The Bhagavad Gita is a sacred book for Hindus. I remember participating in the Bhagavad Gita sloka recitation competitions in my childhood. The Bhagavad Gita offers profound insights into personal transformation. It is part of the larger epic, the…

Lord Ganesha welcoming customers at the entrance of an Indian restaurant in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is a beautiful representation of the cultural significance of this deity in Hinduism. Lord Ganesha, also known as Ganapati or Vinayaka, is the…

This picture captures a moment of profound personal significance as I pray to Lord Shiva during Mahashivaratri after fasting for the entire day. It symbolizes the essence of devotion and austerity that define this sacred occasion, resonating deeply…

Puja is a religious ritual practiced in many Indian homes, including mine as an Indian living in America. In this ritual, lamps are lit as an offering to the divine. The light from the lamp symbolizes knowledge and the power of the sacred, while the…

We can get in our own way of belonging. I judge myself harshly that I don’t fit into any one category and get in my own way of belonging to any one thing. I judge others (even though I am trying to break this habit) before I enable myself to open up…

Distortions and internal conflicts and challenges that disrupt my sense of belonging. A fractured identity struggling to connect the pieces to the larger puzzle. Rejection, judgment, exclusion not only from others but especially myself. A sense of…

Mezuzahs are often found outside of doors in Jewish spaces. They are there as a reminder that you are entering a holy space and should act accordingly. When I am in my hometown, I see many of these. Being in a new environment here at GVSU with not as…

When I am walking home from my sorority chapter meeting on Sunday night, I pass by all of the church services happening in this building. I hear the large groups of voices, singing and observing their religion. I always knew that the Jewish community…

Many of you will recognize GVSU's Laker store and the kiosk to pay for campus parking. For me, this photo represents why I've struggled to really feel like I belong to any sort of broader GVSU community and why campus has always felt slightly hostile…

This is the concrete walkway that connects the English buildings to the rest of campus. I make use of it almost every weekday as I shuffle between my English classes in Lake Huron Hall and my history classes in Mackinac. It's invaluable to me, but it…

The Arboretum represents the most valuable thing the GVSU campus provides me: a space to learn, grow, and build communities. The Arboretum is essentially a park, a place for plants to grow and animals and students to congregate. It's simple places…

That small red smudge is a cardinal that had been resting on the vine covered awning outside the Arboretum. I believe that if you create the space for beauty and love, then beauty and love will flourish. Even if some beautiful things are fleeting,…