RUDRASENA FOUNDATION

The Bhagawati temple also known as Sree Kurumba Bhagavathy Temple, dedicated to goddess Kali located at Kodungallur, Trichur district is one of the grandest and ancient temples in Kerala. Parashurama, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, had a vision of the Bhagavathy around 1km south of the present temple and he worshipped her as Durga offering liquor and chicken, and shifted the idol of Kurumba Amma found there to the present temple site. When he expressed  the difficulty of Sree Kurumba Bhagavathy Temple, dedicated to goddess Kali located at Kodungallur worshipping the same way in the future, Bhagavathy is believed to have told him to celebrate during the Bharani in the Malayalam month of Meenam. The presiding deity of Bhagavathy or Kali is a six feet high sculpture from wood, carved out of a jack fruit tree. The idol facing north is depicted with eight arms and carries weapons and symbols like sword, spear, discus, pestle, bow etc in each hand as well as the severed head of Dar...

Chinnamasta is depicted as a girl of sixteen years adorned with garland of skulls and necklaces of bones. She wears on her naked body a serpent as the sacred thread (yajnopavita) and she has full breasts covered by lotus flowers and strings of beads. but the most gruesome aspect of her is that she has cutoff her own head with a sword and holds in her hands the severed head as also the sword. The blood gushing out of her decapitated head sprouts in three jets. The central Jet streams into the mouth of her own head , usually held in her left hand , while the other two jets fall into the mouths of her two companions Dakini and Varnini - standing on her either side. Chinnamasta, in a single frame, makes a stunning presentation of varying and conflicting aspects of life and death; of self destruction while nourishing others;of death by violence and enjoyable sex; of gory violence spilling blood and smiling blissful face; death and destruction placed next to creation; of the joy of...