Nine nights, and every version of me

Nine nights. Nine forms of Maa. And a beautiful reminder that we, too, have so many versions of ourselves.

I've always loved Navratri for its energy: the colours, the music, the endless dancing and, obviously, the jalebi, fafda and bhajiya! But growing up, having the Garbo at home, the aartis and those little traditions made these nine nights feel different.

This year, Navratri somehow felt closer to home. In the middle of a busy city, I found little pockets of ghar wali Navratri: the aartis echoing, familiar rituals, dancing together. That feeling, even away from home.

And somewhere between all of this, I found myself thinking about the many sides of who I am.

The little girl who still finds comfort in her mother's wedding saree. The woman who dreams big, stands her ground, twirls without a care, laughs a little louder with her sister, and finds comfort in the person she shares her life with.

All of them, equally me.

Perhaps that's what Navratri reminds us of. We celebrate Maa in her many forms, each different, each powerful. Why then do we sometimes feel the need to fit ourselves into just one?

We can be strong and sensitive, ambitious and playful, independent and deeply connected. All at once.

Here's to every version of ourselves: the ones we inherit, the ones we discover, and the ones we're still becoming.

Jai Maa Ambe! Jai Maa Bhavani!