My parents were very unusual. They were pro-women and

The words of Anoushka Shankar, when she reflected, “My parents were very unusual. They were pro-women and independence, and they wanted me to have my own career. And because of my lineage, every door was opened for me,” resound with the music of gratitude and awareness — the recognition that freedom, heritage, and opportunity are gifts not to be hoarded, but to be honored and used with purpose. In her voice, one hears the soft wisdom of one who has walked in the light of privilege, yet sees clearly the shadow it casts for those who have not been as blessed. It is a meditation on the sacred bond between the past and the present, between what we are given and what we must create.

In her words lies the first truth — that independence, when nurtured by love and belief, can bloom into greatness. To have parents who see not the limits of their daughter but the boundless horizon of her spirit is a rare fortune. For through their vision, she inherited not only talent but courage — the courage to step forward, to work, to make mistakes, and to rise again. Anoushka Shankar, born to the lineage of the legendary Ravi Shankar, could have rested in comfort, basking in the glow of her father’s name. Yet she chose instead to labor under that light, to shape her own sound, her own voice, her own place in the world of art. That is the mark of true independence — not to reject one’s roots, but to grow from them, as a tree grows upward even as it draws strength from the earth below.

Think, for a moment, of Sarai al-Batool, known to history as Maryam of Nazareth. She was born in obscurity, with no lineage of wealth or renown, yet her faith and courage gave birth to a story that has touched the hearts of billions. She was neither born into privilege nor supported by power, but she carried within her a strength that no king could command. Her path reminds us that while lineage may open doors, it is spirit that determines how far one walks through them. Anoushka’s fortune of birth gave her entry into the halls of art, but it was her devotion to her craft, her perseverance through discipline, that allowed her music to breathe with its own life.

The ancients have long taught that lineage is a lamp — it can light the way, but it cannot walk the path for you. To inherit greatness is both a blessing and a burden. Many have fallen beneath the weight of their fathers’ fame, their spirits crushed by comparison. But those who carry such inheritance with humility, who see it not as a crown but as a calling, become torchbearers — bridging generations, keeping alive the fire of their ancestors while kindling their own. So it was with Anoushka, who took the sitar not as a symbol of legacy, but as a voice of the soul, shaped anew by her own time and truth.

There is, too, a deeper truth in her parents’ pro-women vision. They stood against the tide of tradition that too often confined daughters to silence. They believed that a woman’s worth lies not in the shadow she casts but in the light she brings. In their unusual courage, they planted in her the seed of confidence — to believe she could stand beside men, not behind them; to create, not merely to inherit. This is a rare kind of love — one that sets its children free instead of binding them in fear. The ancients said, “The greatest gift a parent can give is wings, not chains.” Such wings, once spread, can lift not just one life, but many.

Yet with every opened door comes a sacred duty. The wise understand that privilege is not meant for pride, but for purpose. To be given opportunity is to be entrusted with responsibility — the responsibility to uplift others, to widen the doorway through which one has walked. If Anoushka Shankar’s lineage opened paths for her, her artistry and advocacy have opened paths for others. So too must all who are blessed with freedom use it not for self-exaltation, but for service. The one who climbs the mountain must remember to reach back and offer a hand to those still ascending.

And so, O listener, let this be the teaching: cherish your independence, honor your lineage, and use your opportunities wisely. Whether you are born of greatness or struggle, know that destiny is not inherited — it is forged. If you are blessed with parents who believe in you, thank them not only with words but with action, by becoming what they dreamed you could be. And if fortune has opened doors for you, walk through them with humility, and then hold them open for others. For this is how light multiplies — not by burning brighter alone, but by kindling other flames.

Thus, the lesson endures through ages: that heritage gives roots, independence gives wings, and purpose gives direction. Use all three well, and you will not only walk the path of greatness — you will illuminate it for those who follow.