MahaKali
Body images only available upon request.
Mahakali is the Goddess of destruction, creation, and time. She gets all of it; I want to embody that. This photo series is my attempt at refinding femininity, beauty, and what society sees as feminine and beautiful. I would say this project is the project that is the closest to my heart. Mahakali is one of the Goddesses in Hindu mythology, and it has inspired me throughout my life. “Maha” in Hindi means the greatest, “Kali” has two meanings - time and a dark-skinned female. I infuse my cultural heritage and life experiences in my art. Everything after this in the statement is based on my understanding of Indian and Hindu Mythology. There was a time when the world faced the most evil and indestructible demon, Raktabija. “Rakta” means blood, “bija” means seed, and every drop of his blood that hit the ground would clone him. Only after all the Gods had tried their luck at defeating the monster with no success did they summon the ultimate powerful being - Mahakali. Mahakali emerged from the furrowed brows of Goddess Paravati, where her wrath formed, knowing about the devastation that the demon had brought upon the world. The Goddess's rage was so concentrated that her skin turned to the darkest color, representing her limitless powers, darkness from which everything is born, so dark and cold that it looked bluish. Mahakali drank every single drop of blood from Raktabija’s body, ensuring no blood dripping from the monster’s body reached the ground, hence the blood-red tongue.
Fair skin is often considered beautiful in many cultures worldwide, especially in India, but Kali has the darkest skin tone. She defies the traditional norms of beauty and femininity. Soft, submissive, and nourishing are considered feminine in many cultures. Kali also contradicts that: She is firm, bold, and destructive. In Hindu mythology, feminine energy is regarded as the most powerful. Looking at the deathless ruin occurring in the world, may it be war, politics, corruption, climate change, environmental harm, poverty, world hunger, violence (of all types and kinds), global socioeconomic inequalities, and the list can go on forever. I summon the spirit of Mahakali.