Wings of Wholeness! - By Sonali Sethi

Written By: Sonali Sethi

Category: Personal reflective Essay

Competition: Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

In her insightful essay, "Wings of Wholeness!", Sonali Sethi offers a profound exploration of gender roles, self-discovery, and personal growth. Submitted to the Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, this reflective piece delves into the ancient concept of Ardhanareeshwara, symbolizing the harmonious integration of masculine and feminine energies. Sethi's narrative takes readers on a journey towards understanding the essence of completeness within oneself, challenging traditional societal roles and highlighting the timeless wisdom within cultural myths.

About the Work

Sonali Sethi's "Wings of Wholeness!" thoughtfully examines the intersection of gender roles and personal identity. Through eloquent storytelling, she reflects on her own journey of self-discovery, ultimately realizing the innate balance of masculine and feminine energies within. The essay evokes a sense of empowerment and inner peace, encouraging readers to find completeness not through external relationships but through embracing their own dual nature, inspired by the symbolism of Ardhanareeshwara.

Wings fo wholeness!

Original Submission by Sonali Sethi

Wings of Wholeness!

Incomplete to complete

Stories in old culture from time and time immemorial continue to portray men and women in starkly differentiated roles and often stiffly defined roles. The man goes out to hunt, and thus becomes protector and provider. He descends into the world of the outside for food. The woman stays inside as nurturer and caretaker for children in the home. Such roles were seen as both natural and sacred, thus affirming an orderly duality in society. Yet today, at exactly the time when new roles are emerging, expectations for roles are changing. Women are increasingly associating both nurturing and protective capacities, whereas some men participate more intimately in the typically feminine roles of care and domesticity.

This is an important social phenomenon, but in some sense, it is a return to an ancient concept embodied in the form of Ardhanareeshwara: a deity in Hindu philosophy that best represents the integration of masculine and feminine energies into one, whole being. This figures of Ardhanareeshwara are often depicted as half-male, half-female entities, themselves integrations of Shiva and Parvati into one being. It has suggested that what the concept of Ardhanareeshwara states is that the two forces of masculine and feminine never become opposite but complementary in a sense that they together bring about wholeness. In this modern era, science has some interesting things to say about the old time view. Chromosomes carry within them particles of the masculine (Y) and feminine (X) genetic information. In other words, every individual is made up of a combination of masculine and feminine qualities, whether latent or expressed. This biological reality finds its parallel in the symbolic message of Ardhanareeshwara: that in every individual lies the full spectrum of human qualities.

Personally, my journey to this realization stemmed from a quest for completeness within relationships. Most people, believe and perhaps do think that happiness and wholeness will come about through the union with another, a partner who would fulfill roles they felt they could not on their own. This search led me through various relationships that had begun promises of completion and companionship but ended in instances of betrayal or disillusionment. My walk through those relationships taught me that searching for wholeness through another is a setup for dependency and the demise of one's actual self. Every time a relationship ended, I was hollow and had to relearn that something essential was missing in this illustration of my life.

When my son came into my life, nothing in my life as I would have ever even thought about it, was ever the same again. Holding him in my arms was almost overwhelming. I felt love that had no bounds, unconditional and without measure. I found within myself an iron fist to protect him, to shield him, yet gentle as the summer breeze to nurture and care for him instinctively. Little by little, I grew to realize that the love I loved him with was not new; on the contrary, it was a deep in connection with a love that always had been inside of me, a love complete. This love, I realized, was not conditional on anyone or anything outside of me. I was mother and father to my son, armed with those attributes that came under the nurturing terms attributed to women and protection that came attributed to men. And thus, in this duality, I became Ardhanareeshwara, housing all energies in one body. Now, the shelter, the provider, the nurturer, the guide.

From this journey, I learned that the wholesomeness I searched for in other people was something I had the power to build within myself. The integration of masculine and feminine energies within me was not just an adaptation to my life circumstances but rather a deepening into myself as a complete whole. I realized that I do not need other people for validation or to fill up any possible void or hole in me. This realization brought to me for the first time a kind of inner contentment that I had never known, a sense of being complete in myself, whole and undivided. This union of masculine and feminine within is not some ideal culture or symbol but a living experience that has the potential to bring about profound inner peace and resilience. The wisdom that resounds in the realities of human biology and psychology that we find in Ardhanareeshwara becomes a means to personal wholeness independent from further dependence on relationships as it reminds us that, being in any given situation, we all carry something inside that makes for completion, waiting to be filled with a union of roles, energies, and capacities. On this journey, I found my wings of wholeness grounded in the balance of all that I am.

About the Competition

The Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar invites participants to express their creativity and insight through various literary forms. This prestigious platform celebrates diverse voices and unique perspectives, offering writers the opportunity to share their work with a broad audience. Through this competition, Hashtag Kalakar continues to foster a vibrant community of writers and artists.

We extend our gratitude to Sonali Sethi for her powerful essay, "Wings of Wholeness!", submitted to the Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. Her reflections on gender, identity, and self-discovery resonate deeply, providing inspiration for readers to embrace their own wholeness. We look forward to seeing more of Sonali's thought-provoking work.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.