On the special occasion of Navratri, Titeeksha Tawde, who plays the role of Netra in Satvya Mulichi Satavi Mulgi, shared which goddess’s traits she sees within herself. She said, “The goddess I see in myself is Skandamata, who embodies the strength of motherhood. I believe I have those qualities—nurturing care and looking after everyone around me. Another goddess I resonate with is Mata Siddhidatri, who possesses divine powers, and I feel that every woman is a part of her. Every woman has a fraction of Mata Siddhidatri’s power within her.”
“I never thought there was a need to awaken the power within me because I grew up in a very secure environment. But as I started going to school, I encountered strange situations—like a rickshaw driver adjusting the rearview mirror to look at me, and I would just huddle up, feeling uncomfortable. While traveling in the gents’ compartment of the train, men would shamelessly stare at me, and I’d ignore it, thinking that was the smart thing to do. We were told to stay quiet so that they wouldn’t get angry and react aggressively. But as I grew older, I realized that this silence only empowers such men. I remember an incident when I was in 11th grade. I was traveling with my family on a long train journey, and a man was staring at me inappropriately for the entire 8-9 hours. I was tense the whole time. As we reached our destination and were getting ready to get off, he became bolder and was openly staring and smiling at me. That’s when something inside me snapped, and I found the courage to shout at him. Before doing so, I alerted my family and explained the situation. Seeing this, the man panicked and ran to another compartment. That day, I realized that such people are actually cowards, and it’s important to stand up to them. I still follow this belief and not only stand up for myself but for other women too.”
“During Navratri, each of the nine goddesses has her own unique attributes. I sincerely want to tell these goddesses that the collective power they hold should awaken in every woman during difficult times—whether it be in intelligence or physical strength. Many efforts have been made to change societal mindsets, but self-defense is still essential.”
