Page:Life in India or Madras, the Neilgherries, and Calcutta.djvu/588

516 of the more popular deities. Passing through the villages, you reach a gate where are Brahmins ready to receive offerings and lingas of stone for worship. Entering by the gate into a court, you see a portico of stone, with a roof supported by pillars, and beyond it the famous temple of Kali. Its fame is not owing to its greatness or beauty, for it is both small and mean, but to the reputation of the idol it contains. This was shown to us without any hesitation by the attendant priests, and certainly a more hideous and disgusting object can hardly be conceived than that which the refined and polite Bengalis have chosen as their favourite deity. It stands within a small, dark, windowless room, but could be seen by the light of the lamps which were lit for the coming services. Larger than human stature, it is painted of a jet black. The form is that of a woman with four arms, one of which grasps a sword, and another a human head, held by the hair. Her hands and the head are of gold, and so is the necklace of skulls which surrounds her neck. Her girdle is of hands cut from her foes, her eyes are red, and her mouth streams with blood. She is represented with her tongue thrust out, and standing upon the body of her husband.