Riding a donkey, Kaalratri is often compared to Kali, with debate still ongoing over their distinct identities. Kaalratri, in her origins in the Mahabharata, embodies the horrors of war. Her larger legend unfolds in the Markandeya and Skanda Puranas, depicting her role in defeating rakshasas and symbolising the end of time. She's believed to be the eternal destroyer of evil.