Book Review: Awaken the Durga Within by Usha Narayanan

Awaken the Durga Within
Author: Usha Narayanan
Publisher: Rupa Publication
Rating: 4/5

Myths can’t be translated as they did in their ancient soil. We can find our own meaning in our own time.
Margaret Atwood

Myths are religious accounts that are meant to give us a glimpse into the life of the Gods. But it depends upon our mindset and our perception to interpret the myths correctly and then deduce conclusions. When we absorb the essence of the things around us, it helps us learn and prevents us from viewing things incorrectly. There are numerous books about myths that expose us to those parts of the legends that lie hidden behind the façade of scriptures and Vedic texts. But seldom do these books relate with the present day lifestyle. ‘Awaken the Durga Within’ passes the muster as it empowers the readers to become stronger and imbibe the qualities of the various avatars of Maa Durga.

Women face a lot of problems in their life. Right from being accepted in the society after they are born, becoming educated, becoming independent to getting married to sacrifice their dreams and taking charge of the husband’s house- they burn the candle at both ends. In such times, it becomes important for all the women to bring forth their inner strength and take a stand for their aspirations and ambitions. While Gauri represents the tamed version of nature, Goddesses Durga is the mother of the universe; she is the creator and the destructor.
The book also throws light on the divine male powers that ensured that the balance between the good and evil prevails. Read this book to know the other (read practical) side of Goddesses.

Written with wit and subtle humour, the book does justice with the title and bulldozes the readers into accepting the fact that strength lies within their hearts. Overall, this book breaks the monotony of the mythological books and proves out to be a refreshing read.

Best wishes to the author!

Buying Link: Amazon