The master's thesis explores, interprets and analyzes the meaning of the worship of the Hindu goddess Kālī. Research through literature and sources focuses primarily on why believers resort to the worship of this goddess and whether this can lead to liberation from death and the human ego. Can the goddess lead them to liberation? It also analyzes the significance of iconography and the depiction of the goddess we witness through her mentions in myths and epics. Many authors present the goddess as a terrible, horrible and emaciated woman who lives in the area of cremation or lives on the edge of Hindu society. Most descriptions attribute to the goddess a slender appearance, disheveled and loose hair, all complemented by a garland of human skulls and a belt of severed arms. She is always associated with death, blood and destruction. Her faithful followers worship her as terrible and uncontrollable, but on the other hand, some see her in worship as a mother and themselves as children. Many pilgrims come to worship her and give her gifts in her holy city of Kālīghāt. Kālī, however, is more than just a goddess of death and destruction, as she helps believers transcend the idea of death and thus find freedom and salvation. Severed heads and arms signify renunciation and liberation from the ego so that we can reach final salvation after death and thus transcend death itself. The goddess helps us in this and guides us to come to terms with the coming death and get rid of the fear of it.
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