Aditi and gang were dancing at ICC for a competition on the song "Jai Maa Kali". They needed an extra prop of Mother Kali's picture and tried enlarging a picture from the net at Costco but the resolution did not render correctly. So when Shilpa asked me to paint a poster of Mother Kali, I was so excited. She sent me couple of pictures to refer to and they were elaborate pictures of the angry mother. But in my own search, I liked a close up of the Mother's picture, just her face. So I used both sides of the poster board and on one side I painted just her face (above) and on the other side the entire Mother (below). Much as I tried I could not get anger in her eyes and I got a softer look. Secretly I am happy. All in 4 hours of work and some acrylics - esp orange, red and blue!
After I started this picture, I felt I should have tried just 4 hands pose rather than 10 but she had destined it already :) I left out the detail of Lord Shiva at her feet as I have to understand the legend behind the pose.
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, one of Kali's greatest devotee who saw her as ever compassionate mother said:
"You know I am a fool. I know nothing.Then who is it that says all these things? I say to the Divine Mother: 'O Mother, I am the machine and Thou art the Operator.I am the house and Thou art the indweller. I am the chariot and Thou art the Charioteer.I do as Thou makest me do. I speak as Thou makest me speak; I move as Thou makest me move. It is not I ! It is all Thou ! It is all Thou !'Hers is the glory; we are only Her instruments."
