The dance of Kali is a famous festival of Bengal depicting the tandav dance of Goddess Kali. In the dance the make up of the performer is appears to be grotesque. The dancer wears a blue painted mask emphasising on the sclera (white portion of the eye). Much of red paint is utilized to indicate the flows of blood from the sides of the mouth and dripping down to the chin. The dancer holds a khanra, (Bengali curved sword) in his right hand. Another dancer plays the role of Mahadeva or Lord Shiva who dresses himself accordingly for enacting the role of a sannyasi. During the dance he enters the arena and lies flat on the ground. Kali then enters the dance scene and upon taking few rounds of the arena, she places her one foot on the chest of Mahadeva. In that posture she performs few simple and rapid dance gestures and then leaving Mahadeva she alone executes a vigorous dance form whirling around the stage. The dance continues with great aggressiveness along with the swaying of the sword. As the dance proceeds the rhythm becomes turbulent and the movements of the dancer acquires the form of a Tandava dance.

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