MetaMuseum: The Madness Lady

The Madness Lady is a legend about a kind and sweet woman who was once abandoned by the love of her life without ever knowing why and this slowly drove her mad. She became a recluse, living in her own world and seeing things that weren't there. The only thing that brought her any joy was setting things on fire. She started with small things, like candles and pieces of paper, but eventually moved on to bigger things. She loved the feeling of the flames licking at her skin and the smell of burning flesh. The Madness Lady became a pyromaniac, and the only thing she cared about was setting the world ablaze around her. It is said that this legend was told in India for children not to play with fire. There was the custom of making statues of the Madness Lady made in orange or reddish glass to remember the fire that she worshiped so much, as the legend caused curiosity of many. Some believed that touching the statue would protect them from fire. Others said she healed burns.