Yaa Devi Sarva-Bhutessu Vishnumaayeti Shabditaa | Namas-Tasyai Namas-Tasyai Namas-Tasyai Namo Namah || I bow to the Devi in you, for each one of you is a form of Durga. Growing up, Navratri meant visiting friends' homes, chanting in chorus, matching our outfits to the color of the day, and relishing the prasad that always tasted better at someone else's house. But 2020 changed everything. Stripped of the usual fanfare, I discovered what this festival truly meant. Durga didn't descend from Mount Kailasa to destroy Mahishasura—she is the peak itself. That mountaintop symbolizes the zenith of Shakti, the ultimate power within us all. Born from the combined energies of Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwara, she embodies what we often forget: that power, knowledge, and grace aren't separate—they're one. Nine Nights, Nine Forms, One Journey Each night of Navratri reveals a different facet of this divine feminine: Shailaputri grounds us with the determination of mountains. Brahma...

There's a defining moment in our lives when an accidental virtuous encounter  becomes a beautiful part of us forever. An experience that takes you through an exploratory journey that eventually leads to the exploration of self. This could be anything.. a technological invention, education of some sort or an introduction to a form of art. In my case, I came across this experience in the year of 2015.  I  consider  myself a grateful beneficiary of being born into a family that has a deep inclination to music. During one of her visits to the US, my aunt had talked about the Havaldars and the glory of their music. As luck would have it, just a few days after her visit, the Havaldar family were scheduled to perform at the Civic Center, a hop, skip and jump from where I live. On a beautiful Fall evening, I attended this concert with absolutely no expectations at all. When I entered the venue, the artists were in the process of tuning the tanpuras.  The concert began w...