July 15, 2007 - Bhubaneswar, India

"She walks in beauty, like the night..."
~ Lord Byron

In India, each and every situation is unique unto its self. Each state, region, town, and even block may hold their own beliefs and ceremonies for a single deity. As the result, I have a hard time understanding each dieties true representation.

However, Kali and Saraswati have risen to be my favorites. They are the yin to each other's yang.

Kali is know for demanding fear and power due to her ravaging of men who defy her and then eating them alive. She is the goddess of the almighty, majestic mountains. She is usually depicted with windblown hair, crazed eyes, tongue sticking out, and a necklace of skulls from the men she has killed.

Saraswati, opposingly, is the mother of knowledge, culture, and the arts, and there is usually a statue of her found in schools. She is the goddess of the graceful, flowing rivers. She is usually depicted holding a sitar(guitar), sitting on a white lotus, with soft eyes, and well manicured flower-laden hair.

Both oppose and compliment each other.

Kali is passion, Saraswati is serenity
Kali is control, Saraswati is enlightenment
Kali is power, Saraswati is peace

Kali is mountain, Saraswati is river
Kali is the physical, Saraswati is the mind
Kali is earth, Saraswati is water

Together they are balance.
Balance.

Please note, my mother would like to clarify that my namesake is a Hebrew woman from the Bible, not a Hindi deity from Indian folklore.