Goddess Dakshina Kali - Brass 12 inch

A custom-made brass Kali murti, 12 inches tall with its prabhavali, in the Dakshina Kali form worshipped across Bengal. The Devi stands on Shiva, four-armed, holding the khadga and a severed head in her left hands, her right hands in abhaya and varada mudra. She wears the mundamala and is crowned beneath an arched prabhavali. Each murti is made to order by artisans in West Bengal and finished with angaraag (অঙ্গরাগ), the traditional Bengali colouring of the murti. Basic angaraag, as in the photographs, is included in the price.

Quick facts

• Deity: Ma Kali, in the Dakshina Kali form
• Material: brass
• Height: 12 inches, including the prabhavali
• Weight: 3.57 kg
• Finish: basic angaraag (Bengali-style colouring), included in the price
• Customisation: angaraag of your choice, quoted separately
• Making: custom made to order by artisans in West Bengal
• Dispatch: within 2–3 weeks; up to 2 months with angaraag of your choice
• Origin: India

Angaraag: Bengali-style colouring

In Bengal a Kali murti is traditionally brought to life with colour, a practice called angaraag (অঙ্গরাগ), literally “colouring of the form”. The eyes, the third eye and the tongue, the mundamala, the ornaments and the base are painted by hand while the brass shows through.

• Basic angaraag: the colouring shown in the photographs, included in the listed price.
• Angaraag of your choice: a fuller or different style of colouring, made to your request. Its cost depends on the work and is quoted and charged separately. Photographs of the murti are shared with you while the work is in progress, and a custom murti can take up to 2 months. Contact us to discuss the angaraag you have in mind.

The iconography of Dakshina Kali

Kali is the first of the Dasa Mahavidya, the ten great forms of the Devi in Shakta Tantra, and Dakshina Kali is the form most widely worshipped in Bengal. Each element of the murti carries meaning in the tradition:

• Khadga (sword): the knowledge that cuts through ignorance
• Severed head: the ego, cut away
• Abhaya and varada mudra: freedom from fear, and the granting of boons to the devotee
• Mundamala: the garland of heads, read in Tantra as the letters of the Sanskrit alphabet, the sound from which creation unfolds
• Shiva beneath her feet: pure consciousness, through which Shakti, as power, acts
• Third eye: wisdom beyond the senses
• Prabhavali: the arch of radiance that frames the Devi

For worship

• Kali Puja (Shyama Puja): on the new moon night of Kartik, when Kali is worshipped across Bengal
• Amavasya and daily puja: at the home mandir or in the temple
• Tantrik Shakti puja: the worship of Kali as the Adi Mahavidya, and Dasa Mahavidya sadhana

Made to order

Each murti is custom made and is dispatched within 2–3 weeks of your order; with angaraag of your choice, it can take up to 2 months. Delivery time is in addition to this. Because every murti is cast and painted by hand, small variations in finish and colour are part of every piece.

Care

• Wipe the painted areas only with a soft, dry cloth; water and cleaning powders will lift the angaraag.
• Brass naturally darkens over time. Unpainted brass can be brightened with a little pitambari powder on a soft cloth, keeping clear of the paint.
• Avoid harsh detergents and steel scrubbers, which scratch the surface.

Frequently asked questions

Which form of Kali is this murti?

It is Dakshina Kali, the four-armed form worshipped across Bengal: standing on Shiva, with the khadga and a severed head in her left hands and her right hands in abhaya and varada mudra.

How big is the Kali murti?

It stands 12 inches tall including the prabhavali, and weighs 3.57 kg.

What is angaraag?

Angaraag (অঙ্গরাগ) is the traditional Bengali colouring of a murti: its eyes, tongue, mundamala, ornaments and base are painted by hand while the brass shows through. Basic angaraag, as in the photographs, is included in the price.

Can I choose a different angaraag?

Yes. Angaraag of your choice is made to your request; its cost depends on the work and is quoted and charged separately. Photographs are shared while the work is in progress, and a custom murti can take up to 2 months.

Is each Kali murti made to order?

Yes. Every murti is custom made by artisans in West Bengal.

How long does the Kali murti take to dispatch?

A murti with basic angaraag is dispatched within 2–3 weeks of your order. With angaraag of your choice, it can take up to 2 months. Delivery time is in addition to this.

Can this murti be used for Kali Puja at home?

Yes. At 12 inches it suits a home mandir, and can be worshipped for Kali Puja, on Amavasya and in daily puja.

How do I clean a brass Kali murti with angaraag?

Wipe it with a soft, dry cloth. Keep water and cleaning powders away from the painted areas; unpainted brass can be brightened with a little pitambari powder on a cloth.