 She is popularly worshipped as the goddess of war and patron of martial arts like Kalaripayattu.The black or red coloured Chamunda is described as wearing a garland of severed heads or skulls ("Mundamala").She is described as having four, eight, ten or twelve arms, holding a Damaru (drum), trishula (trident), sword, a snake, skull-mace ("khatvanga"), thunderbolt, a severed head and "panapatra" (drinking vessel, wine cup) or skull-cup (kapala), filled with blood.