Art Print – “Raktabija Vadh”: Goddess Kali Triumphant over Raktabija

Provenance

Raktabija Vadh depicts Goddess Kali in her victory over the demon Raktabija, a story closely tied to Kali Puja, which is celebrated alongside Diwali in Bengal and eastern India. The composition sets the goddess against a deep red ground, with gilded spirals across the sky and a watching figure seated in an ornate pavilion at upper left.

Kali, blue-black and many-armed, strides across the fallen Raktabija, her long hair streaming behind her. She raises a curved sword, holds a trident and the demon's severed head, and catches its dripping blood in a bowl, so that no drop can fall to the ground to give rise to another demon. A garland of skulls hangs to her waist over an ivory and gold skirt, while two armed warriors with swords and shields close in from either side.

Red, ivory, black and gold give the work its intensity, with crimson drops scattered across the demon's pale body and fine gilded detailing on the jewellery and textiles. Despite its ferocity, the scene is composed with balance and ornament, presenting Kali as the protector who ends a seemingly endless evil.