Kali

                 A  

Chasing in the Dark 

DR. SUSHIL RUDRA Ph.D 

          Paper Back

Exchange Price: $5.35

Kindle Direct Publishing, India 

2nd October 2023

    DEDICATED TO MY READERS 

   PREFACE : KALI A CHASING IN THE DARK

We, the Hindus believe and respect our God and Goddess. Recently a controversy has been running in the media and Facebook – twitter when a film director tweeted a picture of her film ” Kaali ” depicting kaali smoking cigarettes. So netizens are not happy with it. They won’t take it lightly, specially political leaders and the people who are devotee of the goddess . Both of the sides are rigid in their ideology. Being interested, I’m writing a book on Kaali : A Chasing in the Dark. I shall continue writing my blog on this subject which is consisting of 22 chapters. I think that the readers would have been enjoyed this series of blogs regarding this evergreen content.

Our great Saint and Avtar, Sri Ramkrishna devoted his whole life for the service of Mother Kali. Sri Ramprasad, another eminent Sadhaka – poet of nineteenth century worshipped Kali as daughter. Above all, great Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda wrote a poem on Kali the Mother being overwhelmed during visit a Kali temple ” Khirbhabani ” in Kashmir. His disciple, Irish woman, Sister Nivedita was voraciously influenced by her Master, delivered a series of lectures in a public hall and also  Kalighat temple in Kolkata. 

On the other hand, some talented artists and so-called intellectuals painted Kali as a sexual famine. Goddess Kali and Saraswati are most often represented in art as a fearful fighting figure with a necklace of heads, a skirt of arms, a lolling tongue, and brandishing a knife dripping with blood. Indian veteran artist Mukbal Fida painted a naked Saraswati idol which hurt the sentiment of Hindus. Is it fair?

Recently a film Director made a film where Goddess Kali is seen smoking cigarettes. Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Tuesday said supporting the film director that Kaali for her was a meat-eating, alcohol-accepting goddess. Moitra said this while speaking at the India Today Conclave East 2022 and in response to a controversy over a movie poster showing Goddess Kaali.

 Although Kaali is an ancient and mythological Hindu Goddess and still Hindus regard Ma Kali as a creator of the Universe and Saviour of all mankind. 

We depicted in this book about the origin and development of thoughts and myths on Kali. There are 20  chapters which are titled by different names to identify the subject matter. Readers can open any chapter and enjoy it as a whole content. 

   I hope that this book will be a source of knowledge about the Hindu religion and the treasures of ancient India. Any suggestions and advice are always welcome. 

Kali

                   A 

     Chasing in

the Dark 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

• Introduction: Kali The Divine Mother & Controversy 
• Etymology: Kali 
• Origin – Legend of Kali Ma
• Iconography and Persona 
• Kali’s  Forms 
• Popular Form 
• Worship and Mantra 
• Kali: The Personification 
• Puranic Account
• The Role in Modern India
• In Bengal Tradition: 19th Century Saint and Poet 
• Why Kali? Why did Sri Ramkrishna Choose Kali 
• Kali: The symbol of death 
• Swami Vivekananda’s ” Kali the Mother ” 
• S Aurobindo’s view on Kali
• Kali as Source of Power and Divine Spirit  
• Sister Nivedita On Kali 
• Netaji Subhas: Patriot and  Sadhak Of Kali 
• Modern  Interpretation: Kali 
•  Kali Worship in Western World
• Reference  
• Final Words: An EARNEST REQUEST 

          CHAPTER : 1

     Kali: A Chasing in the Dark #CONTROVERSY 

We, the Hindus believe and respect our God and Goddess. Recently a controversy has been running in the media and Facebook – twitter when a film director tweeted a picture of her film ” Kaali ” depicting kaali smoking cigarettes. So netizens are not get it lightly, specially political leaders and the people who are devotee of the goddess. Both of the sides are rigid in their ideology. Being interested, I’m writing a book on ” Kaali : A Chasing in the Dark”. I shall continue writing my blog on this subject which is consisting of 22 chapters. I think that the readers would have been enjoyed this series of blogs regarding this evergreen content.

Kaali or Kali is the Hindu goddess of death, time, and doomsday. We worship Kali as spiritual mother. Our great Saint and Avtar, Sree Ramkrishna devoted his whole life for the service of Mother Kali. Sree Ramprasad, another eminent Sadhaka – poet of nineteenth century worshipped Kali as daughter. Above all, great Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda wrote a poem on Kali the Mother being overwhelmed during visit a Kali temple ” Khirbhabani ” in Kashmir. His disciple, Irish woman, Sister Nivedita was voraciously influenced by her Master, delivered a series of lectures in a public hall and also  Kalighat temple in Kolkata. 

On the other hand, some talented artists and so-called intellectuals painted Kali as a sexual famine. Goddess Kali and Saraswati are most often represented in art in different ways – either as a fearful fighting figure with a necklace of heads, a skirt of arms, a lolling tongue, and brandishing a knife dripping with blood or as a sexual feminine . Indian veteran artist Mukbal Fida painted a naked Saraswati idol which hurt the sentiment of Hindus. Is it fair?

Recently a film Director made a film where Goddess Kali is seen smoking cigarettes. Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Tuesday said supporting the film director that Kaali for her was a meat-eating, alcohol-accepting goddess. Moitra said this while speaking at the India Today Conclave East 2022 and in response to a controversy over a movie poster showing Goddess Kaali.

Being an Indian Parliamentarian, she  on Tuesday reacted to a controversy over a movie poster showing Goddess Kaali smoking a cigarette. 

“Kaali to me, is a meat-eating, alcohol-accepting goddess. You have the freedom to imagine your goddess. There are some places where whiskey is offered to gods and in some other places it would be blasphemy,” 

“When you go to Sikkim, you will see that they offer whiskey to Goddess Kaali. But if you go to Uttar Pradesh, and if you tell them that you offer whiskey to the goddess as ‘prasad’, they will call it blasphemy,” said Moitra.

Moitra said this while responding to a question about her take on the controversy over a recent movie poster showing Goddess Kaali is smoking a cigarette.

The poster of the documentary film at the centre of the row recently went viral on social media with several people saying that the poster was an insult to the Hindu goddess and hurt religious sentiments.

The controversy erupted after filmmaker Leena Manimekalai shared the poster of the film on social media. The poster depicts a woman dressed in the costume of Goddess Kaali. She is seen smoking a cigarette in the photo. Along with her usual accoutrements of trishul (trident), and sickle. Another MP said also that I don’t believe in hurting religious sentiments: Nusrat Jahan on Kaali controversy.

Moitra said this while responding to a question about her take on the controversy over a recent movie poster. 

The poster of the documentary film at the centre of the row recently went viral on social media with several people saying that the poster was an insult to the Hindu goddess and hurt religious sentiments.

The poster of the documentary film sparked outrage in a sizeable section of social media. Many even called for the arrest of the filmmaker.

On the other hand, Priyanka Chaturvedi says with protesting that freedom of expression cannot be reserved for Hindu Gods, on Kaali poster row.

She is Shiv Sena’s active member. She said that she was offended by the Kaali poster and pointed out that freedom of expression cannot be reserved for Hindu Gods.

Taking to Twitter, she said, “Freedom of expression cannot be reserved for Hindu Gods and Goddesses, while for the rest one must tip toe around religious sensibilities.”

“I am offended with the movie poster on Ma Kaali, respect has to be equal for all,” she added.

Documentary Kaali showing the goddess smoking and holding an LGBTQ flag triggered controversy and filmmaker Leena Manimekalai was accused of hurting religious sentiments.

The Madurai-born filmmaker had shared the poster of Kaali documentary on the microblogging site on Saturday and said the film was part of the ‘Rhythms of Canada’ segment at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto.

Earlier in the day, speaking about the Kaali poster controversy, TMC MP Mahua Moitra had said Kaali, for her, was a meat-eating, alcohol-accepting goddess.

However, TMC condemned the statement and distanced itself from the comment saying, “The comments made by Mahua Moitra at the India Today Conclave East 2022 and her views expressed on Goddess Kali have been made in her personal capacity and are NOT of party stand. 

Netizens have alleged that the movie’s poster is an insult to the Hindu goddess and hurts religious sentiments.

With Twitterati demanding action against its maker Leena Manimekalai, the hashtag #ArrestLeenaManimekalai began trending on the micro-blogging platform.

Shashi Tharoor backs TMC’s Mahua Moitra after row escalates over controversial Kaali remark.

Kali : Chasing in the Dark @ Indian High Commission in Canada

The Indian High Commission in Canada on Monday issued a statement on ‘smoking Kaali’ poster by filmmaker Leena Manimekalai.

The Indian High Commission in Canada on Monday issued a statement on ‘smoking Kaali’ poster by filmmaker Leena Manimekalai, and urged the Canadian authorities and the event organizers to withdraw “all such provocative material”.

In a statement, the High Commission said that they have received complaints from leaders of the Hindu community in Canada about “disrespectful depiction of Hindu Gods on the poster of a film showcased as part of the ‘Under the Tent project at the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto.”

“Our Consulate General in Toronto has conveyed these concerns to the organisers of the event,” read the statement.

“We are also informed that several Hindu groups have approached authorities in Canada to take action. We urge the Canadian authorities and the event organizers to withdraw all such provocative material,” it added.

Kaali controversy: Chasing in the Dark

Soon after she shared the poster, Leena Manimekalai was at the receiving end of online brickbats. Social media users asked the Aga Khan Museum, where the film was launched, to take it down immediately.

Meanwhile, the maker of the film, Leena Manimekalai, has urged people to watch the movie first before vilifying it.

Others said it was blasphemous and hurtful to religious sentiments. Some appealed to Home Minister Amit Shah and PMO to take action.

The maker of the film has urged people to watch the movie first before vilifying it.

“The film talks about the events when Kaali appears in an evening and takes a stroll in the streets of Toronto. Once you watch the movie, you’ll change the hashtag from #ArrestLeenaManimekalai to ‘love you Leena manimekalai’,” she tweeted.

The furore over the film Kaali comes at a time when there has been an international controversy over remarks made on Prophet Muhammad by suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. The row threw open a Pandora’s box and sparked debate over what is blasphemy and what constitutes freedom of expression. SWAMI VIVEKANANDA’S “KALI THE MOTHER”

Kali : A Chasing in the Dark # What We Feel

However, we are serious here to know about the goddess Kali. Who are this powerful super soul and divine mother goddess Kali? Why most of the Hindus used to worship her? Why does a man like Swami Vivekananda regard Mother Kali? Even he wrote a poem ” Kali the Mother “. We shall try to depict a clear picture of Ma Kali so that the readers can feel distinctly why we, the Hindus regard Kali as a World – Mather. 

To be continued….