Kalika in Hinduism

Dear Readers,

Kalika - more commonly known as Kali in modern Hinduism - is filled with symbolism, from the chain of skulls she wears around her neck, to the severed arms she wears as a girdle, to the blackness of her skin, and her long, red, protruding tongue. Taking this goddess and turning her into a heroine initially seemed a monumental task, but as I've studied her, my attitude has changed. Because she represents both time and reality, the worshipper's attitude determines if she is considered ugly or beautiful. For many, the passage of time is terrifying, as is the stripping away of self-delusions. For those afraid of the destructiveness of time and genuine introspection, Kali is ugly. For others, who see the birth and death cycle as beautiful, who aren't afraid to see the world honestly, Kali is beautiful.

And so, as I've been writing this novel, I've begun to understand how Kalika can be both horrifying and comforting and those are the attributes and dynamics that I've tried to instill in her character as she comes to remember who she is.

I hope readers will come to love Kalika as I have as she struggles to overcome the delusions that have hidden her from her nemesis and put all of creation into jeopardy. Her journey, in many ways, reflects are own.