Nepal: An image of the Hindu goddess Kali, Bhaktapur, Kathmandu Valley (1996) (photo)

Kali is the Hindu goddess associated with eternal energy. 'She who destroys'. The name Kali comes from kala, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means 'the black one'. Since Shiva is called Kala - the eternal time, Kali, his consort, also means 'Time' or 'Death' (as in time has come). Hence, Kali is considered the goddess of time and change. Although sometimes presented as dark and violent, her earliest incarnation as a figure of annihilation still has some influence. Various Shakta Hindu cosmologies, as well as Shakta Tantric beliefs, worship her as the ultimate reality or Brahman. She is also revered as Bhavatarini (literally 'redeemer of the universe'). Kali is represented as the consort of Lord Shiva, on whose body she is often seen standing. She is associated with many other Hindu goddesses like Durga, Bhadrakali, Sati, Rudrani, Parvati and Chamunda. She is the foremost among the Dasa Mahavidyas, ten fierce Tantric goddesses.