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setting-sakti-free

Setting Shakti Free! – By Anuja Chandramouli, Author and New Age Indian Classicist

Bestselling Author, Anuja Chandramouli has written 12 books and is considered one of the finest writers in mythology, historical fiction and fantasy. Being an acclaimed Tedx Speaker and widely-read columnist for The New Indian Express, her mesmerising storytelling and oratorical skills motivate as well as inspire everyone to be the best personal and professional versions of themselves. Curious about the dichotomy between love and hatred evinced for the feminine, Anuja turns to mythology to light the way ahead.

PENIS ENVY

As a child when the fear prevailed, I would wish that I would wake up one morning and find that I had transformed into a real boy. It seemed painfully obvious to me that it was a different world for those who stood up to pee as opposed to those who sat or squatted to do the same. The women were the ones who usually slaved in hot kitchens, took care of never-ending household chores or ran after the kids, looking frumpy, dumpy, exhausted and defeated. The rebels among them tended to be bad-tempered, sharp-tongued and possessed of all the attributes that led to them being reviled as shrews, witches and worse.

The men on the other hand were cool, collected, generous when it came to buying toys and gifts or writing cheques for charities, full of verve as they joked around when they were not discussing matters of grave import as they returned from their shiny offices and sat comfortably on plush sofas, being waited on hand and foot by the women, they treated as serfs. To my child’s mind, it was hardly a competition – being a man seemed far more aspirational.

Fortunately, I never gave up on my feminine side, thanks to the powerful women in my life. Despite their challenging circumstances, they were not sad sacks who went through life in resignation, reconciled to constant despair. In their own way, they were strong, courageous, enablers of positive change and empowerment. They made me fiercely proud to be a woman and I grew marginally more comfortable inside my own body, though I still think monthly bleeding and birthing challenges are pains in the posterior!

JOURNEYING INTO THE HEART OF THE FEMALE AND MALE ENERGY

Despite my newfound awareness, I never stopped feeling like there were two equal and opposing forces within me, threatening to tear me apart. An endless tug-of-war between my best and basest impulses making me feel like a trapeze artiste swinging from one end to the other, knowing that a fall without a safety net to cushion the impact was unavoidable. Trying to make sense of this, I turned to mythology and stories, which were the constant love of my life. It was in this world that I first started to see the parts of a bigger pattern that offered a glimmer of understanding.

Perhaps it will be simpler if I were to tell you a story from a fabled age so far back in the beginning that it has receded almost entirely from memory and even myth. It was a time when chaos ruled the roost and there was no order. Everything was at odds with everything else and upheavals were endless leading to nothing by way of tangible results. It would take something truly special to set it all straight and restore infinite calm.

That was when Shiva and Shakti—purusha and prakriti—who embody all the equal and opposing forces in nature which are believed to be irreconcilable, found their way into each other’s arms. The two mighty hearts merged into a single great soul – Ardhanarishwara. Their union made it possible for opposites to co-exist in peace and harmony. This was a state of perfection that had gratifying results – light took the edge off darkness without seeking to subsume it, barren lands became fertile yielding rich bounty, love, compassion and hope took flight while hate, cruelty and intolerance hibernated. It was the best of times.

This state of perfection which Shiva and Shakti achieved did not last. It could not last since their union, perfect though it may have seemed, was far from perfect. It is the grandest and most glorious of paradoxes, they are never stronger than when they are together and yet their togetherness neutralizes their respective powers.  Which is why they had to be relegated to the opposite poles of existence, torn apart by a force greater than even love – practical necessity. But they can’t remain estranged forever either and will eventually find their way back to each other to claim the absolute bliss they have earned to make up for and to endure the next round of painful separation.

FINDING SHAKTI

Viewed from a spiritual point of view, we are the children of purusha and prakriti. Even from a scientific perspective, we were born of the contradictory and contrasting elements of chaos, which is why it is hardly surprising that it feels like light and darkness, love and hate, compassion and cruelty are pulling us in different directions from within and without, threatening to split us asunder. It is why we feel afraid, lost and bitter on most days when the endless ennui of existence proves too much.

And yet, though everything seems hopeless, hope prevails. It is possible to make the journey, irrespective of whether it is inward or outward, which inevitably leads to the same destination – a happy place where all things Godlike and demonic have found a way to co-exist. This happens when we are able to treat the good and bad, profound and profane that define ourselves as well as the world outside with a degree of detachment that is hard but not impossible to achieve. Once this state of harmony and equilibrium is reached, we will stop fearing the raw energy, potent strength and unlimited potential of the Shakti within and rather than seeking to suppress this unstoppable force or imprison it within the walls of a selfish heart, we can set it free…

The rewards are many for those of us who manage to soar on the wings of Shakti to a better place where it is possible to experience a sweetness that transcends the superficial pleasures we have grown accustomed to, forge meaningful bonds that will be able to withstand the unrelenting pressure of harsh reality, consume art and enjoy its inner meaning without being consumed by it, and finally, find a way to prioritize peace and fulfilment over transient joy and fickle ambition. This way we can be the most impressive version of ourselves by making room for the things that feel wrong because these are imperative when it comes to impelling us to do the right thing by us and the others in our lives.

AN ENDLESS JOURNEY

I can’t claim to know all the answers, especially when it comes to the ultimate paradox that governs our existence. But with every step, be it forward or backward or even if I am just standing still, I feel like I am not only able to understand the mysterious pattern woven by the wheel of time a little better, but also find it possible to let go and surrender to whatever awaits me around the next corner. By reaching out to others on this journey to an uncertain destination and back again, through intense dialogues, lengthy conversations, and spirited debate, all I know is that I feel less lonely and lost. By sharing my discoveries, I make new ones. And by trying to answer the questions of others, I don’t always find rational explanations for existential conundrums, but I do find something better… more puzzles to unravel, quests to embark upon and a life to live and savour, for better or worse.

It was faith and acceptance that set Shiva and Shakti free. There is no reason why it can’t do the same for us.

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With more than 15 years of experience in book sales and distribution, Debashis currently oversees Leadstart’s business activities in eastern India and neighbouring countries. He has previously worked with several leading book publishers and distributors.

Walid Jalal

Walid has 7 years experience in online listing & marketing Working in SEO firm & Publishing sector. He worked in a Restaurant as a Manager in Sharjah for two years. He loves cricket & cooking.

Jayati Sarkar

Jayati has been into literature studies and has pursued her Mphil in Australian Aboriginal Poetry from the University of Calcutta. She is an avid reader and her love for books has brought her to the field of Publishing. For years she has explored the other side of the book as a reader and now she works with Leadstart as the Senior Executive in the Editorial Department. Her work profile includes working closely with Authors, managing the projects from end to end and also working with national and international publishers for management of Secondary Rights.

Ashwini Jadhav

Ashwini has about a decade’s experience in design. She is a Master of Commercial Art, who has worked in the publishing and advertising sectors as a visualiser & designer. She was judged as the third best in the state, when she finished her foundation course in applied art. She is a practicing calligrapher in Modi Lipi (a script in the Marathi language) and is a Rangoli artist who has won several accolades in those domains. During the popular Ganesh Chaturthi festival, several idols of Ganesha in varying sizes get made, one the most important finishing touches to the idol is that of painting the eyes, which Ashwini has practiced to perfection and does it for hundreds of idols every year. In addition to the above, she is also a trained classical dancer, a national level Kabaddi player and loves cooking.

Ananya Subramanian

Graduation in journalism and love for books, led Ananya to take up a career in publishing. With her experience in the field, she has come to believe more and more in the power of stories and the people who tell them. She is a vegan and an animal-lover; and loves to dance, tend to her pet plants and often find solace in solo travelling.

T. Vijay Kumar

Vijay has over a decade’s experience in supply chain management working in India and the Middle East. He heads the production, supply chain and receivables management for Leadstart. Prior to his current role at Leadstart, Vijay worked in inventory management for five years, in Abu Dhabi.

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Iftikar has a decade & half years of experience across publishing and the banking sectors in the finance domain. He enjoys working on numbers and loves uncovering stories that the numbers tell. A fitness enthusiast, he loves trekking and travelling.

Maneesha Arun

Maneesha has an experience of over two decades in the content industry spanning over publishing, media and secondary rights business domains. She has a deep interest in psychology.

Mahendra Rawat

With more than a decade’s experience in book sales and distribution, Mahendra comes from a family immersed in the book trade. He worked with several book distributors and publishers before his current assignment with Leadstart.

RAJESH KRISHNAN

With more than 15 years of experience in book sales and distribution, Debashis currently oversees Leadstart’s business activities in eastern India and neighbouring countries. He has previously worked with several leading book publishers and distributors.

Rajesh Krishnan

Rajesh comes with over 3 decades of experience spread over various business domains. He oversees Leadstart’s business development & sales across southern & western India, Sri Lanka and Middle-East. His hobbies include dancing, trekking and travelling

Pooja Dutt

Pooja has over a decade’s experience in operations, sales and people management in various business domains. She loves to interact with authors and helps them meet their publishing goals. She is fond of travelling & cooking.

Bhavika Bharambe

After completing her MBA in marketing, Bhavika has focused on roles that helped her to become an experienced marketing professional today. She has worked for brands from various industries; Educational, Tourism, Retail, Entertainment, Airlines, Banking and more. She loves to spend her time by reading books and listening to music.

Naina Solanki

Naina leads the project management and author support functions at Leadstart Publishing. She is fond of being abreast of the latest developments in technology and is a keen learner of the six sigma methodology. She loves reading and travelling.

Preeti Chib

Preeti has a decade’s experience in brand and communication management with most influential and innovative media companies. She is passionate about building brands by translating consumer insights into product innovations and campaigns. She is a compulsive reader and considers a day gone without some bit of reading a day wasted. She loves reading stories to her children every night. A lover of visual art, to delve a bit deeper into the same, she took up formal training for design as well.

Malini Nair

Malini is passionate about Literature and Business Management. After her MBA (Marketing) from St. Xavier’s, she took up roles that involved sales, marketing, costing, MIS etc. in multiple sectors like Banking, Insurance, E-broking, and even the Steel industry. Eventually, her passion for languages and books compelled her to re-route her career to literature. This led to a career break and a Masters Degree in English Literature; post which she took up a role at Wordit CDE & Leadstart, enabling her to work towards both her passions.

Chandralekha Maitra

With two decades of experience as a book publishing professional, Chandralekha began her career as a features writer and columnist, working with publications across India, before moving into book publishing full time, with India Book House. She received her training in editorial title management from Book House, London. Over the years she has worked with some of the finest publishing houses in India and overseas, and across genres and markets. She has also worked with Osian’s-Connoisseurs of Art, India’s first auction house, gaining in-depth exposure to research and publishing in the fine arts-antiquities-cultural heritage genres. Additionally she has had a parallel, specialist career in Human Resources, working at Group HR, Tata Group, among others. She continues to write, train and mentor in this domain as her publishing commitments allow.

Raj Supe

Aka Kinkar Vishwashreyananda, Raj Supe is a poet, storyteller and novelist, as well as a seeker and devotee of Sri Sitaramdas Omkarnath. An MBA by education, his career spanned advertising, research and creative consulting, before devoting his time to literature and spirituality. His works include Three No Trumps (novel), Sagarika Anusagarika [Echoes of Nine Rivers] (poetry), Pilgrim of the Sky (spiritual memoir), and translations of religious texts such as Cloudburst of A Thousand Suns and Jai Jai Ram Krishna Hari. He has also worked on film scripts with Ram Gopal Verma and Ashutosh Gowariker, and on plays with Makarand Deshpande.

Dr. Rabindra Kumar Nanda

An alumnus of IIT Kanpur, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and Stanford University, Dr Nanda is also a National Science Talent Search Scholar. He holds five Patents and is a published author of 50 national and 52 international research papers.

Swarup Nanda

Swarup has over a decade and half’s experience in multiple business domains related to content. Prior to his entrepreneurial ventures, he has worked with a couple of MNCs in the media space. His passion for literature and books is his motivation for building Leadstart.