What if a festival could teach us everything about women, work, and power?

I went to Kolkata, India during Durga Puja (inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in December 2021) expecting a spectacle.
Colors. Music. Pandals. Rituals.
But what I found was deeper. It shook me.

As I stood before Maa Durga’s idol, her eyes felt alive.
Not asking for devotion.
Not demanding rituals.

Silently whispering: "𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵. 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿".
I didn’t just see the goddess. I felt her.
In that moment, I realized:-
Durga is not only a goddess. She is a symbol of every woman.
Every mother. Every professional. Every leader.

In Sanskrit, Durga means “𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲.”
We also call her "𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗸𝘁𝗶": the divine force that rekindles the world when it forgets its fire.

It’s the same energy that drives women leading companies in New York, scientists in Tokyo, educators in Nairobi, and entrepreneurs in Bengaluru - women around the world.

She is every woman who:

- Faces fear with Sahas (courage)
- Leads with Shakti + Karuṇā (strength + compassion)
- Awakens her Antaḥśakti (inner warrior)
- Turns setbacks into Dhairya (resilience)
- Redefines Nārī Shakti (women’s power) every day

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗚𝗼𝗱𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗮 𝘁𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗺𝗲:

1. 𝗦𝗮𝗵𝗮𝘀 (𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆) - meet adversity with courage.
2. 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗸𝘁𝗶 + 𝗞𝗮𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗮 (𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 + 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻)- real power carries empathy.
3. 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗵𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗸𝘁𝗶 (𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿) - everyone has the power to overcome fear.
4. 𝗗𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿𝘆𝗮 (𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲) - no matter how tough life gets, keep moving forward.
5. 𝗝𝗲𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻 𝗨𝘁𝘀𝗮𝘃 (𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲) - pause, reflect, honor what matters.
6. 𝗦𝗮𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝗕𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘂 𝗦𝘂𝗸𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗵 (𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆) - strength is collective.
7. 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗶 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗸𝘁𝗶 (𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻) - empowerment is already within.

𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗮. 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘁 𝘆𝗲𝘁.

And that’s when it clicked for me:
𝗥𝗲𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗲 was never just a name.
It is a calling to help women worldwide rediscover their inner Durga, their balance of courage and calm, ambition and grace.
Every day we see returners reignite careers, close skill gaps, and lead with quiet, relentless courage.

Unseen. Unstoppable.

𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆: Festivals don’t just preserve tradition.
They remind us of identity, power, and reflection.
Durga Puja left me empowered, inspired, and connected to something bigger than myself.

This festival is not just about devotion.
It’s a lesson in empowerment.
If you ever get a chance, visit Durga Puja in India.

𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴.

👉 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂?