Storizen Magazine February 2021 | Sadhguru by Storizen Magazine

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FEBRUARY 2021

STORIZEN No matter what kind of karma you gathered in the past, this moment’s karma is always in your hands.

SADHGURU Taking Charge of Your Destiny Exclusive Digital Issue For more Columns and features, scan the QR code

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Book Reviews

Taking Charge of Your Destiny - Sadhguru

Swapna Peri

Brand Partners Aleph Book Company Bloomsbury India

Editors Pria Raiyani Saurabh Chawla

Fingerprint Publishing Hachette India HarperCollinsIndia

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Pan Macmillan India Penguin India Roli Books Rupa Publications Westland (An Amazon Company)

WHAT'S INSIDE 27

EDITOR'S NOTE

COVER STORY Taking Charge of Your Destiny - Sadhguru

- Hachette India

- Pria and Swapna Peri

HOT OFF THE PRESS Spiced, Smoked, Pickled, Preserve by Indranee Ghosh

HOT OFF THE PRESS

- Hachette India

The City of Good Death by Priyanka Champaneri

- Penguin India

HOT OFF THE PRESS Jungle Nama by Amitav Ghosh Illuminated by Salman Toor

HOT OFF THE PRESS The Rana Cookbook Recipes from the Palaces of Nepal by Rohini Rana

HOT OFF THE PRESS Royals and Rebels by Priya Atwal - HarperCollins India

HOT OFF THE PRESS Method in the Madness by Parameswaran Iyer - HarperCollins India

- Penguin India

HOT OFF THE PRESS The Last Gathering by Munshi Faizuddin - Roli Books

- HarperCollins India

HOT OFF THE PRESS This Book Could Fix your Life by Helen Thomson

HOT OFF THE PRESS Raj & Norah by Peter R Kohli and Shaina Kohli Russo

- HarperCollins India

STORIZEN CONTRIBUTE Loving it to Living it - Manvi Thareja

HOT OFF THE PRESS Customer To Human by Murali Balaraman

STORIZEN CONTRIBUTE Broken, yet I WILL SURVIVEAwakening the WARRIOR within

- Penguin India

- Riya Gulati

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STORIZEN CONTRIBUTE

Self Love

Indians by Namit Arora

- Stuti Gogia

- Swapna Peri

STORIZEN CONTRIBUTE

The Art & Science Behind Love - Sumana Bhattacharya

- Aparna Mukherjee

- Swapna Peri BOOK REVIEW The Impeccable Integrity of Ruby R. by Moni Mohsin - Swapna Peri

STORIZEN POETRY Those Were the Days - Ayushi Singh

BOOK REVIEW Right Under Your Nose by R. Giridharan

BOOK REVIEW From Pony to Unicorn by Sanjeev Aggarwal and T.N. Hari - Swapna Peri

STORIZEN CONTRIBUTE The Day Of Valentine's Day

BOOK REVIEW

BOOK REVIEW Murder at the Mushaira by Raza Mir - Swapna Peri

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Storizen January 2021

Books we are loving this month

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"Love is not about somebody. Love is not some kind of act. Love is the way you are." This quote by Sadhguru perfectly encapsulates the meaning of true love. As February is the month of love, we should not limit ourselves to love, romantic love to be precise! In our pursuit of love, we should be aware of what we truly are as we find our own reflection in the one we love. The one thing that brings you closer to yourself is spirituality! A spiritual person, in the true sense, is self-aware and controls his own destiny. With this being said, we are extremely delighted to have with us on our cover feature, a yogi, a mystic, and an author, who has taught millions the power of being self-aware and the true meaning of Karma, Sadhguru this month in Storizen! Check out the exclusive coverage on page 8! Bibliophiles, we can't forget about you. We have with us, ten ho new releases to keep you busy this month. Time to fill in your empty bookshelves. We try to read all submissions and carefully select the best stories for our readers. Do check out the stories from our contributors. Power-packed with five book reviews, poetry, and new learning, this issue is the one that you can't miss out on. We would also like to share that with your love and support, we have crossed a milestone of 2.7M+ impressions and we are now close to 100k+ reads digitally. We truly hope you enjoy this issue and spread the love by liking, commenting, and sharing. We rely on your support and we try to put extra effort in our every issue to bring in the best to you. We would love it if you guys subscribe to Stoizen so we continue bringing you the best content every month. Happy Reading!

editor@storizen.com Saurabh Chawla, Editor in Chief

COVER STORY

"My wish and my blessing are that every one of you should design your own destiny."

- Sadhguru

Take Charge of Your Destiny Text by Pria and Swapna Peri I believe in one belief, life starts by loving yourself first, loving what you do. With such a strong feeling, I gather my energies and get up every day, thanking God and the nature around me for the beautiful life. We asked our readers, contributors, and authors about their love for books and their responses are wonderful! Every year, in the month of February, we always celebrate the month of romantic love.

This year is a bit different! We decided that everybody loves several things in their lifetimes.

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Someone might love cooking, someone would be drooling over fashion and style, someone else on the other side just can't resist traveling. And moreover, many of them out there are single too! So, this year, we decided that we will not be restricted to romantic love only. Being a spiritual being, I totally believe in the concept of Karma. With more and more days as they pass by, I feel that I am becoming closer to myself, being self-aware! This idea of self-love and spirituality has helped me to evolve as a person. This has been made possible with the help of one - who is an Indian Yogi, mystic, and an author! Being a regular follower of him, he has helped me gain that peacefulness, calm, and a feeling of serendipity. Yes, you must have got it by now. I am talking about Sadhguru. To have a discussion with Sadhguru, Founder, Isha Foundation on a call, I was not believing myself that we would be having a one-to-one discussion with the mystic himself. A mixed feeling of nervousness and excitement took me over! Joining with me was Swapna, our reader, contributor, and an awesome 10

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book reviewer! We started with the call with each other, just to make sure that everything is working as per the plan. As the time approached, our excitement was doubled. Having Sadhguru among us, even the idea of being with him was filled with a lot of positive energy. Having seen his videos on YouTube, we were prepared with our set of questions and curiosity. With his books including his latest book - 'Karma - A Yogi's Guide to Crafting Your Destiny' to be released soon, Sadhguru has been trying to explain the real meaning of life. Finally, the wait was over, and he was in front of us, on screen. Without wasting any other moment, we greeted him together, "Namaskaram, Sadhguru". With a warm gesture, he greeted us back, "Namaskaram".

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With an exchange of few introductory words, we were ready to begin. Of course, we didn't want to waste precious time. WHAT IS KARMA? The first question lingering in our minds was about what Karma is. We had watched all the videos of Sadhguru in which he has emphasized Karma as an action in present. But, we have grown up with a notion that it's all about the actions we did in the past. With this curiosity, we asked Sadhguru about his take on the subject of Karma, to which he politely replied, "The word Karma has been misunderstood and misinterpreted in many different ways. Karma means action. Action means we are talking about your action. Every moment of our lives, there are four types of actions that are always on, both in wakefulness and in sleep. FEBRUARY 2021

Physical action, mental action, emotional action, and energy action is constantly happening every moment of our life. Now, the imprints that these actions leave within us accumulate over a period of time and form a tendency of their own. Or in other words, we are building an unconscious software within ourselves." We were intently listening to the mystic. I was wondering how easily he is explaining the concept for which I was so much confused about for a long time! We continued listening to him, "When you say my life is my karma, what you are saying is that my life is my making. This is the most dynamic way to exist. This is the only culture where it has been clearly expressed that your life is not being made by some other force elsewhere, your life is being crafted every moment by you; STORIZEN MAGAZINE

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it is your making. Only thing is, you are making it unconsciously. What you are doing unconsciously, if you do the same thing consciously, then you will become the maker of your own destiny." The words which we heard were deep and thoughtful. HUMAN BEING - A LIMITLESS POSSIBILITY We have often heard that you are limitless! But as it's easier said than done, and based on our experience, we have seen the power of mindfulness and how focus and concentration can do wonders. But being limitless? This is something we haven't ever thought of till now. But we wanted to know about it. Sadhguru continued, "It is in this context that we are talking about karma.

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Every human being has to take charge of today’s karma, not cry about yesterday’s karma because that is unalterable. But if you take charge of today’s karma, yesterday’s karma has no influence over who you are right now. And this dynamic way of existence – seeing that my life is my making, is the essence of transforming a human being from a limited entity to a limitless possibility." SPIRITUALITY IN TRUE SENSE Being spiritual as we all know about is being aware. But in the true sense, what does spirituality mean? we seek that answer and asked Sadhguru to enlighten us on this topic. “The very mention of the word “spirituality” conjures a variety of images in today’s popular culture. It raises a galore of misconceptions, unfortunately. Spirituality essentially means one’s ability to experience life by transcending the limitations of the physical."

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Click to Watch on YouTube CONSCIOUSNESS AND SPIRITUAL PROCESS Sadhguru explains the spiritual process meticulously, "People have tried all kinds of pacifist philosophies to quell this longing, to somehow put it to sleep by teaching you not to be greedy, teaching you how to be content with your existing limitations. But no matter what they have taught you, this longing to be something more than whom you have not stopped even in a single human being on this planet because the longing to be boundless is eternally on. If this longing of a human being finds a very gross physical FEBRUARY 2021

expression, we call this sexuality. If it finds an emotional expression, we call it love. If it finds a mental expression, generally, socially it gets labeled as greed, ambition, conquest, and so on. Only when it finds a conscious expression, it is a spiritual process." There have been a lot of cases of students ending their lives. As the common man reads the news and usually forgets with time. Other times, they blame it on poor parenting. Sadhguru says, "Today, the pressure on children is because of comparison. You are putting two absolutely unique beings in comparison. There is only one like you in the world. That is so for your child also, but you are trying to put all of them into the same STORIZEN MAGAZINE

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compartment and compare them on something that they learn and make them feel better or worse about it." We nodded in affirmation. Sadhguru continues, "Unfortunately, for most parents, it is not about education, it is about the “first rank.” All they want is that their children sit on top of every other child’s head. Everybody wants to sit on top of the pile but everybody cannot sit on top of the pile. Only a few will sit on top of the pile. Others will naturally end up at the bottom and get suppressed. That orientation of education has to go. True human genius will not flower if this kind of education happens. True human capabilities will not find expression in competition. When you are trying to race with somebody you will think only one step ahead of them. You

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are not going to think of what your ultimate potential is." We were taking in the words. I asked Sadhguru, "How should one raise a child in today's times?" Sadhguru smiled and continued from where he paused, "Most parents do not cultivate the genius of their children. They are trying to drive their children in a particular direction. Do not drive. You cannot get rose flowers from a plant that is not a rose plant. It will come out with a different kind

Education should become a joyful choice, not a compulsive extruder out of which every child has to come out in a certain shape.

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of flower. You should not expect rose flowers out of everything just because you like rose flowers. You have a new and fresh life in your home. We do not know what will come out of it. This is why I tell people that to bear and raise a child, you must have either enormous courage or enormous wisdom. Because a new life is not a small thing. If you see it as a phenomenon which blossomed in your body, came out and is growing – out of two cells, life is happening in front of you, taking shape – if you watch it with utter wonder and create the right kind of atmosphere, your child will grow into something beautiful. But they may not be the rose flower that you expected. They need not become what you expect because your expectations are coming from the graveyard of the past. Children belong to the future." In response to the modern education system, Sadhguru says, "Though for millennia in India, education was conducted in such a

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way that it was a possibility for the evolution and blossoming of the individual, over the last few centuries, aberrations have happened to the culture. Particularly, two hundred years ago, the British created a more organized aberration and tried to educate Indians the way they wanted. They found that Indians were very good with mathematics and languages and decided they will make good clerks and accountants staff their whole enterprise of imperialism." He also emphasizes that in the old education system, the most important thing is obedience, not intelligence or ingenuity. "The most significant aspect of India’s educational policy change is that education has moved from rote learning to a more creative way of learning, where children can think and apply themselves. Another important change is that children can take a break in their education and come back.

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Otherwise, in India, a break in your education meant you could never get back to school again. Now, this change will relieve many children who are severely pressured to a point of suicide," he says. He also emphasizes on the schools of today that they should be places to help develop a thirst for knowing something new every day. "In today's world, where information is available everywhere, a school should shift away from propagating information to becoming an inspirational place, which builds beautiful human beings. Education should become a joyful choice, not a compulsive extruder out of which every child has to come out in a certain shape." A MYSTIC We were mesmerized by the love for bikes and cars that Sadhguru has and always thought of this love of his and how does he balance it with as a Mystic and a lover of machines like a common man. Sadhguru responded, "This

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image has spread everywhere that if you eat badly, dress badly, and live badly, you must be spiritual. I confront this almost everywhere I go. People say, “Oh, he drives his own car, what kind of guru is he?” If I have a chauffeur, will I become more spiritual? If someone says they are spiritual, the question is always, “What are all the things you cannot do? Can you do this? Can you do that?” No, the real question is, if you are claiming to be spiritual, what are all the things that you can do?" We were thinking of an answer to this question, Sadhguru continued with his love for cars and bikes, "About my love for bikes and cars, I like cars or any machine that works well. Because a mystic means he is a mechanic who understands the mechanics of life. Well, isn't this true that this mechanism which we call a human mechanism is the most sophisticated, complex machine which works very smoothly? It organizes itself, it creates itself, and it maintains itself all the time unless you do something nasty with it! So I'm interested in anything that works seamlessly."

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YOGA AND WEIGHT LOSS We all are aware and have seen around us that doing Yoga helps you lose weight. Who can better explain the phenomenon than a Yogi himself? We asked Sadhguru about this and whether it's actually the truth or just a myth. "If you are doing Yoga, excess weight will definitely go. Yoga is not only functioning as an exercise – it rejuvenates the system and brings so much sense into you that you will not overeat. Once a certain level of awareness arises in your body, your body becomes such, it will just eat what is needed for it. It will not eat anything more," he elucidated. "What about the dieting practice?" Swapna asked curiously. "If you do some other exercises or dieting processes, you are always trying to control yourself. This is the big difference with Yoga. Here, you do not have to control yourself. You just do the practices. This takes care of the system in such a way that it will not allow you to eat more than needed. It will not allow you to do anything in excess," Sadhguru elaborated further. We both wanted to know why people are doing Yoga merely reducing the weight or eliminating some sort of pain

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like a backache or headache. Sadhguru responds, "We do not teach Yoga to reduce weight. It is not something that you do to slim down or for your backache or your headache. Yes, those things will anyway happen – becoming healthy and peaceful– these are the sideeffects of Yoga, not the focus of Yoga. The focus of Yoga is to set another dimension alive within you, which is beyond the physical. Only when that is alive, slowly everything opens up. The existence opens up to you in a million different ways. Things that you never thought existed become a living reality for you, simply because a dimension beyond the physical has become alive." TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR DESTINY As we were approaching the time, we wanted to know what Sadhguru had to say for our readers. "You have been given this masterpiece of engineering – the human mechanism. If you learn to inner engineer it a bit so that it works the way you want, it will go on with absolute ease, without any friction. This means you are a designer-life. Of all that we can design, designing our life the way we want it to be or towards the highest possible, is the peak. My wish and my blessing are that every one of you should design your own destiny."

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We thanked Sadhguru for giving us his valuable time and insights into his world of spirituality and Yoga and bade adieu. Subscribe to Storizen to learn more about your favorite authors and to receive tips on writing and marketing your books combined in a single package – Storizen Magazine personally in your inbox! Follow @storizenmag on Instagram Connect with us on facebook.com/Storizenmag Follow us on twitter.com/storizenmag

Follow us on Issuu and never miss another issue from us (As told to Pria and Swapna Peri) (Check out storizen.com for full coverage)

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About Pria - Young mesmerizing freelance blogger, social enthusiast, an economics graduate from Jharkhand University with Master in Child Psychology. She is hardworking yet crazy, a passionate reader, an ardent music fanatic, an avid caffeine lover, and a maniacal animal lover too. She has been a part of numerous anthologies, articles, and write-ups for newspapers and magazines which are multi-linguistic. She has also written screenplays for YouTube series.

pria@storizen.com

FEBRUARY 2021

A much-used word, Karma is loosely understood as a system of checks and balances in our lives, of good actions and bad deeds, of good thoughts and bad intentions. A system that seemingly ensures that at the end of the day one gets what one deserves. This grossly oversimplified understanding has created many complexities in our lives and taken away from us the very fundamentals of the joy of living. Through this book, not only does Sadhguru explain what Karma is and how we can use its concepts to enhance our lives, but he also tells us about the Sutras, a step-by-step guide to navigating our way in this challenging world.

HOTthe OFFpress Banaras, Varanasi, Kashi. India's holy city on the banks of the Ganges has many names but holds one ultimate promise for Hindus. It is the place where pilgrims come for a good death, to be released from the cycle of reincarnation by purifying fire.As the dutiful manager of a death hostel in Kashi, Pramesh welcomes the dying and assists the families bound for the funeral pyres that burn constantly on the ghats. 'The soul is gone, the body is burnt, the time is past,' he tells them. 'Detach .' After ten years in the timeless city,

Pramesh can almost persuade himself that here there is no past or future. He lives contentedly with his wife, Shobha, his young daughter, Rani, the hostel priests, his hapless but winning assistant, and the constant flow of families with their dying.But one day the past arrives in the lifeless form of a man pulled from the river-a man with an uncanny resemblance to Pramesh. Called 'twins' in their childhood village, he and his cousin Sagar were inseparable until Pramesh left to see the world and Sagar stayed back to look after the land. After Pramesh married Shobha, defying his family's wishes, a rift opened up between the cousinsthat he had long since tried to forget.

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HOTthe OFFpress The first-ever book in verse by Amitav Ghosh, Jungle Nama evokes the wonder of the Sundarban through its poetry, accompanied by stunning artwork by the renowned artist Salman Toor.

Amitav Ghosh was born in Calcutta in 1956, and grew up in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka; he studied in Delhi, Oxford and Alexandria. He is the author of several acclaimed works of fiction and non-fiction including The Shadow Lines, In an Antique Land, The Glass Palace, The Hungry Tide, the Ibis Trilogy, The Great Derangement and Gun Island.

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The Rana Cookbook - Recipes from the Palaces of Nepal by Rohini Rana

Nepali food is famous for its fresh and light flavours in the staple rice, daals, meat and vegetables. The food of the Ranas, however, is vastly influenced by Indian flavours. While Indian food is renowned for its rich, thick gravies, Nepali cuisine tends to prefer lighter jhols and dry bhutans and kawafs. Though raw materials such as meat and vegetables can easily be found in the Indian kitchen, the style of preparation and spices such as jimbu and timur are unique in their Nepali flavour. 22

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Rohini Rana, better known as Dolly, was born in India and got married in Nepal in 1977 to General Gaurav S.J.B. Rana (former chief of army staff, Nepalese Army). During her meandering life as an army wife, she has played the part of a homemaker, social worker, entrepreneur, and restaurateur. Cooking is her life's passion. Years of joyous cooking experiences and extensive research of old Rana recipes have resulted in this book.

ABOUT THE BOOK The Rana name has been synonymous with the history and culture of Nepal for centuries. The beautiful palaces of Nepal were known not only for their glamour and architecture but also for their royal feasts. The recipes of the food served were exclusive with the cooks of the palaces and a lucky few who inherited them from earlier generations. In this exquisite book, for the first time ever, the doors to the palace kitchens are opened and we get a glimpse into the mouthwatering cuisine of the royals. Nepali food is famous for its

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fresh and light flavors in the staple rice, daals, meat, and vegetables. The food of the Ranas, however, is vastly influenced by Indian flavors. While Indian food is renowned for its rich, thick gravies, Nepali cuisine tends to prefer lighter jhols and dry bhutans and kawa's.Though raw materials such as meat and vegetables can easily be found in the Indian kitchen, the style of preparation and spices such as jimbu and timur are unique in their Nepali flavor.

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HOTtheOFF press When World War II broke out in 1939, twenty-year-old Rajendra Kohli was studying chemistry at college in England. Soon, however, he decided to volunteer for the war effort against Germany and joined the army. After his heroic actions on the front left him severely injured, he found himself in Naples for treatment. There, he met Norah Elizabeth Eggleton, a nurse with Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service. It was love at first sight, and in each other’s company, the young couple forgot the devastation that surrounded them. But as quickly as their story began, it was over – Raj was sent to London, Norah was posted to a hospital in Rome, and they wondered if they would ever see each other again.

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“My dad and I always knew this was a story for the books for many reasons,” says Shaina Kohli Russo. “My grandparents led extraordinary lives and their love story is truly inspiring, but on top of that, not many know that India fought as an ally in WWII and more so that many Indian soldiers were Muslim. It’s a part of history that has not been talked about and it’s so important that we finally recognize all the countries (and individuals) who helped us in the greatest war in history to defeat the greatest evil. Nowadays a lot of fear of ‘others’ is fueled by differences, but if we could note that we have common ground, it truly could change the world.” "I began writing the story of my parents about 20 years ago," says Peter R. Kohli. "I found it difficult and challenging to write the story of two people whom I knew so intimately, but I knew it was a story that needed to be told. It wasn’t until my daughter, Shaina, took an interest in the project that it was finally completed. She was the one who brought the project to life." Raj & Norah is not only a thrilling account of love found, lost and reclaimed in the midst of war, it is also a story of two extraordinary individuals battling against their circumstances and what fate has in store for them – one that will captivate and move readers around the world.

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HOTthe OFFpress

Customer to human stems from Murali Balraman's extensive experience in customer experience and customer Centricity. Murali took a pledge to give back his life's lessons many years ago and this book marks a step in that direction. It is filled with stories and experiences, to evoke the reader's interest and ideas that impact an organization or business. Every business has a customer, big or small, and that customer is the business's most important asset. Whether you are a start-up or an established business there is something for you in this book. It contains trends, insights, methods and technologies laid out in an easy-to-read format and is relevant for anyone seeking wellresearched information in this field. It is also filled with invaluable stories on inspirational customer experiences (CX), agnostic to which industry you belong to.

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We all want to be happier, more successful, and less stressed, but what really works? From building confidence and boosting creativity to forming better relationships and getting smarter (and healthier), This Book Could Fix Your Life explores the real science behind self-help. Award-winning science writer Helen Thomson has zero desire to become a lifestyle guru, she just wants to help us understand the often surprising truths behind meditation, resilience, addiction, willpower, love, good sleep, CBT, success, dieting, antidepressants, intelligence, and much, much more. Full of fascinating evidence-based advice pulled from the very latest research and packed with experiments you can try on yourself (including one guaranteed to lift your mood), this book really could help you fix your life. FEBRUARY 2021

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Spiced, Smoked, Pickled, Preserve by Indranee Ghosh

A delectable collection of stories and over 75 recipes from India’s eastern hills including North Bengal, Gangtok and Shillong for food enthusiasts to savour

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Indranee Ghosh was born in Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya and the erstwhile capital of Assam. She left her hometown soon after the formation of the hill state in 1972 to settle in Calcutta (now Kolkata) with her parents and continue her studies there.

ABOUT THE BOOK Featuring over 75 recipes that represent a mix of Bengali, Khasi, and Nepali cuisine, this collection will introduce you to a host of exciting fare – from essential spice mixes to forgotten dishes reinvented over time; from fermented delicacies like shidol in pumpkin leaves to the sizzling flavor of a pan-roasted telapiya; from hearty fish stew to mouth-watering pork in plum sauce; and from the sweet-and-sour magic of fish roe ambal to a delicious tangerine payesh. Whether you are an intrepid food-lover willing to take your

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kitchen adventure just that bit further, or a comfort-food enthusiast looking for a bowl of goodness, or simply want to tickle your tastebuds with a fresh flavor – this treasure trove of treats is your must-have culinary guide. In Spiced, Smoked, Pickled, Preserved, Indranee Ghosh brings together charming vignettes from her youth in the densely forested Khasi Hills and then in Bengal’s plains with a delectable selection of family recipes passed down over three generations to weave an utterly engaging narrative.

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HOTtheOFF press First published in 1885, Bazm-i Aakhir, or The Last Gathering by Munshi Faizuddin, is a rich and lively a first-hand account of life in the royal court of the last Mughal emperor in Red Fort, Bahadur Shah Zafar.

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First published in 1885, Bazm-i Aakhir, or The Last Gathering by Munshi Faizuddin, is a rich and lively first-hand account of life in the royal court of the last Mughal emperor in Red Fort, Bahadur Shah Zafar. From meticulous details of the day-today happenings inside the fort-palace and the royal protocols to the celebration of festivals such as Eid, Navroz, Diwali, and even Rakshabandhan, this gives us a glimpse into the Delhi of the early nineteenth century. Ather Farouqui is a pioneering scholar of Urdu language and education. He has conferred the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award in 2012 for his Urdu and Hindi translations of Sons of Babur (Babur ki Aulad), an English play was written by Salman Khurshid. Farouqui‟s academic focus lies on aspects of Urdu, Urdu-related politics, as well as Muslims in contemporary India. One of his notable publications includes the translation of The Life and Poetry of Bahadur Shah Zafar. He also edited Muslims and Media Images: News versus Views and Redefining Urdu Politics in India. His most recent publication, Delhi in Historical Perspectives is a translation of essays on the historical and cerebral cultural life of the capital city by medieval Indian historian Professor K.A. Nizami.

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HOTthe OFFpress In late eighteenth-century India, the glory of the Mughal emperors was fading, and ambitious newcomers seized power, changing the political map forever. Enter the legendary Maharajah Ranjit Singh, whose Sikh Empire stretched throughout northwestern India into Afghanistan and Tibet.

Priya Atwal shines fresh light on this long-lost kingdom, looking beyond its founding father to restore the queens and princes to the story of this empire’s spectacular rise and fall. She brings to life a self-made ruling family, inventively fusing Sikh, Mughal and European ideas of power, but eventually succumbing to gendered family politics, as the Sikh Empire fell to its great rival in the new India: the British. Royals and Rebels is a fascinating tale of family, royalty and the fluidity of power, set in a dramatic global era when new stars rose and upstart empires clashed.

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HOTthe OFFpress Parameswaran Iyer, former Secretary to the Government of India, is best known for leading the implementation of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) – Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship program, which became the world’s largest sanitation revolution.But Iyer is not your typical bureaucrat. With a far-from-usual career combining two distinguished tenures in the government and an eventful stint outside it, he likes to describe himself as an uncommon ‘Insider-Outsider-Insider’.

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LOVING IT TO LIVING IT BY MANVI THAREJA

“If Love could speak, it will ask to implement itself on your Soul first so that you can truly understand the meaning of implementing it on others.”

After leaping through an irksome period of 2020, we have arrived at the “Cupid” month of 2021. Though a lot has changed in the whole world between the previous “Love” month and the current one, one thing that happened very positive is that this tough period taught all of us how to FEEL the real power of LOVE, which can be in any form, viz, family love, siblings love, parents love, life partner’s love, pet love, self-love, etc. In my opinion, the most important one is the SELF-LOVE, which if understood and realized rightly, can teach you the true meaning of other kinds of Love. Because if you don’t have the courage to love and respect yourself, then your love and respect towards others is worthless. Now, you might have noticed that I wrote the word ‘courage’ above. But why…? Because it actually takes courage to realize the true meaning of Self-love. Some people confuse it with Ego, some with being Selfish, while some take it as Self-proud. But the truth is that Selflove means –

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Prioritizing the need to understand what is right for you on all dimensions whether physically, mentally, and emotionally, and then gently taking steps towards its fulfillment, while at the same time being kind and considerate to others as well. “To love someone, or to get loved; to respect someone, or to get respect; to connect with someone, or to get connected; these all are later steps. The former steps should be Self-love and Self-respect.”

When does the need for Self-Love arise… - When you feel that opinion of others gaining control over your decisionmaking capability. - When you feel that you are much codependent on others for everything. - When things are not going well inside your body and your body is calling for a disciplined and healthy routine. - When you feel deprived and empty from inside even after having everything around you. - When you feel lonely even in the presence of thousands of supportive people. STORIZEN MAGAZINE

- When you feel a lack of concentration and stressed most of the time, etc… When you undergo some or all of the instances mentioned above, then, one day Universe itself will give you a calling to wake-up and realize that this is the time to give priority to yourself and to re-gain your lost inner power. “It is better to know yourself first than knowing the whole world.”

How to start practicing Self-Love… 1) The first and the foremost step towards Self-love is to understand yourself and your needs i.e. Selfawareness. For doing that, although you can take help from others too, like Counselors, Life coach, or someone in your entourage whom you can trust and whom you know can provide proper guidance. But in my opinion, the best person to guide you is YOU and your INTUITION. “When I spend time with myself, I get the best opportunity of Introspection and Self-healing.”

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Introspection is the best way to go deep inside to understand what you are lacking in your life and for what you should feel gratitude. These days over the Internet you can find multiple ways of doing Introspection, but based on my personal experience the best way for doing Introspection is spending some ‘Me’ time in Solitude. “Solitude is the best flight to take for going to Self Inner journey.”

Sitting in silence and talking to your soul, can embark you on a whole new journey where you can analyze your inner Universe, that can actually change your whole perception towards your life. You will start thinking through different angles in every area.

- Meditation. This is one of the most powerful tools to go into the inner journey. More information on this can be easily found on the Internet and social media these days. - Talking or listening to Motivational Speakers or Spiritual gurus, mentors, etc. Sometimes listening and talking to others can awake the need of undergoing the self-awareness process. A truthful and trustful Guru (or mentor) can even guide you in dealing with your problems in a very structured way. - Undertaking Questionnaires having questions related to different spheres of your life. This will help you in clear-cut defining your areas of priority. - And so on…

Some of the other tools of doing Introspection are:

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2) Now once you gain a clear understanding of your needs, the next step is to devise and think of ways to achieve them, and then finally implementing them. For instance – Taking steps for your physical balance, like, joining a Gym or Yoga class, consulting a nutritionist or dietician, seeing advice from a Doctor for your health-related problems, etc. Doing things that can balance your mental and emotional needs, like, pursuing your hobby, taking steps to resolve your matters with your loved ones which ultimately can give you much inner peace and satisfaction as chaos is one of the biggest reason in balancing your mental and emotional health, spending quality time with your loved ones by creating a balance between personal and professional life, exploring new places (my favourite one ;-P ), etc...

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Barriers that people generally face while going on a Self-awareness journey… The biggest problem that has been seen among travelers of Self- inner journey is that they take much time in realizing their need of going on this journey. It might be because most of their life has been spent in an atmosphere filled with negative vibes and thus they don’t show courage in leaping towards positivity. The next major problem that has been noticed among people who start their Self-love journey is that they start putting a lot of pressure on themselves in order to achieve the goals that they have laid down for themselves. Instead, we should never forget that this is a slow process and thus, we should remain kind and patient to ourselves.

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Allow yourself to gradually take steps while enjoying and welcoming lessons and blessings on the way. Be humble to yourself and never rush. Sometimes people start seeking Perfectionism in everything that they do to achieve their goals. In pursuit of that, they easily start lacking interest and thus become inconsistent with their efforts, which potentially can lead to the danger of ending their self-awareness journey halfway. This could also be a result of misguidance or misleading suggestions from others. In that case, never forget that this is YOUR journey, and the best guide on this path will be YOU and YOUR INTUITION.

Manvi is a Software Engineer by Profession and Writer by nature. She holds love and passion for article writing and Quotations and she also owns a page on Social media where she shares her thoughts in form of Quotes. The thoughts and sentiments poured down in this article are purely based on her personal experience.

Conclusion “The only person that can make you happy, can make you sad, can encourage you, can let you down, can guide you, can misguide you, can boost your morale, can demoralize you, and above all, who can connect you with Almighty, is…YOU !!!” “The only person that can make you happy, can make you sad, can encourage you, can let you down, can guide you, can misguide you, can boost your morale can demoralize you, and above all, who can connect you with Almighty, is…YOU !!!”

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BROKEN YET I WILL SURVIVE Awakening the WARRIOR Within

by Riya Gulati

In different phases of life (ranging from toddler to dotage), we experience, both the positives and negatives. The key to equanimity lies in the secret of the art of letting go. We might have got disheartened by our close ones, acquaintances, or even strangers; experienced major setbacks, and impediments in life but it is shrewd to leave that behind at the very moment and move on. If you hold on to your past, you will be punishing yourself emotionally, mentally, and physically, henceforth you need to keep and make yourself strong for your loved ones. If you can’t laugh at the same joke again and again, how come you cry over the same pain constantly?- herein,

try to get bored with the pain you are suffering from and replenish your happiness right over by a smile and penning down your thoughts in your diary/paper/journal. Sometimes the reason good things are not happening to you is that you are the good thing that needs to happen to other people. You were meant to cross life’s obstacles so that you could appreciate and be grateful for the little things which you have been taken for granted. It is only in the darkness; you can see the stars. Also, this darkness won’t last long if you remember to switch on the lights. Henceforth, what has happened (whether it was good or bad), is past- therefore, don’t look back in lieu look forward. You need to quiet the mind and avoid taking harrowing exertion so that you can listen to your soul. The way you look at things and perceive your miseries really matters. In difficult situations, try to keep yourself calm and strong as when an egg is broken from the inside force, a new life

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begins, therefore, mark this as an opportunity to revive instead of playing the victim card. Fight back against the negative voice and energy (within) that is telling you all the lies- you are a WARRIOR. Bountiful happiness, success, and tranquillity are built on rigorous perseverance, endeavors, stoicism, fiascos, vexation, and even catastrophe. The life of Abraham Lincoln, who is regarded as one of the significant, and highest-rated presidents among historians, was not that cushy. Lincoln was born into abject poverty and had no formal education by the virtue of which he was mostly self-taught.

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The snapshot of his predicaments (which later epitomizes his roadmap to success) is as provided: (1831) He failed in business- (1832) Defeated in a legislative race- (1833) Again failed in business and became bankrupt- (1835) Death of his sweetheart- (1836) Had a nervous breakdown- (1838) Defeated for Speaker- (1843) Defeated for nomination for Congress- (1849) Rejected for Land Officer- (1854) Defeated for Senate- (1856) Failed in an effort to become Vice-President(1858)Lost a senatorial race again(1860) Elected as the President of the US. Lincoln endured constant setbacks and he certainly survived his fair share of defeat and failures. Indeed, Abraham Lincoln marks as the greatest example of persistence who didn’t quit and thereby conquered his hardships. Ergo, damaged people know and can actually figure out the art of survival.

THIS moment you remember as past so make it fruitful. Further, the parameter of measuring your contentment, happiness, and success must solely lie in your hands- don’t be bothered by ‘what people will say?’ or put your life’s key in someone else’s pocket. It is prudent to keep in mind that the series of successfailure,happiness-dejection, hard timesgood times go hand in hand. Thence, neither take the breakthroughs nor the setbacks to your head or heart as life is 10% what happens to you and 90% of how you react to it.

There are people who are blessed with everything but still they despair. Also, there are people who have nothing, yet they are happy. It is vital to appreciate every moment of your life because it is

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can

because

complain

rose

bushes

have thorns, or rejoice because

thorn

bushes

Riya Gulati is a Paralegal at Law Offices of Caro Kinsella, Ireland. She is LL.M (Intellectual Property & Information Technology) from University College Dublin & BA.LLB from Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University.

have roses.

- Abraham Lincoln

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SELF-LOVE IS NEW LIBERATION by Stuti Gogia

Well, this is LOVE Month and let’s restart with some liberating thoughts of Self-Care and Self-Love. I truly believe that you can’t pass and feel the love for another person if you do not mirror a similar love for yourself. Now the question is how to practice Self- Care or Self- Love? The most common answers to this question are, ‘Go to a gym and workout ‘, ‘Go to the spa and pamper yourself ‘, ‘Eat the food you like ‘ etc. which means look good, feel good and eat well. But is that it?? Few of these are indeed the way to be happy but not entirely portrait SelfLove. What exactly Self -Love is? I think it’s more related to how truly and naturally Joyful you feel about who you are and what your life is. To practice it, you must take care of yourself Physically, Mentally, and most importantly Spiritually.

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You might not able to achieve all in on go, but indeed one step at a time. Slight introspection can assist here, start gazing at your thoughts and you can easily judge your Self-Love meter by asking yourself a few questions. Are you complaining and cribbing about situations, things, and people around you always? Are you not feeling blessed about the good things in your life? Are you not owning your decisions, choices and always blaming others for bad things that happen to you? Are you not feeling joyful about waking up on most of the days? If the answer to most of these questions is “YES” then you are not on the right path. Everyone’s path to Self-Love may vary, but people who are on the journey of this practice will always have an answer “No” for these few specified probes. Start taking ownership of your Gleeand that’s how this liberating and powerful process of Self-Exploration begins.

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The best thing about Self-Love

that

has healing energy, it

Stuti is a Software Engineer by profession and a writer by nature. She realized her love for writing while blogging for her own page. Her work has also been appreciated by Quora users. She is God's true evangelist and her work speaks volumes about it

@stutigogia

empowers you. – Stuti Gogia

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The Art and Science of Love by Sumana Bhattacharya

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Love, the ever-elusive, the ever unfathomable love. While Robert Burn’s love’s ‘like red, red rose/ that’s newly sprung in June,” Lord Byron’s lady love “walks in beauty like the night/of cloudless climes and starry skies/and all that’s best of dark and bright/ Meet in her aspect and her eyes.”

We are crazy in love, utterly happy in love. Love inspires us, love makes us do silly stupid things. Love wins us wars; we give up the kingdom for love. And when love hurts, it’s as if our world’s falling apart. We are lovelorn, love stuck, lovesick, love makes the butterflies flutter and the little birds’ twitter. So much has been written about love, unforgettable poems, plays, and brilliant epics. Love has been translated into beautiful and timeless art, giving us many masterpieces. While poets’ and writers’ string enamoring, melancholic tales of love, trying to unravel the mystery that’s love, scientists have come up with a perfectly rational explanation for this very irrational emotion. And believe it or not, the heart has got nothing to do with it!

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According to an article that appeared some time back in The Harvard Gazette – When love and science double date Love turns on the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is known to stimulate the brain’s pleasure centres. The serotonin levels in our brain drop when we set sight on the ones we love,adding a dash of obsession and leading to crazy, pleasing, stupefied, urgent love or infatuation. Even different phases of love can be scientifically explained though it’s fairly complex, admits even the scientifically minded. Richard Schwartz, associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School (HMS), who has built a

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a career around studying love, hate, indifference, and other emotions, says that during the first love-year, serotonin levels gradually return to normal, and the “stupid” and “obsessive” aspects of the condition moderate. The first flush of love is followed by an increase in the hormone oxytocin, a neurotransmitter associated with a calmer and more mature love. Despite what poets or philosophers may say, it is this chemical oxytocin that helps cement bonds, raises immune function, and begin to confer the health benefits found in married couples, who tend to live longer, have fewer strokes and heart attacks, be less depressed, and have higher survival rates from major surgery and cancer. So much for scientifically explaining love. The complex emotion may be triggered by various chemicals in our brain, it still makes our heart skip a beat and the butterflies flutter in our stomach when our eyes meet the ones we love. The bitter-sweet ache of love is something that the brain can never really figure out. I have often wished I could be wiser in love, but surprisingly the very brain that triggers the emotion refuses to pay any heed. Such is our rationally irrational love, an enigma that none can unravel!

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Sumana Bhattacharya is a PR practitioner by profession and a writer by passion. Her style is simple, she likes to write about things she feels deeply about.In her writings she sometimes draws from her experiences of having grown up in a small town, Agartala. She has recently started a blog The Retro Feeling, that stems from nostalgia - longing or twinge of guilt for days gone by or left behind. She is an ardent reader of poetry, fiction and mythology. Sumana is a post graduate in English from Hyderabad Central University. She works for a PR agency and lives in Gurgaon.

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Valentine's Day BY APARNA MUKHERJEE

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My best friend used to stay in different cities; quite far from each other. All we can do is to send letters, as that was the only way to stay in touch with each other. I am talking of the times when WhatsApp and email were not invented. Getting letters from your loved ones was the only medium of communication. One fine morning, I got up and I walked out to check my letterbox. I was surprised to see a letter from my best friend who had written Happy Valentine's Day on the envelope. I opened the letter and I started reading it. The letter made me realize how much my best friend loves me. I realized though we stay quite far from each other, we are closely connected to each other. She used to write quite well and I loved the way she used to write. Amidst my hectic schedule, I slipped my mind that today is Valentine's Day. It is the day not only for lovers but also for all people who love their close people. My style of celebrating Valentine's Day is a bit different from others. When couples used to drown in love, I used to get drowned in writing stories. Sounds strange, right? I was at the age when I should be walking hands in hands with my boyfriend. But, my love, my feelings were a bit different from others. This is the reason my friends used to tell me "Am Different".

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Every person used to compliment my writing. I never realized that I had the writing skill until my best friend pointed out my skill to me. In return for her lovely letter, I had written a letter to her. The letter was filled with affectionate words for her which I felt for her from the bottom of my heart. I added a few lines of poetry based on our love which touched her heart deeply. On the day of Valentine's Day, my best friend arrived at my place to spend quality time with me. It goes without saying that spending time with my best friend was the best hour for me. That day, she brought the letters which I wrote her so far. In one of my letters, I had mentioned my passion for writing and also, about the jobs I was searching for. I could not understand which profession I should opt for. After having a hearty meal on Valentine's Day, my best friend showed me all the letters written by me. She pointed out all the letters to me saying that one thing which is striking in all the letters was my skill of writing. She was a great admirer of my writing style. That day, I came to know that it was only my best friend, but there are many of our common friends who admired my writing skill. All of a sudden, she said to me, "why don't you make your profession in writing?" Her words sent a wave of energy and positivity in my body. It never came to my mind that my writing skill can show me the path of my profession. My best friend said to me that when I have a passion for writing, then I should 56

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convert my passion into a profession. It is a fact that I love writing stories and when I start writing, I get so engrossed in writing that I lose track of time. My best friend flew back to her city that day, leaving her words back in my mind.

Next morning, while reading a newspaper, my eyes caught sight of an advertisement which stated a story writing competition. At first, I did not pay heed to it. Then, my mind flew back to my best friend's words, "why don't you think about making writing your profession? I decided to take part in the competition. As per the theme, I started to inscribe a story. When I pen down a story, my thoughts and feelings both take the shape of words which make my writing the best. It took two days to finish the story. After submitting the story, I wrote a letter to my best friend about the story writing competition which I participated in. Days passed by and I inscribed a few more stories. Meanwhile, I got a job offer from a publishing house where my job would be to write down stories and articles. My time was devoted to my writing. In every story and article, I used to highlight real-life events which used to leave a profound feeling in my readers' minds. One fine morning, I was flipping through the pages of a newspaper when my eyes caught sight of my name

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in the winner list of the story writing competition. For a few seconds, I could not believe it that my writing skill has made me the winner of the competition. My mind once again flew back on the day of Valentine's Day when my best friend made me realize my knack and my love for writing. Valentine's Day makes you engage with your loved ones. That Valentine's Day made me engaged with my writing forever. My love for writing is eternal and will never seem to end.

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In a few words, Aparna defines a woman who beholds high aspirations and firmly believes in expanding her horizon. She holds a Master degree in English from Mumbai University. By profession, she is an online Senior Content Writer and Blogger who writes informative articles for various Indian, UK and US blogs and websites. Her poems got published in the digital Reflection Magazine and in the Indian literature website named Facestory's.com. She is a budding author too. Her first story on romantic theme got published in a book named "Memoirs Of Love". Her second story in another anthology will be publishing soon.As a person, she is open-minded, down-to-earth and amiable in nature. Her world revolves around creativity. She wishes to make her mark in the literary world, hoping to leave an indelible imprint on her readers' minds.

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An Amazing Thriller Reviewed by Swapna Peri

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read the book, and as there is no obscene content, young adults who love mystery books can also read this.

BOOK REVIEW

Reading a good crime-fiction after many days has satisfied the reading hunger in me. As there is a saying that every clue for any kind of tricky problem will be right under the nose, this story built on this is fascinating and exciting. As an RBI person and a frequent traveler, it is wonderful to know that the author weaved a perfect murder mystery. What to expect from the story? Expect a story that stalls a group of scientists after one of the scientists gets killed. Expect a story that gobbles the detective's mind. Expect a story that includes divine power interestingly. Who can read? The book is a sure treat for all those readers who love murder mysteries and crime fiction. The story has elements of technology, action, and good stakes of intelligence. The books are on par with many famous foreign mystery books. Thus, every reader can

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About the story Here, in this book by author Giridharan, the story's setting and set-up are impeccably perfect as the story starts with a murder and an accident.

Who can Read? The book is a sure treat for all those readers who love murder mysteries and crime fiction. The story has elements of technology, action and good stakes of intelligence.

Book Review

STORIZEN REVIEW

How entertaining is the book Mystery fiction is often a story that involves a murder, an identity of a murderer, a single or bunch of victims, and a scene. Here, in this book by author Giridharan, the story's setting, and set-up are impeccably perfect as the the story starts with a murder and an accident.

Rating Final Rating: 4/5

Swapna worked as SAP Consultant for 10 years in Major IT companies. Reading has always been her passion and occasional painting her hobby. She decided to quit her job, look after the family and pursue her hobby of reading and painting in a larger way. Thus, her big leap into book reviewing has paved a way and has been successful to date. Reading challenges interest her a lot and visiting book fairs is her favorite thing. She believes that there is no good back or bad book, but only books. Writing unbiased reviews is her strength and she is appreciated by fellow reviewers and readers for the same. An anthology of musings with her paintings is her pending dream!

@swapna.peri @sappy_dreamz_unlimited @swapna508

FEBRUARY 2021

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An Interesting Political Satirical Thriller! A one-time read with a political backdrop Reviewed by Swapna Peri

A tale of politics in Pakistan and a young girl's dreams to see her country in a better shape.

The story in 'The Impeccable Integrity of Ruby R.' is of a 23-year-old young Ruby Rauf, a student from London who prepares for her goal to study business and media and get a good job.

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About the book

The Cliche

The story in 'The Impeccable Integrity of Ruby R.' is of a 23-year-old young Ruby Rauf, a student from London who prepares for her goal to study business and media and get a good job.

In the process of being close to Saif, a 23-year-old Ruby somewhere starts imagining the 60-year-old actor turned politician more than a confidant. Until she shows the traces of jealousy when Saif announces his marriage to a socialite, Ruby's character depleted in the impression. A dynamic young female who had a zeal to do something great in life behaves like a cliché female being, which is somewhat unacceptable to me.

BOOK REVIEW

STORIZEN REVIEW

This is my first novel by Moni Mohsin, famous for her books like The Diary of a Social Butterfly, which is the musings of a society airhead whose life revolves around shopping, gossip, and partying, was a fun read. This book was highly acclaimed for its audacious contents. Here in this book with the character Ruby, author Moni has created an interesting tale that runs a serious subject related to politics in Pakistan and a young girl's dreams to see her country in better shape.

job as his party's social media admin. Not to forget Saif is an old man but with his own mindset.

The story in 'The Impeccable Integrity of Ruby R.' is of a 23-year-old young Ruby Rauf, a student from London who prepares for her goal to study business and media and get a good job. One day, she hears a political speech by Saif Haq, a former movie actor and now turned into a politician. His speech about making the country great, a corruption-free country and many more such positive promises impress Ruby to the core. It so happens her admiration towards him lands her into a

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Book Review

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My Final Verdict An interesting political satirical thriller!

Rating Final Rating: 3/5 Swapna worked as SAP Consultant for 10 years in Major IT companies. Reading has always been her passion and occasional painting her hobby. She decided to quit her job, look after the family and pursue her hobby of reading and painting in a larger way. Thus, her big leap into book reviewing has paved a way and has been successful to date. Reading challenges interest her a lot and visiting book fairs is her favorite thing. She believes that there is no good back or bad book, but only books. Writing unbiased reviews is her strength and she is appreciated by fellow reviewers and readers for the same. An anthology of musings with her paintings is her pending dream!

@swapna.peri @sappy_dreamz_unlimited @swapna508

FEBRUARY 2021

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A Gripping Thriller Reviewed by Swapna Peri

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BOOK REVIEW

As the story goes: The Ghalib of Raza Mir, in this novel set in eight days of May 1857, is an eager plotter as the conspiracy to rebel against the British develops. He is sucked into the narrative following the murder of a much-despised poet, Sukhan Khairabadi, at a mushaira. Before being killed, Khairabadi, spying for the British, had warned them by sending an ivory letter opener — "a signal of the gravest danger, the matter of utmost urgency". This plot made me intrigued that Ghalib in real who was afraid of the British goes against the same British and solves the cases. Without much ado, I recommend this historical yet interesting murder fiction to everyone. Who can read? This book allured readers of historical fiction, murder stories, and mostly to the people who love and admire Ghalib Saab! Every Urdu poetry lover has his explanation and reason for liking Mirza Ghalib. Similarly, in this book and every reader thus resonates and gets attracted to the story.

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About the story This plot made me intrigued that Ghalib in real who was afraid of the British goes against the same British and solves the cases. Without much ado, I recommend this historical yet interesting murder fiction to everyone. What to Expect Expect a fine and artistic murder story. Expect a story filled with sweet surprises and bloody secrets. Expect a story that has romance, love, relationships and revenge.

Book Review

STORIZEN REVIEW

How entertaining is the book The story is set-up in the vibrant and pompous times of the 18th Century in Delhi.

It is undoubtedly entertaining with interesting sub-plots and rich heritage of the then life popping up at every nook and corner of the story.

Rating Final Rating: 4/5

Swapna worked as SAP Consultant for 10 years in Major IT companies. Reading has always been her passion and occasional painting her hobby. She decided to quit her job, look after the family and pursue her hobby of reading and painting in a larger way. Thus, her big leap into book reviewing has paved away and has been successful to date. Reading challenges interest her a lot and visiting book fairs is her favorite thing. She believes that there is no good back or bad book, but only books. Writing unbiased reviews is her strength and she is appreciated by fellow reviewers and readers for the same. An anthology of musings with her paintings is her pending dream!

@swapna.peri @sappy_dreamz_unlimited @swapna508

FEBRUARY 2021

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All About India! Reviewed by Swapna Peri

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BOOK REVIEW

India's history and culture are dynamic that dates back to the point when human civilization has begun. It begins with a mysterious culture along the Indus River and the farming communities in India's southern lands. India's history is a mix and match of migrating people and integration of different cultures and languages. Indus Valley Civilisation is the prima focal point where the study about ancient India starts at. The Indus valley civilization was an urban civilization, and the people lived in well-planned and well-built towns, which were also the centers for trade. There were rods built, metals used, etc. From this rich culture, there emerged many interesting aspects: the Vedic period, the Gupta empire, the Mauryan Empire, and the eras of various Chinese and other scholars visiting India. There is so much more to read about the forgotten heritage and known history of India.

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STORIZEN MAGAZINE

About the story India's history and culture are dynamic that dates back to the point when human civilisation has begun. What to Expect This my review itself might become a book. I recommend this book to be read by every Indian of this 21st Century who are unaware of how rich and varied was the culture of India was!

Book Review

STORIZEN REVIEW

Who can read? This book is and must compulsorily be read by every Indian who wants to know or revisit India's ancient culture. The book is a work of nonfiction and is knowledgeable.

Rating Final Rating: 5/5

Swapna worked as SAP Consultant for 10 years in Major IT companies. Reading has always been her passion and occasional painting her hobby. She decided to quit her job, look after the family and pursue her hobby of reading and painting in a larger way. Thus, her big leap into book reviewing has paved away and has been successful to date. Reading challenges interest her a lot and visiting book fairs is her favorite thing. She believes that there is no good back or bad book, but only books. Writing unbiased reviews is her strength and she is appreciated by fellow reviewers and readers for the same. An anthology of musings with her paintings is her pending dream!

@swapna.peri @sappy_dreamz_unlimited @swapna508

FEBRUARY 2021

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From X to 10X! Reviewed by Swapna Peri

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BOOK REVIEW

This book, 'Pony to Unicorn' describes different components of scale and the levers that founders of a company generally have with them for their startups to grow and sustain the competition. The authors of the book explain many real-time examples that include risk-taking scenarios and riskmanagement scenarios. Becoming a unicorn is not the goal, as the title might seem to suggest. The authors used very accessible language to explain to the young and budding entrepreneurs what virtues and solid business principles make the company grow despite competition. The book also comprises interesting anecdotes that comfort the readers and understand the principles that are to be implemented. The authors have made every effort to give a realistic scenario of how start-ups start and progress. In this book, the investors, employees, and the entrepreneurs, everyone has takeaways.

FEBRUARY 2021

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

About the book This book,'Pony to Unicorn' describes different components of scale and the levers that founders of a company generally have with them for their start-ups to grow and sustain the competition. What to Expect Best recommended for entrepreneurs and start-up founders.

Book Review

STORIZEN REVIEW

Final Verdict Best recommended for entrepreneurs and start-up founders.

Rating Final Rating: 3/5 Swapna worked as SAP Consultant for 10 years in Major IT companies. Reading has always been her passion and occasional painting her hobby. She decided to quit her job, look after the family and pursue her hobby of reading and painting in a larger way. Thus, her big leap into book reviewing has paved away and has been successful to date. Reading challenges interest her a lot and visiting book fairs is her favorite thing. She believes that there is no good back or bad book, but only books. Writing unbiased reviews is her strength and she is appreciated by fellow reviewers and readers for the same. An anthology of musings with her paintings is her pending dream!

@swapna.peri @sappy_dreamz_unlimited @swapna508

FEBRUARY 2021

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

STORIZENPOETRY

Those were the Days by Ayushi Singh. Those were the days when laughter was all we chased the sun was bright, the birds were there the head was small but the vision was clear

There was shining in the eyes with so much to explore now I just stand in the crowd and feel alone The talks are more offensive the smiles have become so expensive It feels like we just have mouths to say But no one wants to understand in anyway

Ayushi Singh is an 18 years old girl living in Delhi. She is currently pursuing her Bsc Microbiology from Delhi University. She has always been fond of books and has been writing poetry since she was in 9th grade. Though being a science student, She always had a special place for literature and poetry in her heart and inspires to be a published writer someday.

The body is growing With hollowness inside I don’t even remember when I last smiled so wide Those were the days I was happy without any help Those were the days When I was myself

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

FEBRUARY 2021

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