What do you think?
Rate this book
Book of Kali
One of the most unconventional yet immensely popular deities in the Hindu pantheon, goddess Kali essentially represents the dark and contrary aspects of the cosmos. Her naked form and association with violence, blood and gore challenge the very concept of divinity. Yet, over the centuries, she has come to represent a whole gamut of conflicting images-from bloodthirsty ogress to benign goddess. So today while she is venerated as Chamunda, a deity who verges on the macabre and grotesque, she is also adored in household shrines in one of her milder forms, Dakshina-Kali. It is this evolution of Kali-from her origin as a tantric goddess to her metamorphosis into a divinity in mainstream religion-that Seema Mohanty captures brilliantly in this book. Drawing upon a variety of sources-rituals associated with the worship of Kali, tales from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Puranas, the Tantras and Agamas, folklore and films-she has succeeded in portraying in engrossing detail the myriad manifestations of the enigmatic deity that is Kali.
- GenresHinduism
158 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2004
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 1, 2014
At first, let me jot down something that enraged me very much!!
It's a tiny-tiny book, with near about 140 pages and a price-tag of Rs. 250.
Even after I received the book at half price, I was quite disappointed in the outlook of this book. I was like. . . .this is so tiny! And the myth of Kali is so huge in retrospect! What did they put into that? A bunch of popular stories and a couple of drawings! What is new in that! Why did I waste my bucks on this??
But now, after reading this NOT-EVEN-150-PAGES book, perhaps, I get the irony of the cover-picture! The picture of the Goddess with her tongue outstretched! perhaps Mocking Me, while I was judging it with my "NATURAL JUDGEMENT" . . . . . . judging the book by it's cover (size and thickness and relative price to be apt)!
Boy!! was I WRONG!!
It is literally like a compact and compressed book that compresses 1000 of information in those few pages. It's an extremely intense, vivid and acute book that requires you to go through several readings and separate understandings from each of the viewpoints the author offers to fully understand the import. From Kali's forms, to her manifestations, her tales and rituals of worshiping, her traces of origins from the pre-Aryan and perhaps Dravidian culture, and the metamorphosis the goddess went through when society wanted to domesticate her, and finally the wisdom she offers . . . . . it's really a great-read!! The book is really a beauty to read through. Based on the lectures and writings of the popular mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik and his unconventional and beautiful sketches, and the compilation his sister(the author) provides, it's a book that I am glad to keep in my bookshelf. There are also a couple of popular hymns, to Kali provided at last, acknowledging her, praising her, fearing her, and worshiping her.
The best part of this book is in it's CONCLUSION! Where, it succeeds in portraying riveting and fascinating details and the myriad manifestations of the enigmatic goddess. Here the author provides answers to the old-age stigmas, horrors and misunderstandings that are generally associated with Kali. Why is she dark and naked? Why is her hair unbound? Why does she drink blood? Why is her tongue open? Is she embarrassed of her behavior, or mocking the viewer? Why she looks so violent? and so many more! The different observations of the scriptures, legends and myths gives you a whole picture of the CIRCLE OF KALI, and the truth may set you free or blow-up in your face!
It helps you to decode the meaning behind the gruesome and grim, and help you to acquire the perception into the Hindu approach to the divine. Hrim, Srim, Krim!!
It's a tiny-tiny book, with near about 140 pages and a price-tag of Rs. 250.
Even after I received the book at half price, I was quite disappointed in the outlook of this book. I was like. . . .this is so tiny! And the myth of Kali is so huge in retrospect! What did they put into that? A bunch of popular stories and a couple of drawings! What is new in that! Why did I waste my bucks on this??
But now, after reading this NOT-EVEN-150-PAGES book, perhaps, I get the irony of the cover-picture! The picture of the Goddess with her tongue outstretched! perhaps Mocking Me, while I was judging it with my "NATURAL JUDGEMENT" . . . . . . judging the book by it's cover (size and thickness and relative price to be apt)!
Boy!! was I WRONG!!
It is literally like a compact and compressed book that compresses 1000 of information in those few pages. It's an extremely intense, vivid and acute book that requires you to go through several readings and separate understandings from each of the viewpoints the author offers to fully understand the import. From Kali's forms, to her manifestations, her tales and rituals of worshiping, her traces of origins from the pre-Aryan and perhaps Dravidian culture, and the metamorphosis the goddess went through when society wanted to domesticate her, and finally the wisdom she offers . . . . . it's really a great-read!! The book is really a beauty to read through. Based on the lectures and writings of the popular mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik and his unconventional and beautiful sketches, and the compilation his sister(the author) provides, it's a book that I am glad to keep in my bookshelf. There are also a couple of popular hymns, to Kali provided at last, acknowledging her, praising her, fearing her, and worshiping her.
The best part of this book is in it's CONCLUSION! Where, it succeeds in portraying riveting and fascinating details and the myriad manifestations of the enigmatic goddess. Here the author provides answers to the old-age stigmas, horrors and misunderstandings that are generally associated with Kali. Why is she dark and naked? Why is her hair unbound? Why does she drink blood? Why is her tongue open? Is she embarrassed of her behavior, or mocking the viewer? Why she looks so violent? and so many more! The different observations of the scriptures, legends and myths gives you a whole picture of the CIRCLE OF KALI, and the truth may set you free or blow-up in your face!
It helps you to decode the meaning behind the gruesome and grim, and help you to acquire the perception into the Hindu approach to the divine. Hrim, Srim, Krim!!
May 8, 2026
Full of inaccuracies. For example it says "the corpses of newborns serve as Kali's earrings. Kali thus becomes the explanation for the inexplicable death of newborns." But that is incorrect. The twin earrings of Kali are small embryos. This is because Kali likes devotees who have childlike qualities in them. That book also says that the garland of heads represent "men who have been sacrificed to her or sacrificed themselves to her" which is also incorrect. Kali does not require human sacrifice and theres no evidence of this ever happening. This book spreads colonial propaganda and an extremely superficial understanding of Kali.
June 6, 2019
How to do a short but compact god-biography right.
July 16, 2023
Awesome read
October 29, 2023
Amazing book for those who are looking for the background of the contrasting descriptions and beliefs about Kali and perceiving something beyond the traditional value system.
July 9, 2024
Jai Maa Kali
This book has helped me to understand the philosophy and practices surrounding Maa Kali. May She always protect us from all evil.
This book has helped me to understand the philosophy and practices surrounding Maa Kali. May She always protect us from all evil.
May 1, 2014
At first, let me jot down something that enraged me very much!!
It's a tiny-tiny book, with near about 140 pages and a price-tag of Rs. 250.
Even after I received the book at half price, I was quite disappointed in the outlook of this book. I was like. . . .this is so tiny! And the myth of Kali is so huge in retrospect! What did they put into that? A bunch of popular stories and a couple of drawings! What is new in that! Why did I waste my bucks on this??
But now, after reading this NOT-EVEN-150-PAGES book, perhaps, I get the irony of the cover-picture! The picture of the Goddess with her tongue outstretched! perhaps Mocking Me, while I was judging it with my "NATURAL JUDGEMENT" . . . . . . judging the book by it's cover (size and thickness and relative price to be apt)!
Boy!! was I WRONG!!
It is literally like a compact and compressed book that compresses 1000 of information in those few pages. It's an extremely intense, vivid and acute book that requires you to go through several readings and separate understandings from each of the viewpoints the author offers to fully understand the import. From Kali's forms, to her manifestations, her tales and rituals of worshiping, her traces of origins from the pre-Aryan and perhaps Dravidian culture, and the metamorphosis the goddess went through when society wanted to domesticate her, and finally the wisdom she offers . . . . . it's really a great-read!! The book is really a beauty to read through. Based on the lectures and writings of the popular mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik and his unconventional and beautiful sketches, and the compilation his sister(the author) provides, it's a book that I am glad to keep in my bookshelf. There are also a couple of popular hymns, to Kali provided at last, acknowledging her, praising her, fearing her, and worshiping her.
The best part of this book is in it's CONCLUSION! Where, it succeeds in portraying riveting and fascinating details and the myriad manifestations of the enigmatic goddess. Here the author provides answers to the old-age stigmas, horrors and misunderstandings that are generally associated with Kali. Why is she dark and naked? Why is her hair unbound? Why does she drink blood? Why is her tongue open? Is she embarrassed of her behavior, or mocking the viewer? Why she looks so violent? and so many more! The different observations of the scriptures, legends and myths gives you a whole picture of the CIRCLE OF KALI, and the truth may set you free or blow-up in your face!
It helps you to decode the meaning behind the gruesome and grim, and help you to acquire the perception into the Hindu approach to the divine. Hrim, Srim, Krim!!
It's a tiny-tiny book, with near about 140 pages and a price-tag of Rs. 250.
Even after I received the book at half price, I was quite disappointed in the outlook of this book. I was like. . . .this is so tiny! And the myth of Kali is so huge in retrospect! What did they put into that? A bunch of popular stories and a couple of drawings! What is new in that! Why did I waste my bucks on this??
But now, after reading this NOT-EVEN-150-PAGES book, perhaps, I get the irony of the cover-picture! The picture of the Goddess with her tongue outstretched! perhaps Mocking Me, while I was judging it with my "NATURAL JUDGEMENT" . . . . . . judging the book by it's cover (size and thickness and relative price to be apt)!
Boy!! was I WRONG!!
It is literally like a compact and compressed book that compresses 1000 of information in those few pages. It's an extremely intense, vivid and acute book that requires you to go through several readings and separate understandings from each of the viewpoints the author offers to fully understand the import. From Kali's forms, to her manifestations, her tales and rituals of worshiping, her traces of origins from the pre-Aryan and perhaps Dravidian culture, and the metamorphosis the goddess went through when society wanted to domesticate her, and finally the wisdom she offers . . . . . it's really a great-read!! The book is really a beauty to read through. Based on the lectures and writings of the popular mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik and his unconventional and beautiful sketches, and the compilation his sister(the author) provides, it's a book that I am glad to keep in my bookshelf. There are also a couple of popular hymns, to Kali provided at last, acknowledging her, praising her, fearing her, and worshiping her.
The best part of this book is in it's CONCLUSION! Where, it succeeds in portraying riveting and fascinating details and the myriad manifestations of the enigmatic goddess. Here the author provides answers to the old-age stigmas, horrors and misunderstandings that are generally associated with Kali. Why is she dark and naked? Why is her hair unbound? Why does she drink blood? Why is her tongue open? Is she embarrassed of her behavior, or mocking the viewer? Why she looks so violent? and so many more! The different observations of the scriptures, legends and myths gives you a whole picture of the CIRCLE OF KALI, and the truth may set you free or blow-up in your face!
It helps you to decode the meaning behind the gruesome and grim, and help you to acquire the perception into the Hindu approach to the divine. Hrim, Srim, Krim!!
June 4, 2018
for learning
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews