Bhairavi as Shamashan Kali in the Devotee’s V... Lot n° 28

Specifications: Water Color Painting on Paper 13.5 inch X 10.0 inch This exceptionally powerful miniature, a contemporary work but with a theme imbued with traditional ethos and character, represents Bhairavi appearing in the vision of an accomplished female Tantrika. Not engaged in any Tantrika rituals, and with divine aura around her face, flame of fire emitting from her mouth and crescent descending on her head, the female practiser seems to have attained such heights in Tantra-sadhana where she can summon any divine power, her presiding deity in particular, into her vision. Clad in tight blackish green and a skull-garland around her neck, seated in full ease and with wide open eyes the ‘sadhika’ – practiser, is absorbed in deep thought. As is commonly believed, summoning a divine power is not the same as summoning a friend. It every time takes away a bit of one’s life. The flame of fire bursting from her mouth suggests that in summoning the deity a part of her vital energies has been consumed. Round glowing face with powerful features : cute small lips, sharp nose, thoughtful eyes and broad forehead, the young ‘sadhika’ does not have a Tantrika’s rugged look. Her figure has been aesthetically conceived and romantically poised. The realisation takes place in the cremation ground where besides numerous burning pyres, dead bodies, limbs, skeletons, bones, half-burnt pieces of wood lying scattered around and a lot of smoke and flames of fire rising from burning pyres there also roam jackals and dogs greedy of human flesh. For enhancing the thrust the artist has identically conceived the margins on all our sides adding to dogs and jackals also the figures of monkeys, lions, crows and vultures. This vision of the goddess is largely a blend of her two forms, Bhairavi and Shmashan Kali, the divinity presiding over cremation ground in particular. Bhairavi, consort of Shiva as Bhairava, is often painted as red, the symbol of energy