Ma Shakti - the complete one

The season of faith has come. Every day the sun rises, defeating the befallen darkness to deliver us from evil with the light of goodness! It is that time of the year again when the good steps in to eradicate all the evil. Yes, it is time for Ma Durga to make her presence felt.

Ma Durga or ma Shakti as she is commonly known as, represents morality, power, strength, protection and much more to us mere mortals. She is the ultimate divine mother who protects us from the evil forces. She is the one to deliver us from jealousy, hatred, selfishness, and ego and of course, anger. Her very name ‘Durga’ simply means the one is inaccessible yet present for the ones she loves, someone who is invincible and the one who can redeem or free us from mires of the world.

Powerful and beautiful, Ma Durga is portrayed as the Devi with ten arms, sitting astride a lion, carrying weapons and a lotus flower. She is the embodiment of Shakti and energy. Mother to Kartikeya, Lakshmi, Saraswati and Ganesha, she is never seen without her children. But there is more to Ma Durga.

Durga – the warrior goddess is just one form of our divine mother. Borne from Vishnu, shiva and other powerful gods, she has many many roops. However, the festival of navratri pays tribute to her nine incantations – one for each of the nine days.

Day 1 – Shailputri

Day 2 – Brahmacharini

Day 3 – Chandraghanta

Day 4 – Kushmanda

Day 5 – Skanda Mata

Day 6 – Katyayani

Day 7 – Kalratri

Day 8 – Maha Gauri

Day 9 – Siddhidatri

Ma Durga is at once a powerful warrior, a loyal wife, epitome of perseverance, extremely brave, bringer of happiness and peace, but dangerous if messed with!

As a fellow Bengali, Durga pujo was and is, a much-sought-after festival. The very mention of this festival brings the idea of ‘new’ to my mind – a new beginning, a new approach to life, renewed vigor and of course, a stronger sense to stay away from the tempting evil. But Ma Durga is a lot more to me than just a festival.

I do not see her as a part of a religion. She is not Hindu, Muslim, Christian or Parsi. She is, as I have mentioned above, a source of strength to all – man, woman and child. A light of energy to help us do good things. Through the nine days and celebration of her nine avatars, she teaches us that there are many facets to life. The good, bad and the ugly are bundled up together. It is up to us to see, to choose the good over the evil. There is always a choice and we must make it.

#Sorry not sorry

I feel sorry for ‘Sorry’ – such an abused term. When you come to think of it, it is just a word, right? It holds significance in some instance and at times, it is a mere excuse. But we humans absolutely love it as an excuse, don’t we? I use this term a lot; I mean a lot! I think of myself as a kind being, and hence, if I happen to push or ignore (deliberate), I say ‘sorry’. I say sorry for things that may not need a ‘sorry’. I say ‘sorry’ to people I am not really feeling sorry for (don’t read this the wrong way). In short, I say ‘sorry’ a lot like I have already admitted. It is my ticket to moving on, a ticket to redeem myself for mistakes and sometimes, tinged with slight sadness (maybe).

But is ‘Sorry’ the right word? Mean, is it even appropriate? Like they say, first you commit the murder and then say sorry. What is the point of it? I would say nothing. Sorry – the term originated from the West Germanic term Sore that evolved to Sarig, meaning pained or distressed. It is also known…

I Wonder What Ants do on Rainy Days…

Source: Google Images
On days when the sun has abandoned us, hiding behind the grey, moody clouds. Do they sit inside their hills and wonder out loud? Do they stare outside at the rain, measuring the raindrops, letting thoughts splotch all over? Does the earthy petrichor take them down the memory lane? Or are they content with what nature has to offer? It is a part of their lives, isn’t it? They dredge up foods daily, diligently build their hills, even if it is to serve their queen, only to enjoy it on days like this, no? Maybe they do take stock of things, of their bearings. They ought to sleep it off, take a day to rest or do they lament on the lost time?
Unlike me.
When I gaze out, a gazillion thoughts fly by; some worthy of the pen, some so disturbing that I often question my sanity. I like the grey skies though. They seem like textured canvases waiting for me to scribble something. The lazy raindrops wetting the streets below and casting a temporary stain on window ledges bring a…

Celebrating Navratri? Stop now as we have no right to worship the female form...

Today my mom asked me to go get fall bidding done for her new saree. Navratri has begun and Durga Pujo is just around the corner. This year we are planning to go Pandal hopping on a Saptami instead of an Ashtami or Navmi to avoid the jams and the crowds. I will wear a saree too and my Punjabi husband will tag along for the delicious food.
In a multicultural household like mine, most festivals are a big deal, especially Navratri and Durga Pujo. But in the hullabaloo of festivities, we don’t stop to think of its essence – why do we celebrate Durga Pujo or Navratri at all. To celebrate Ma Shakti – a prompt answer from my mother. Navratri is a celebration of the nine stages of womanhood – a tribute to the power of the female.But to us commoners, it is a festival of dancing to the tunes of Garba or dandiya or Bollywood music. It is our turn to wear our best clothes, head out in the night, meet family and be merry. And once, this is over, the female form goes back to being what they always a…

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