Silence Is Not Weakness

Today evening, I went to Maa Samlei Mandir in Balangir to witness the Navratri celebrations. The temple was glowing with lights, the air filled with the chants of “Jai Maa Samlei, Jai Maa Durga”, and hundreds of devotees stood in long queues with folded hands, waiting for their turn to bow before the goddess. The idol looked majestic. Her eyes fierce, posture divine, radiating power.

But just outside the temple, I saw something that shook me more than anything else today. 

A group of men leaned casually near the entrance. Each time a woman or group of girls walked by, their eyes followed shamelessly. Some smirked, some whispered, and a few threw words that were too filthy to repeat.

I saw one young woman, dressed in a simple salwar, clutch her dupatta tightly and hurry past, her face turning pale with discomfort. The men laughed louder at her silence, as if her unease was their triumph. Another girl, with her father (maybe a student returning from tuition), froze for a moment, startled and disturbed before walking away quickly. Her eyes, her steps, her lowered gazes told everything.

And then came the most painful sight. A few of those same men, minutes later, walked straight inside the mandir. They stood with folded hands before Maa Samlei, eyes closed, praying for blessings and prosperity. I couldn’t help but ask myself...What kind of devotion is this?

What is the meaning of bowing before the stone idol of Maa Durga while insulting the living Durga standing right beside you?

The truth is simple but bitter: Durga is not just in the temple idol. She is in our mothers, sisters, colleagues, juniors at work, our friends, our neighbors, even in the stranger who walks past us in silence. To pass comments, to stare, to whisper filthy words, or to make her feel uncomfortable is not “fun” .It is an insult to the goddess herself.

A woman’s innocence is not weakness. Her silence is not your license. Her discomfort is not your entertainment.

This Navratri, Maa Samlei taught me a lesson without speaking:

The real prayer is not in front of the idol, it is in our behavior.

The real aarti is dignity.

The real diya is safety.

The real devotion is respect.

So before you bow before Maa Samlei or Maa Durga, ask yourself honestly... Do you respect her when she walks beside you?

Because Durga walks among us every single day. And yes, she is watching.

If you cannot respect the living Durga, then no prayer at Maa Samlei’s feet will ever reach the heavens.