Tibetan masks "Kali and Green Tara," wood, painted, fabric, with fastenings on the back. Tibet, 20th century.

Kali, or Dark Tara, is very similar to another aspect of the Great Mother, Tara. Kali is depicted as black or blue, while Tara is white and green. In the Himalayan region, especially in Tibet and Nepal, Tara is considered a supreme goddess or Buddha rather than a bodhisattva. She is called the Goddess of Wisdom, the Embodiment of Perfect Wisdom, the Goddess of Universal Compassion, and the Mother of all Buddhas.Kali is the great Dark Mother of India. Black Tara is a wrathful manifestation, identical in form and, undoubtedly, the source of the Hindu Kali. Like Kali, her headdress consists of grinning skulls; like Kali, she is black; like Kali, she has three eyes. Like many Tibetan deities in their wrathful aspect, she has tiger fangs, symbolizing ferocity and a frantic desire to devour the demons of the mind. Her aura, or halo, is fiery, energetic, and full of smoke, symbolizing the transformation of fire.

The Tibetan mask, transliterated in Tibetan as "Ba," is primarily used in Tibetan Buddhist religious dances and Tibetan opera or folk performances. For thousands of years, colorful masks in various forms have reflected the essence of Tibetan culture. It originates in the mysterious religious world of reincarnation, holiness, and eternity.Tara is invoked for help and mercy, whileKali Ma is neither good nor bad. She transcends these dualities, personifying the balance of life and death, creation and destruction.