In this monumentally detailed brass goddess Kali statue, Maa Kali stands on an ornate ovular platform, decorated with lotus petal patterns. On the steady body of Lord Shiva, who appears to have reached the depths of divine consciousness, Maa Kali takes a dynamic stance, with one leg on Shiva and the other positioned on the platform. Discernible musculature on the legs of the goddess gives this brass Devi Kali murti a powerful appearance, which is enhanced by her Dashabhuja (ten-armed) form, with each of her hands carrying a weapon of destruction. An imposing crown adorned with exquisite motifs beautifies Devi’s visage, which has huge eyes, eyebrows curved with anger, a third eye, and a lolling tongue adding to the ferociousness of Mahakali. Multiple ornaments embellish the striking representation of the great goddess, whose sway over her enemies is underlined by the garland of skulls and girdle of severed heads wrapped around her waist. Piercing her enemies with a rage-filled gaze, Mahakali in this ethereal form is the exaltation of a mother’s love that willingly goes beyond societal rules and norms, all because of her warmth toward her child.
