Maa Chhindmastika 2 Acrylic on Canvas 3X3 feet

Title: “Chhinnamasta” – Self-Sacrifice and Divine Awakening in Rounak Rai’s Tantric Vision

In this stunningly visceral painting, Rounak Rai brings forth the energy of Chhinnamasta Mata — the self-decapitated goddess, who stands as a symbol of paradox: life in death, ego in sacrifice, and bliss in terror. Through his characteristic fusion of tribal-folk elements and modern expressionism, Rai evokes the fierce and ecstatic reality of this goddess who decapitates herself and feeds her blood to her devotees.

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Visual Breakdown: The Divine Decapitation

At the center of the composition, the headless body of Chhinnamasta sits in dynamic posture — blood gushing from her neck in three streams, one entering her own severed head (held by her hand), while the other two nourish the two attendants or yoginis on either side. This act, gruesome at first glance, symbolizes supreme sacrifice, spiritual transformation, and the flow of shakti (life-force).

Her body is dotted — reminiscent of tribal tattoos or cosmic stars — showing her transcendence of the physical world.

Her skirt of severed arms is a visual metaphor of karmic detachment — action without ego.

The blue-skinned companions, possibly Dakini and Varini, represent desire and fulfillment, the two polar energies that the goddess controls and transcends.

Multiple heads, mouths, and hands multiply throughout the canvas, reinforcing cosmic multiplicity — she is all forms, all actions, and the void that holds them.

 

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Background and Mantric Field

Rai fills the background with intense repetitions of mantras like:

“श्री श्री श्री…”

“ॐ ह्रीं ह्रीं ह्रीं चामुण्डायै विच्चे”

“क्रीं क्रीं क्रीं…” — the bija mantra of Chhinnamasta.

These mantras are not ornamental — they vibrate visually, creating a field of ritual sound around the form. It feels like the viewer is entering not a painting, but a spiritual yantra, or a trance state.

The deep blue backdrop echoes the inner void — the akasha (ether) — from where all creation emerges and dissolves.

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Philosophical Symbolism

Chhinnamasta is the goddess of instantaneous self-realization, representing:

Ego-destruction: Cutting off her own head is a metaphor for transcending the mind and the self.

Power over desire and death: Even headless, she remains vibrant and alive, showing the energy beyond form.

Union of opposites: She is both terrifying and nurturing, violent and compassionate, erotic and ascetic — the non-dual state of Tantra.

Rai captures this contradiction with unsettling grace. The beauty of the forms collides with the brutality of the action, creating a powerful emotional and spiritual tension.

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Artistic Style & Rounak Rai’s Expression

His figurative distortion recalls tribal ritual masks and body tattoos, linking to indigenous tantric traditions.

The flat perspective and layered symbolism allow the painting to be read both literally and meditatively.

Rai’s deliberate exaggeration of tongues, eyes, and limbs makes the invisible power of Chhinnamasta feel viscerally alive.

This is not meant to be devotional in the traditional sense — this is esoteric visual philosophy, where the viewer is provoked into reflection.

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Conclusion: A Tantric Vision of Liberation

“Chhinnamasta” by Rounak Rai is more than an image — it’s a visual initiation into the truth that life is not about preservation, but transformation. Through blood, sacrifice, and fearless confrontation of the ego, the goddess shows the path to liberation. Rai’s painting doesn’t merely portray this — it becomes the path itself.

This work stands as one of the most daring and spiritually charged pieces in his Tantra Series — one that challenges the viewer to look beyond form, into the heart of Shakti.