Kālī (/ˈkɑːli/; Sanskrit: काली, IPA: [kɑːliː]), also known as Kālikā (Sanskrit: कालठका), is the Hindu goddess associated with empowerment, shakti. She is the fierce aspect of the goddess Durga
(Parvati).[1] The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death: Shiva. Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time - the name of Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or
"Death" (as in "time has come"). Hence, Kāli is the Goddess of Time and Change. Although sometimes presented as dark and violent, her earliest incarnation as a figure of annihilation of evil forces
still has some influence. Various Shakta Hindu cosmologies, as well as Shākta Tantric beliefs, worship her as the ultimate reality or Brahman. Comparatively recent devotional movements largely
conceive Kāli as a benevolent mother goddess.[2] Kālī is represented as the consort of Lord Shiva, on whose body she is often seen standing. Shiva lies in the path of Kali, whose foot on Shiva
subdues her anger.Kali is also a central figure in late medieval Bengali devotional literature, with such devotees as Ramprasad Sen (1718 - 75). With the exception of being associated with Parvati as
Shiva's consort, Kāli is rarely pictured in Hindu legends and iconography as a motherly figure until Bengali devotions beginning in the early eighteenth century. Even in Bengāli tradition her
appearance and habits change little, if at all.The Tantric approach to Kāli is to display courage by confronting her on cremation grounds in the dead of night, despite her terrible appearance. In
contrast, the Bengali devotee appropriates Kāli's teachings adopting the attitude of a child, coming to love her unreservedly. In both cases, the goal of the devotee is to become reconciled with
death and to learn acceptance of the way that things are. These themes are well addressed in Rāmprasād's work.[17] Rāmprasād comments in many of his other songs that Kāli is indifferent to his
wellbeing, causes him to suffer, brings his worldly desires to nothing and his worldly goods to ruin. He also states that she does not behave like a mother should and that she ignores his pleas:
Can mercy be found in the heart of her who was born of the stone? [a reference to Kali as the daughter of Himalaya] Were she not merciless, would she kick the breast of her lord?
Men call you merciful, but there is no trace of mercy in you, Mother.
You have cut off the heads of the children of others, and these you wear as a garland around your neck.
It matters not how much I call you "Mother, Mother." You hear me, but you will not listen.
To be a child of Kāli, Rāmprasād asserts, is to be denied of earthly delights and pleasures. Kāli is said to refrain from giving that which is expected. To the devotee, it is perhaps her very refusal
to do so that enables her devotees to reflect on dimensions of themselves and of reality that go beyond the material world.
A significant portion of Bengali devotional music features Kāli as its central theme and is known as Shyama Sangeet ("Music of the Night"). Mostly sung by male vocalists, today even women have taken
to this form of music. One of the finest singers of Shyāma Sāngeet is Pannalal Bhattacharya. In Bengal, Kāli is venerated in the festival Kali Puja, the new moon day of Ashwin month which coincides
with Diwali festival.In a unique form of Kāli worship, Shantipur worships Kāli in the form of a hand painted image of the deity known as Poteshwari (meaning the deity drawn on a piece of cloth).
This application is a collection of Bengali devotional songs known as Shyamasangeet sung for this Goddess.
