Editorial photo #13132874 Religion and Belief
Chhinnamasta: The Hindu Goddess Of Contradictions And Tantric Practice
Chhinnamasta, also known as Chhinnamastika or Chhinnamasta Kali, is a Hindu goddess symbolizing both aspects of Devi - a life-giver and a life-taker. The Hindu goddess Chhinnamasta holds significant importance in both Tantric and Tibetan Buddhism, where she is known as Chinnamunda or Trikaya-vajrayogini. She embodies contradictions, representing sexual self-control and energy. The self-decapitated nude goddess usually stands or sits on a divine copulating couple, holding her own severed head in one hand and a scimitar in another. Three jets of blood spurt out of her bleeding neck and are drunk by her severed head and two attendants. Here, the Chhinnamasta goddess is worshipped with the playing of dhak, drums, and shehnai (a type of wind instrument) in a temple in Tehatta, West Bengal, India, on December 25, 2025. (Photo by Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto)
