For many people around the world (and not just Bengalis or even Kolkatans for that matter), Devi Durga and her annual celebration is an emotion. It is a time everyone looks forward to, not only to don their best attires but also to aspire towards their best selves. The woman in the idol emerges as the creator as well as the annihilator, offering innumerable perspectives that the entire spectrum of her roles has to offer. In adherence to that indomitable spirit of change and challenges, let me today share with you the story of a woman who defeated the demon, the ‘Mahishasur’ in her life, only to manifest an emancipated and empowered version of her ‘self’.
Gauri was pronounced dead. The caustic ‘C’ had already corroded her and all that could be done was an obscure surgical procedure involving chances of infection along with disgraceful modifications to her tender anatomy. The cancer had opened its belligerent jaws and was threatening to consume her being and becoming, a piece of information that instantly turned her tandem with life, topsy-turvy. The fortnight that followed was filled with interminable investigations and medical methodologies till it was decided that she would be operated on in a different city that proposed slightly hopeful prospects.
The surgery spanned over some twelve gruelling hours and more often than not, Gauri’s pulse paused while the feverish faith of her closest ones refused to falter. And all this while, the lady, who had led a rather silent life and had never stood up for herself, was fighting a fiend who appeared more potent than anything she had ever encountered. In the end, the woman lying in the ICU looked exhausted but emphatic. It seemed that like the Phoenix, a new Gauri had emerged from her past, and somehow, at that moment, she encapsulated the words of Samuel Beckett: “…you must go on, I can’t go on, I’ll go on.”
The next month initiated the course of chemotherapy, and gradually, bodily pain was aggravated by emotional turmoil. Gauri witnessed, almost like an outsider, the belittling of her beauty and brevity to the point she despised looking at or being with herself. But every time that happened, she reproached herself for feeling weak and wasted and promised to look forward. The perpetual probe, “Why Me?” got replaced with the audacious assertion, “I Will” as she spurned to be intimidated by the invisible inscrutability of life.
Till this juncture in her life, Gauri had responded to the stimuli called life but never reacted to it. She had let life happen but not leveraged it. Only when she was “on the threshold of being no more,” did she succeed in being more. Indeed, like our very own Devi, she attempted to annihilate the dark cells in her body and mind. Progressively, she improved, and today’s Gauri is nowhere even a silhouette of her circumscribed past. She has learned to live freely and fully, embracing her fallacies as much as her forte.
There are Gauri-s all around us. She could be a parent, a spouse, a child, a friend, a colleague, an acquaintance, or anyone we may come across anywhere anytime. In fact, these Durga-s (gender not intended) are at our doorsteps, waiting to be acknowledged and ushered in. They teach us how to destroy the demon, within or without us, sometimes by just terminating our scant selves and going beyond our finite interests. They motivate us on our very own journey of transformation and transcendence by offering perspectives and possibilities that are intentional yet inclusive. After all, we are liberated from our inhibitions and empowered to evolve into our most veritable versions only when we can massacre the ‘Mahishasur’ mercilessly. So, this ‘pujo’, let us pay homage to the true spirit of the Devi by facing our fears, overcoming our obstacles, and meriting our minutes to culminate in a future that fosters felicity and encourages emancipation. And while on this journey, let us share our Devi stories to initiate and inspire “the invincible” in ourselves and in others.
By Promita Banerjee Nag
An avid word enthusiast and content-churner, Promita is fuelled by novel writings, ideas and light-hearted banter. A teacher by passion, she treads the path of unequivocal learning with and through her students. Mother, music and ‘mishti’ mostly convince her. If you wish for a tête-à-tête, feel free to reach out to her at promita033@gmail.com.
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