Voice of chittan @ Dr Swetha Thiruchanuru

True growth doesn’t come from ease,it comes when challenges are sustained long enough to awaken our strength. Yaa Devi Sarva Bhutessu Vishnumaayeti Sabthitha | NamasTasyai NamasTasyai NamasTasyai Namo Namah || Here, the Divine Mother is praised as Vishnu Māyā,  the sustaining power of the universe. But what does this really mean? Preservation is not only about protecting life, harmony, or goodness. It also means sustaining ignorance, arrogance, and illusion until their role is complete. Why would the Divine sustain ignorance? Why would darkness be allowed to flourish? The answer lies in the stories we read, which are not just tales of gods and demons but mirrors of our own inner life. I would like to share a few among many from our sacred scriptures and ancestor's legacy... Hiranyakashipu’s arrogance grew unchecked. He wanted to be worshipped as God. Why did the Divine allow such tyranny? Because only in his downfall could Prahlada’s devotion shine. His arrogance had to be prese...

 Life often tests us in ways we never expect. There are moments when our confidence shakes, when the world doubts our worth, or when we ourselves lose sight of who we can become. Yet, in those very moments, someone steps into our lives with quiet compassion. They see what we cannot see. They look at a tiny seed and imagine the giant tree it can grow into. Such people, be it a mentor, a teacher, a parent, or a well-wisher, a friend,carry within them the essence of the Divine Mother. Their ability to believe in us when no one else does is not mere optimism; it is dayā, a compassion that nurtures, uplifts, and transforms. Navratri is a celebration of the many forms of the Goddess. In the Devi Mahatmyam, She is worshipped as the one who resides in every being: “या देवी सर्वभूतेषु दयारूपेण संस्थिता। नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः॥” ...To that Goddess who dwells in all beings as compassion, we offer our salutations again and again. When someone believes in our hidden strength, fo...

Namasthe Dear Readers,  Welcome to another sacred Navaratri Blog.... Today, I want to pause and have a conversation with myself on a theme that touches the core of self-transformation. As academicians and working women, our lives often feel like a delicate balancing act. We are constantly moving between teaching, mentoring, writing papers, attending meetings, fulfilling administrative duties, guiding students, caring for family, parenting, and at the same time trying to nurture our own health and well-being. The list feels endless. In the middle of this whirlwind, we begin to carry anxiety like an invisible backpack, always present, always heavy. Deadlines, expectations, and unspoken societal judgments add to this weight. And yet, we continue to walk forward, sometimes forgetting that the backpack can be lightened if only we stop to reflect, realign, and renew ourselves. And then there’s guilt. If we give our energy to research or go out of home, we feel guilty about not being fu...

 Namasthe to the voice of Chittan Readers. A happy Navratri to you all... Every year when Navratri comes, I too decorate my home, light lamps, sing bhajans, Parayana and enjoy the festive spirit. But somewhere in my heart, a quiet question always rises, why do we actually celebrate this festival? Is it just about rituals, or is there something deeper waiting to be discovered? As I reflected, I found my answer in the Devi Mahatmyam , a powerful scripture I keep returning to. On the surface, it tells us stories of the Goddess slaying demons. But if we listen closely, it reveals something far more personal, the Goddess we worship outside is already living within us. When I chant “Ya Devi Sarva Bhuteshu Shakti Rupena Samsthita”, I no longer feel I am calling on someone far away. I feel as though I am recognizing the Shakti already flowing in me, in you, and in every being around us. I have felt her as the strength that helps me rise after failure, after every betrayal and vulnerabilit...

 Today, while walking outside, I noticed a tiny insect crawling on the stones. At first, it looked ordinary. But when I looked closer, I saw bright red marks on its back. Such a small creature, yet it carried such striking colors. Image credit: Mother Nature's gift and Captured by me That moment stayed with me. We often try to fit into what others expect of us , their wishes, their desires, their idea of who we should be. In the process, we sometimes forget our own colors, our own truth. But the little insect reminded me of something important: strength doesn’t come from size, or from pleasing everyone. It comes from spirit , from daring to stand out, just as we are. Life may not always place us in easy surroundings. People may not always notice us, or even accept us. Yet, when we carry our true self with honesty and courage, we shine in our own quiet way. Strength isn’t in size. Strength is in staying original, in not hiding our colors to blend in. And when we live this way, w...

 Namasthe, Dear Readers!  I am here with another insightful discussion.... There are moments in life when the world feels overwhelmingly loud. Opinions, criticisms, expectations, they all rush at us, demanding that we measure our worth through someone else’s eyes. It is in these moments that our peace feels most fragile, almost as if it rests in the hands of others. But Indian ethos offers us a timeless reminder: true peace does not come from approval outside...it grows from strength within. One of the most powerful lessons in this regard comes from the story of Prahlada in the Bhāgavata Purāṇa . Among the ten avatars of Vishnu, the story of Lord  Narasimha stands out for its intensity and drama. A half-man, half-lion form emerging from a pillar to destroy the  Hiranyakashipu is a scene etched in our collective memory. But behind this divine intervention lies the quiet strength of a child.. Prahlada,   whose unshakable calm became the very reason Lord Narasim...