Abstract

            Gitgankali are the songs sung by the Goddess – Kali Maa’s reply to the classical Shakta poets of Bengal who continuously plead, cajole, complain to, or even accuse Her. But as the ultimate, indivisible reality (Brahman), Kali is beyond differentiation, beyond even time and space itself. She is the one who devours the illusion of appearance, destroys multiplicity and encompasses all contradictions within Her divine self. If She does not appear, it is because She is the very reflection of all appearances. If She does not reply, it is because She is the very echoing of every sound. In the end, even our attempt to forsake Her presupposes the act of forsaking, unavoidably invoking the Goddess we attempt, in vain, to ignore.