Santa Muerte is worshiped as the goddess of death. She is venerated among Catholics in Mexico and Southern United States. Though the Catholic church does not accept Santa Muerte, yet the belief in this goddess is strong among the poor and also the drug mafia. Killings in the name of Santa Muerte are common and some time back two boys and a woman were sacrificed to this goddess and investigations are on.
In India the cult of the Goddess Kali who is one of the forms of the supreme goddess Durga has some tones of similarity. Kali epitomizes the nether world of blood and death. The cult of thuggery so rampant in Central India was based on worshiping the goddess Kali. These thugs had no compunction in killing lost travelers and then going to the temple of Kali.
Santa Muerte is in the form of a skeleton with a globe and scythe in her hands. The globe symbolizes power and the scythe the weapon of death. Belief in Santa Muerte means the follower realizes the inevitability of death and the fact that man must prepare himself for this inevitability. Belief in Santa Muerte is strong and at a conservative estimate there could be over 2 million followers.
The cult of Kali however is part of Hindu thought, unlike Santa Meurto which is not recognized by the Catholic faith. The goddess Kali is also having a fierce appearance with tongue protruding and weaponry in her hands. She carries a trishul ( tri spear) and a scythe. Thus both goddesses have similar appearance, which is fierce and awe inspiring.
Hinduism is a pagan religion with traces of animism. It is a deep philosophy that has many facets. The goddess Kali is part of the Hindu pantheon of gods and goddesses. Santa Muerte is a mesoamerican belief and is not recognized by the Catholic church. Earlier this goddess was worshiped in secret, which is not the case with worship of Kali.
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