Maa Dhumavati Maa (Sanskrit:
धूमावती,
Dhūmāvatī, literally "the smoky one") is one of the Mahavidyas, a group of ten Tantrik goddesses. Dhumavati represents the fearsome aspect of Devi, the Hindu
Divine Mother. She is often portrayed as an old, ugly widow, and is
associated with things considered inauspicious and unattractive in
Hinduism, such as the crow and the
Chaturmas period. The goddess is often depicted on a horseless chariot or riding a crow, usually in a cremation ground.
Dhumavati is said to manifest herself at the time of cosmic dissolution (pralaya)
and is "the Void" that exists before creation and after dissolution.
While Dhumavati is generally associated with only inauspicious
qualities, her thousand-name hymn relates her positive aspects as well
as her negative ones. She is often called tender-hearted and a bestower
of boons. Dhumavati is described as a great teacher, one who reveals
ultimate knowledge of the universe, which is beyond the illusory
divisions, like auspicious and inauspicious. Her ugly form teaches the
devotee to look beyond the superficial, to look inwards and seek the
inner truths of life.