Thought Lantern

  We organized an Essay Writing Competition on the topic "Channeling my Inner Durga," and our winners have amazed us once again so today we are going to showcase their essays in front of you so that you can also witness the magic of their writing wrapped in devotion.  2nd Place Winner -  Munvi Bhandari  Every year, we celebrate the victory of Goddess Durga over Mahishasura. We admire her courage, bow before her divine power, and rejoice in the triumph of good over evil. We worship her ten hands, each holding a weapon or an object that represents her extraordinary strength. But have we ever paused to wonder what those ten hands could teach us about the battles we fight within ourselves? We often speak of Ravana’s ten heads as representations of human weaknesses and vices. Each head reminds us of a flaw that, when left unchecked, can lead us towards our own downfall. But what if we looked at Goddess Durga’s ten hands as a reminder of the ten strengths we can cultivate ...

 We organized an Essay Writing Competition on the topic "Channeling my Inner Durga," and our winners have amazed us once again so today we are going to showcase their essays in front of you so that you can also witness the magic of their writing wrapped in devotion.  2nd place Winner -  Thakur Daivik Singh  Title -  CHANNELING MY INNER DURGA: THE QUIET WAR, RESOLVE, AND THE AWAKENING WITHIN: My earliest memories of Durga are framed in the celebratory chaos of autumn—the rhythmic, heart-thumping cadence of the dhaak, the sweet bitterness of burning camphor, the mist of red vermilion in the crisp morning air, and the towering idol standing majestic under the glowing lights of the pandal. Ten arms bearing celestial weapons, a fierce lion poised in mid-stride, a fallen demon pinned under a lotus-soft yet unyielding foot, and across her face, an incomprehensible, still serenity. As children, we were instructed to fold our hands, bow our heads, and murmur prayers for ...

  We organized an Essay Writing Competition on the topic "Channeling my Inner Durga," and our winners have amazed us once again so today we are going to showcase their essays in front of you so that you can also witness the magic of their writing wrapped in devotion.  1st Place Winner - Anushree Bhattacharya In a society that constantly demands compartmentalization — telling  women to choose between being soft or strong , artistic or academic ,  quiet or commanding —the portrayal of Maa Durga stands as a  radical , divine rebellion. To picture Her is to imagine the divine cosmic  energy or S hakti , which is radiant , fierce , & multi-dimensional . In  sacred traditions, Maa Durga is depicted riding a lion, holding ten  distinct weapons in her ten outstretched hands. But beyond the sacred  iconography & the festive vibes of Sharodotsav, those ten hands  represent something deeply personal & profoundly modern. They are the...

  Kumari. Bala Saraswathy D S is studying in Class 9 of St. Peter's Senior Secondary School, Kolenchery, Ernakulam. Apart from her academic activities at school, she is interested in writing poems and short stories, drawing, painting, classical dance and Carnatic music. This is the third occasion that she is participating in the Kavya Kaumudi International Multilingual Poets' Meet. One of her poems has been published in the anthology edited under the auspices of Kavya Kaumudi.She has so far appeared on many stages for music performances, like Chembai Sangeethotsav at Sri Guruvayoor Temple, Thyagaraja Sangeetholsav, Maharaja Swathi Tirunnal Sangeetha Sabha, Margazhi Sangeetholsav, Dakshinamoorthy Sangeetha Programme and the like. In classical dance, she has made remarkable entries at temple festivals. At the CBSE Kalotsav, Ernakulam, she bagged the third prize. She was awarded the Rukmini Devi Arundel Award during the recently held, 5th Ananthapuri International Dance Festival. ...