of Her figure and the feminine appeal of Her sookshma features. Note how the third eye has been carved onto the temples of each Kali head in this Mahakali statue.
