Every year when Durga Puja arrives, I see the beautiful image of Maa Durga standing with her ten arms, surrounded by her children and defeating Mahishasura. We celebrate with music, food, prayers, new clothes and time with family and friends. But sometimes I wonder: What does Maa Durga really represent, and what does she have to do with my life?
The answer I have been thinking about is Shakti.
In Hindu philosophy, Shakti is the divine power or energy through which the universe creates, sustains and transforms. In traditions that worship Shiva and Shakti, Shiva is often understood as pure consciousness, while Shakti is the dynamic power through which that consciousness expresses itself. They are not really separate—they are complementary aspects of the divine.
That idea makes me see Durga Puja differently.
Maa Durga is not only a goddess we worship. She can also remind us of the qualities that exist within all of us.
Shakti is creativity
Shakti is the power of creation. Whenever we create something new—a painting, a story, music, an idea, or even a solution to a problem—we are expressing something of that creative energy.
As a student, I experience this when I am working on a project and suddenly have an idea that brings everything together. Creativity isn't only about being artistic. It is the ability to imagine that something can be different and then try to make it happen.
Shakti is courage
When I look at Maa Durga facing Mahishasura, I see courage.
Being courageous doesn't always mean doing something dramatic. Sometimes courage is raising your hand when you are nervous, standing up for someone who is being treated unfairly, admitting when you are wrong, or continuing even when something feels difficult.
We all face our own “Mahishasuras”—fear, insecurity, anger, doubt and challenges. Durga reminds us that strength is already within us.
Shakti is compassion
Strength is not only about being powerful. It can also mean being kind.
The divine feminine is represented in many forms. Lakshmi reminds us of abundance and generosity, Saraswati of knowledge and wisdom, and Parvati of love and nurturing. These qualities can be seen in ordinary life too—helping a friend, caring for a family member, listening to someone who is having a difficult day, or simply choosing kindness when we could choose otherwise.
Sometimes the strongest thing we can do is care.
Shakti is wisdom
Maa Saraswati represents knowledge, learning, music and the arts. At my age, learning is a huge part of life. School can sometimes feel like it is only about marks and exams, but real knowledge is more than that.
Wisdom is learning how to think, how to ask questions, how to listen and how to understand the world around us.
Shakti can also mean trusting our inner voice—the quiet feeling that tells us when something is right or wrong.
Shakti is transformation
One of the most powerful forms of Shakti is Maa Kali.
Kali can represent the destruction of what needs to end so that something new can begin. That idea is especially meaningful as we grow up.
Growing means changing. We have to let go of childish fears, unhealthy habits, negative thoughts and sometimes even old versions of ourselves.
Change can be uncomfortable, but it can also be necessary.
Sometimes becoming a better version of ourselves begins with having the courage to let something go.
Shakti is balance
Shakti is often understood together with Shiva. This reminds me that life needs balance.
We need action, but we also need stillness. We need confidence, but also humility. We need knowledge, but also compassion. We need to work hard, but we also need to rest.
Perhaps this is one of the most important lessons for someone my age. There can be so much pressure to achieve, compete and keep moving that we forget to simply be.
Shakti belongs to everyone
One thing I find especially meaningful about Shakti is that it isn't limited to women or girls.
Even though Durga Puja celebrates the divine feminine, the qualities represented by Shakti—courage, creativity, compassion, wisdom, confidence, devotion and strength—belong to everyone.
A boy can be nurturing. A girl can be courageous. Anyone can be creative, wise, compassionate or strong.
Shakti is not simply “girl power.” It is the divine energy that allows life to grow, change and flourish.
What Durga Puja means to me
Maybe this is why Durga Puja feels like more than a festival.
When I see Maa Durga, I don't just see a powerful goddess standing with her weapons. I see a reminder that strength can take many forms.
It can be the courage to speak up.
The creativity to imagine something new.
The kindness to help someone.
The wisdom to make a difficult choice.
The strength to overcome fear.
And the ability to change and grow.
When I think about Mahishasura, I don't only think about a demon from an ancient story. I also think about the things that can become our own inner Mahishasuras: fear of failure, pressure to fit in, comparing ourselves with others, self-doubt, anger, jealousy or the feeling that we are not good enough.
These battles may not be fought with swords or weapons, but they are real.
And perhaps this is where the story of Maa Durga becomes personal.
Durga does not remind us that life will never be difficult. She reminds us that we can face difficulty with courage. She shows us that strength can exist alongside compassion, that power can be guided by wisdom, and that transformation is possible.
As I celebrate Durga Puja this year, I want to remember that the Shakti we honour in Maa Durga is not only somewhere outside of us. It is also reflected in the choices we make every day.
When we stand up for someone who needs us, that is Shakti.
When we create something from our imagination, that is Shakti.
When we choose kindness instead of cruelty, that is Shakti.
When we find the courage to face something that scares us, that is Shakti.
When we learn from our mistakes and become a little stronger, wiser and kinder, that is Shakti too.
Perhaps that is the deeper message of Durga Puja.
We don't celebrate Maa Durga only because she defeated Mahishasura once upon a time.
We celebrate her because every generation has its own Mahishasuras to overcome—and every one of us has the potential to find the Shakti within.
This Durga Puja, as the drums beat and the lights shine and we stand before Maa Durga, I hope we remember that the divine mother is not simply asking us to admire her strength.
She is reminding us to discover our own.
The Shakti is within us. The courage is within us. And the light we are looking for may have been there all along.