Ladies of Lore

Ladies of Lore is dedicated to the women of mythology and folklore, from goddesses, monsters, queens, witches, seers, and everything in between.

Each episode traces these women from their earliest origins through their most famous stories, and explores how they change over time, shaped by the cultures retelling them. We explore how fear, power, desire, and control transformed women into monsters, muses, or moral warnings, and what those transformations reveal about the societies doing the telling.

From ancient myth to modern pop culture, Ladies of Lore looks at where these women began, how they’ve been rewritten, and why they still matter now.

If you love mythology, folklore, and wonder who benefits from the version of the story we are given, you're in the right place.

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Ladies of Lore

Kali: Devourer of Illusion

January 21, 2026 • India • Season 1 • Episode 48

Kali is one of the most complex and powerful figures in global mythology. In this we follow the evolution of Kali, all the way from her origins in ancient Sanskrit texts to her role as a liberating force in Tantric cosmology, colonial resistance, feminist iconography, and modern pop culture.

We explore her mythology, the duality of being both terrifying and maternal and her radical transformation across centuries. And through her, we examine what it means to destroy in order to start anew.

Cool Stuff Used For This Episode:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Kali

https://thegoddessgarden.com/the-hindu-goddess-kali/

https://kashgar.com.au/blogs/gods-goddesses/kali-a-most-misunderstood-goddess?srsltid=AfmBOormCHKWlUxn589YIu5MwQoE8efihmpgnC927hu_6yCCIxynyQ4U

https://www.hinduamerican.org/blog/ma-kali

https://www.kalighatkalitemple.com/article/id/230/history

https://artuk.org/discover/stories/kali-in-art-capturing-the-raging-goddess-of-change-and-destruction

https://dagworld.com/the-goddess-kali-in-bengal-modern-art.html

https://www.memeraki.com/blogs/posts/5-representations-of-maa-kali-that-will-leave-you-speechless?srsltid=AfmBOop2Ss5mPnQ4qhcM4Bs7rWXxCT11ALAdSb_rlPRSIURStXsWIGPv

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