Storizen Magazine February 2023 | Satyarth Nayak

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FEBRUARY 2023

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MAKING PURANAS A BESTSELLER

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Exclusive Feature on PAGE 6

Cover Story Making Puranas a Bestseller - Satyarth Nayak

Brand Partners Aleph Book Company Bloomsbury India Fingerprint Publishing Hachette India

Book Reviews Swapna Peri

Editors Pria Raiyani Saurabh Chawla

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HarperCollinsIndia Pan Macmillan India Penguin India Roli Books Rupa Publications Westland Books

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CONTENTS Editor's Note, p5 Cover Story, p6 Making Puranas a Bestseller - Satyarth Nayak

hot off the press, p12 articles/short stories/poetry Are You Preparing a Child to Fa ce Failures - Ankur R. Gupta, p14 Can Reading Change Your Personality? - Saurabh Chawla, p18 Serenading Through Time - Vidya Shankar, p30 Those tiny(?) aches of love. . . - Madhumathi H ,p31 Monthly Horoscope: March 2023 - Himani Goyal , p32

book reviews (by Swapna Peri & Kiran Adharapuram Tirukkuṟaḷ-The Book of Desire by Tiruvalluvar, Translated by Meena Kandasamy, p22

A New History of India by Rudrangshu Mukherjee, Shobita Punja, Toby Sinclair, p26

The Gita for Children by Roopa Pai, p22

Become Successful Right Now by Aleph Book Company, p26

Sanatana Dharma: Understanding the Knowledge and Ethics of Hinduism by Rupa Publications, p23 50 Greatest Love Stories by Terry O'Brien, p23 Afghanistan: Through the Fog of Instability

by R.K. Sawhney, p24 Maulana Azad by S. Irfan Habib, p24 The Great Bank Robbery by V. Pattabhi Ram & Sabyasachee Dash, p25 The Indian Metropolis by Feroze Varun Gandhi, p25

The Nemesis by Manoranjan Byapari, translated by V.Ramaswamy, p27 A Death in Tokyo by Keigo Higashino, p27 Dear Reader – A Writer's Memoir by Sankar, Translated by Arunava Sinha, p28 Rishi Sunak – The Rise by Michael Ashcroft, p28 Hindutva: Origin, Evolution and Future by Aravindan Neelakandan, p29 The Book of Bihari Literature by Abhay K., p29

from the editor

"I

calling all writers!

DO YOU WANT TO BE A PART OF STORIZEN FAMILY? You can also be a contributor. Mail us your entries at talktous@storizen.com. Your smart ideas and inputs help us create our informative issues.

f you don't receive love from the ones who are meant to love you, you will never stop looking for it.” This quote by Robert Goolrick caught my attention while I was in déjà vu of unrequited love! Love is a beautiful emotion; it can even spark that hope of life in once a supposedly dead man.

Unrequited love, on the other hand, can make one do what may seem impossible to him. The theme for February 2023 – Remembering Unrequited Love was slightly a painful one but it was worth it. As India Celebrated Mahashivratri on 18th February 2023, being a Lord Shiva Devotee, I have followed him wholeheartedly and will keep following him as his presence in me gives me a special energy of its own kind. Mentioning Lord Shiva, we are always in search of answers to our questions related to the history, and the existence of Gods. Fret not! You will get the answers to most of your questions by reading this book.

This month, we are super excited to feature the author of Mahagatha – 100 Tales from the Puranas, Making Puranas a Bestseller, Satyarth Nayak on the cover of Storizen Magazine. Check out the exclusive feature on page 6.

Reading can be a mundane task and not liked by many of us nowadays. Do you know it has the power to change your personality? Check out the article inside to know how.

As we are dedicated to our love for literature, we can’t stop loving the latest books and reviewing them for our readers. We are glad to introduce a new Book Reviewer - Kiran Adharapuram who would be reviewing select titles along with our best and favorite book reviewer – Swapna Peri.

This issue comprises reviews of 16 books that will make you read even more. Check them out now.

Keep showering your love and we will bring in more valuable content to enlighten you.

Happy Reading!

editor@storizen.com Saurabh Chawla, Editor in Chief

COVER STORY

Making Puranas A Bestseller Satyarth Nayak A Storizen Exclusive Feature

By PRIA

COVER STORY

I am grateful to readers everywhere for embracing MAHAGATHA. -Satyarth Nayak

I

ndia is a land of Gods. Recently we have seen a surge in mythological writings from our favorite authors. The most recent one that we got a chance to read is Satyarth Nayak’s Mahagatha – 100 Tales from the Puranas. We all know about our Vedic scriptures and the history of Lord Shiva! The writer behind the successful biography of the veteran actor, Sridevi, is back with his mythological epitome. We are delighted to share that Mahagatha recently went into reprint and it’s an overwhelming experience for the readers and the author. We wanted to understand the research and writing process followed by the author in meticulously curating and aligning the stories in a chronological format.

IMPORTANCE OF PURANAS FOR THE YOUTH With the modern, scientific world taking over our logical brains, we have been asking questions about the validity of the Puranas, and our history on the whole.

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But does raising questions to eliminate the facts? No! Satyarth says, “It’s really important because the Puranas is an ocean of wisdom that today’s generation can really benefit from. I have always wondered about the representation of women in our ancient texts and it was wonderful to see how the Puranas celebrate gender parity.”

Citing an example of Lord Shiva, he continues, “Shiva assumes the glorious form of Ardhanarishwara to show Brahma that creation is impossible without the female form.”

Indeed, if we see the Puranas and hear the stories, for every male figure there was a female, be it a protagonist or an antagonist!

“Stories of Tara and Sangya see them abandoning their husbands for physical reasons and the Puranas never judge them but instead the husbands are made to realize their faults. What also amazed STORIZEN MAGAZINE

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COVER STORY me was how the Puranas celebrate the plurality of thought which is so essential today when we are being forced in the country to adhere to a single grand narrative,” Satyarth concludes.

THE BOOK – IDEA, AESTHETICS, AND THE WRITING PROCESS Reading about the stories from the Puranas is a delight! We got to know some unknown facets and stories, and some of them even changed our perspective. The artist behind the illustrations is Onkar Fondekar who created the illustrations for 20 stories in the book.

Satyarth says, “One of them, the Shiva Sati story, now graces the cover. When I gaze at the illustrations today, I love how they capture the very perfume of these tales. I am delighted that all the wonderful reviews that Mahagatha is garnering are also highly praising the aesthetics of the book.

For inspiration, Satyarth still remembers the Puranic tales his grandfather used to narrate to him as a child and that left him curious to explore this universe even further!

He says, “I have always had a fascination for mythology. It's a world that fills one with awe and calls out to the inner child in all of us. And yet it enlightens us to be better adults. Better human beings.”

Compiling such a book could take years and years of research, needs an ocean of patience, and that burning desire to explore the previously explored or even the 8

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untouched territories. Satyarth took about 5 years to complete the book. We asked about the parameters on which he selected these stories.

He replied with a smile, “As per the selection of these 100 tales, it was a threepoint criterion - How interesting was the story, who were the principal figures involved, and if it was a lesser known story that truly deserved a wider audience.”

THE UNIQUENESS OF MAHAGATHA - ITS CHRONOLOGICAL FORMAT Storytelling is an art. Every scene of the story is related to the previous events that might have happened. Its quintessential aspect is to not break the flow! Satyarth has impeccably done this in Mahagatha. The stories have been written in a chronological format which makes it undeniably unputdownable. Here’s what he says about it – “That's one of the unique things about Mahagatha that it's not a random collection of tales but a chronological narrative of stories connected to each other that take you through the four yugas from Satya Yuga to Kali Yuga. In such a reading you realize that these stories are not isolated events but each of them has a past and a future, a cause & effect.”

He digs down deeper, “Using many available Puranic markers like the avatars of Vishnu, the seven manavantaras, and the lineage of gods, demons, and kings, I was able to create the narrative which begins with the creation of Brahmanda in Satya Yuga and ends with the advent of Kali Yuga.” It’s an overwhelming experience for FEBRUARY 2023

COVER STORY

any author when the book goes into reprint. Mahagatha has gone into reprint in less than two months' time.

Satyarth is excited about it! “I am absolutely overwhelmed. I knew mythology was an extremely popular genre today and that MAHAGATHA has shaped up into a beautiful epic of 100 tales from the Puranas. But the fact that the first print-run of five thousand copies has sold out in less than two months and the book has gone into reprint is something else. I am grateful to readers everywhere for embracing MAHAGATHA. The kind of reviews we are getting for this book is beyond words. I must also thank my HarperCollins family for all their love and support.

Pic: An Illustration from the book Mahagatha

(As told to Pria)

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COVER STORY Know Your Author Writing can definitely change one’s thinking, enhance one’s creativity and can change the personality even! For Satyarth, writing has given him the gift of patience. “Writing involves sitting for hours and creating a world and its characters painstakingly. A writer cannot afford to be impatient and I do see that change within me,” he says.

For Mahagatha, it’s a treat for mytho lovers and promises a lot – entertainment and enlightening experience for all its readers. So, if you love mythology and stories of gods, demons, sages and kings, do get your copy of Mahagatha. It will both entertain and enlighten and make you connect the dots of Hindu mythology like never before.

(As told to Pria)

About Pria - Young mesmerizing freelance blogger, social enthusiast, and an economics graduate from Jharkhand University with a Master's 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.

Contact: pria@storizen.com

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HOTthe OFFpress Brilliantly styled as a translation of an ancient epic, this is a saga of love, adventure, and myth that is in itself a testament to the power of storytelling.

In this house filled with voices and footsteps, a time allowed, and a time needed to bridge the discrepancy between who you were and who you wanted to become…

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FEBRUARY 2023

HOTthe OFFpress One woman and her pilot are about to change the future of the species in an epic space opera about aspiration, compassion, and redemption by Hugo and Nebula Award finalist S.B. Divya.

When all you have learnt is running away, having a reason to stay is the revelation.

FEBRUARY 2023

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ARE WE PREPARING A CHILD TO FACE FAILURES?

BY ANKUR R. GUPTA

A

survey conducted by UNICEF and Gallup in early 2021 among the age group of 15– 24 found that one in seven people in this age range in India often feels depressed or has little interest in doing things.

Furthermore, in an epidemiological study from India, 14.5% of adolescents were found to be suffering from anxiety disorders. Various factors contribute to this mindset, such as high expectations of parents, peer pressure of fitting into a particular societal norm, image consciousness in social media, fear of taking responsibility, and many more. But the common factor that dominates these contributors is FEAR. The fear of dealing with rejection and failure. These young adult minds struggle hard to cope with disappointments when things do not go as per their expectations. Why? Because not enough opportunities were provided to them to prepare for failures in their childhood.

Confidence to face the fear gets seeded in Childhood Madeline Levine, Ph.D. and an author of The Price of Privilege: How Parental Pressure and Material Advantage Are Creating a Generation of Disconnected and Unhappy Kids, says- “In recent times, parents see failure as a source of pain for their children instead of an opportunity for them to say/feel, ‘I can deal with this”.

They are trying to act as a protective shield for their children against the disappointments attached to the hard facts of life, especially in terms of rejections, failures, and heartbreaks. It is normal, but this needs to be checked from changing into “Overprotectiveness”. In the flow of doing good for a child, often Parents are dwarfing the mindful growth of the Child by moderating the development of essential life skills, such as problem-solving, risktaking, and resilience.

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Provide a child an opportunity to learn from mistakes Give time to a child for trial and error: It is wisely said, “Rough seas made a good sailor”. Similarly, you can build up mental toughness in a child by allowing them to try the rough seas of failures and rejections. If the kid comes to you for help, do not rush yourself into jumping on the bandwagon as Savior. Instead, reassure the child by saying “let me first see you try then I will help you”.

If the child is still reluctant then you can offer to do the things together. However, rather than you, let the kid take a lead on the completion of the task. Be it their school projects, homework, housework, or anything.

The outcome may be sometimes not satisfactory or up to the mark. You can then share your valuable input without demeaning the Child’s efforts. Encourage him/her by saying, “Good effort, let’s continue to improve on it.” or “ let’s try again if you’re not happy about it”. In this whole process, you’re helping a child to realize where he/she has made errors and how to rectify them.

From pages of my diary I remember the time when my son was10yrs.

One day he came back from school looking all flustered. He told me how he was misbehaved by one of the groups in his school. He wanted me to complain to the school management. I empathized with what he was going through, but at the same time

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realized that the situation was not so grave and can be handled by my son. I told him I will help but first, he should try to deal with this problem, himself. At first, he was reluctant but I was persistent. Finally, we got into the discussion, where I restrained myself and allowed my son to take the lead in finding out various options for dealing with it. It took him some time with his share of failures, but finally, he did it. Now at age 22, he mentioned how that episode in school is helping him in his college to deal with the adult world.

Make them learn how to learn: From low grades to game loss, life can be riddled with disappointments and failures. Help the child to value his self-worth, not on the parameters of trophies won, but with the constant efforts and hard work done by him/her. A child always seeks validation from their parents about how worthy they are. Once the kids are in symphony with hard work, things will gradually fall into place.

You should indulge in frequent conversations with children, focusing on their personal growth rather than pinpointing their failures. The adolescent will be motivated to work harder. In case, you feel that the child is putting his/her best foot forward, but still failing, be it in academics, sports, or anything else. Then, it’s time to understand where they’re going wrong.

Maybe his/her method of learning is not up to mark or needs help in planning time management or any other concerning area.

Discuss with them how they can do better, without domineering the conversation.

bring change in her learning style, but gradually she started to adapt and things started falling into place.

Be a good role model in handling failures: The most important point we as parents need to save in our log books. We are role models for our kids. If you panic every time you failed at something or are overly self-criticizing, then you’re not demonstrating healthy coping skills.

How we perceive and behave while dealing with the pains of rejections and failures is a bible for our kids to follow. Share with your kids, your stories of failures and heartbreaks, how you felt, and what you did to overcome them to ease children’s fear. These living examples and experiences are one of the best ways to make the child understand that it’s fine to fail as it helps in getting wiser and even adults go through it.

Create a gap between Wish and Fulfillment: Giving your kids everything that they ask for can have detrimental effects on them financially and emotionally. “It’s beneficial for kids to learn about disappointment at a young age,” said, Kit Yarrow, a professor, of marking and psychology at Golden Gate University in San Francisco.

“Kids who get everything they want can quickly adjust to that reality, which can lead to bigger and bigger expectations. Such children struggle hard to deal with things in their adulthood when things don’t go as per their expectations”.

From pages of my diary I experience a similar situation with my daughter when she was in class 8. Despite putting in her best efforts, she was not performing well in her exams. Even the teachers were unable to understand the reason as she was a bright child in the class. Finally, we looked into the pattern of her learning process and realized that she was lacking in time management and methodical learning. It has a tough phase to convince her to

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“Failure is simply an opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”

-Henry Ford

To Conclude Rejections and failures are an inevitable part of life. A bitter pill that needs to be chewed by everyone to bounce back into life. The only difference is those who learn this life skill from the budding stages of childhood have more fair chances of moving ahead in life with better perception and success than those who are overprotected.

You need to face failures on the way to success.

Ankur R Gupta - I'm a blogger, an author, and a certified content creator. My writings revolve around the simple motto “Write to bring Smile”. I believe in understanding behavioral aspects of human life linked with their different phases and then ink my words about them in a simplified way to spin out positivity and purpose associated with them.

A hardcore history enthusiast and traveler. I love to read & explore our ancient cultures and civilizations.

My reading page is inkmyword -the reader community. @writingstomakeyousmile

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by Saurabh Chawla

STORIZEN HEALTH

B

ooks have been the source of knowledge and learning for centuries. They provide us with new ideas, expand our thinking, and help us see things from different perspectives. However, the question that comes to mind is can reading books change your personality? The answer is yes.

Reading books can have a profound impact on your personality, and in this article, we will explore how that is possible. Reading is an activity that has been around for centuries, and for good reason.

Reading Improves Empathy One of the ways in which reading can change your personality is by improving your empathy. Reading a good book can transport you to different worlds, introduce you to diverse characters, and allow you to experience their thoughts and emotions. This helps you develop a deeper understanding of human nature, which can improve your ability to empathize with others. Research has shown that people who read fiction are more empathetic than those who do not. A study conducted by the University of Toronto found that reading fiction increases a person's ability to understand the emotions of others. The study showed that participants who read literary fiction scored higher on tests measuring empathy than those who read non-fiction.

Reading Improves Critical Thinking Another way in which reading can change your personality is by improving your critical thinking skills. Books provide us with a wealth of information, ideas, and perspectives. Reading helps us analyze, evaluate, and critique this information, which can improve our ability to think critically.

Through reading, we are exposed to new ideas, opinions, and perspectives that challenge our own beliefs and assumptions.

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This exposure can lead to a more openminded and well-informed individual. By challenging ourselves to think critically about the information we encounter in books, we can improve our reasoning skills and become better at problem-solving.

Reading Reduces Stress Stress is an ever-present part of our lives.

We all experience stress at some point, and it can have a negative impact on our physical and mental health. However, reading has been shown to be an effective stressreducing activity. A study conducted by the University of Sussex found that reading can reduce stress levels by up to 68%. The study showed that reading was more effective at reducing stress than other activities, such as listening to music or going for a walk. The reason for this is that reading is a form of escapism that allows us to focus on something other than our problems.

Reading Improves Creativity Creativity is a vital aspect of our personality.

It helps us think outside the box, come up with innovative solutions, and express ourselves in new and exciting ways. Reading can help improve our creativity by exposing us to different styles of writing, storytelling techniques, and genres. By reading, we are exposed to new ideas, concepts, and ways of looking at the world. This exposure can help us develop a more creative mindset and inspire us to come up with new ideas.

Furthermore, reading can provide us with a mental break, allowing our minds to wander and explore new possibilities.

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STORIZEN HEALTH

Reading improves vocabulary Finally, reading can improve our vocabulary and language skills. The more we read, the more words we encounter and learn. This increased vocabulary can have a positive impact on our personality, as it can help us communicate more effectively and express ourselves more eloquently. Studies have shown that reading is one of the most effective ways to improve vocabulary.

According to a study by the National Endowment for the Arts, people who read for pleasure have a larger vocabulary than those who do not. This increased vocabulary can have a positive impact on our personal and professional lives, as it can improve our ability to communicate and express ourselves.

Reading Expands Your Perspective One of the most significant benefits of reading is that it can expand your perspective. Reading books exposes you to new ideas, cultures, and ways of thinking that you may not have encountered before.

As you explore these different perspectives, you become more openminded, accepting, and empathetic. This is particularly true of fiction, which can take you into the minds of characters with vastly different life experiences.

Reading Helps You Learn New Skills Finally, reading books can help you learn new skills. Whether you are interested in cooking, gardening, or coding, there are books that can teach you how to do it.

Reading can provide you with the knowledge and guidance you need to acquire new skills and hobbies.

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To read Storizen on the web, visit storizen.com. Follow Storizen on Instagram @storizenmag.

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Storizen Magazine January 2023

Books we are loving this month

CLICK HERE TO READ NOW! Exclusive Digital Issue For more columns and features, scan below

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STORIZEN REVIEW

Tirukkuṟaḷ-The Book of Desire by Tiruvalluvar, Translated by Meena Kandasamy Tiruvalluvar was an ancient Tamil poet and philosopher best known for writing the Tirukkural, a collection of couplets on matters ranging from love to ethics. The Kamattu-p-pal is the third part of the Tirukkural - one of the most important texts in Tamil literature. The most intimate section of this great work is also, historically, the most heavily censored. Although hundreds of male translations of the text exist, this is the first translation by a woman. Tirukkural in the English language, published by Penguin India and translated by Meena Kandaswamy, is a luminous translation of the Kamattu-p-pal. Meena Kandasamy is an anti-caste activist, poet, novelist, and translator. In this book, Meena Kandasamy delves into this classic and provides the first feminist interventionist translation into English-remaining true to the desire throbbing through the lifeblood of the text while retaining the drama that permeates the quintessential Tamil world of exaggerated hurt, lover's quarrels, and evenings lost to longing. Thirukkural consists of three groups, Ethics (அறம்-Aram), Wealth (பொருள்-Porul), and Love (காமம்-Kaamam).

Each group has multiple sections (இயல்), and each section has several chapters (அதிகாரம்).

Every chapter has ten couplets (குறள்), and each couplet has two lines. The first line of the couplet has four words, and the second with three. There are 133 divisions called "athikarams".Each Athikaram consists of 10 thirukurals. Tirukkural: "The Book of Desire" offers a unique experience of first-century BCE poetry without missing the actual essence and offers gratification via women-centric love and intimacy. Go for it; this book will not leave you dismay.

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The Gita for Children

by Roopa Pai

Author Roopa Pai's spirited, lucid, thought-provoking, and brimming with fun trivia one-ofa-kind retelling of the epic conversation between Pandava prince Arjuna and his mentor and friend Krishna in this book appeal to a broader audience. Though the title says it is for children, but anyone can read it. The Gita for Children by Roopa Rai is a hardbound, Limited Celebratory Edition by Hachette India is a lovely version of the Bhagavad Gita, intended for a younger audience, that is studded with fun anecdotes, interesting parallels, and historical nuggets that uphold Krishna's 700-verse long spiritual guide. The manner and content are so well presented that anyone reading this will be inspired to read the Bhagavad Gita. The author is even prompt in taking the Sloka's and its references whenever needed, along with the Sanskrit plus the as-it-is rendition in English.

Ancillary help was taken from the illustrations and thus gave a supporting hand in further understanding the dialogue between the divine God Krishna and his first friend, Pandava prince Arjuna. The children love all the artistic images and the detailing in the entire book to get a good idea about the plot/conversations held in between. We should not forget to thank Hachette India for the publication in "Sayan Mukherjee, the illustrator, deserves special recognition for bringing the book to life with his illustrations and, of course, his interesting and enticing vocabulary.

(Reviewed by Kiran Adharapuram)

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STORIZEN REVIEW

Sanatana Dharma: Understanding the Knowledge and Ethics of Hinduism

The Sanatana philosophy offers various ideas and activities to reach spiritual enlightenment. While there is no one-size-fits-all method for spiritual development, experimenting with many ideas and activities enables one to understand oneself and the cosmos and progress toward spiritual enlightenment. The book is divided into three sections, the first of which is named Basic Hindu Religious Ideas. This section thoroughly describes topics like the One Existence, Rebirth, Karma, Sacrifice, and others. Samskaras, Castes, worship, and a few other important ideas are covered in Part II's discussion of general Hindu religious customs and rites. Eleven chapters explaining the ethical teachings of Hinduism are included in Part III. The qualities of honesty, kindness, patience, and charity are included in this list of behaviors. One can achieve moksha, a state of spiritual freedom, Self-knowledge, and enlightenment, by adhering to this discipline. This book explains the Sanatana Dharma, which includes the obligations and customs that all Hindus must follow in simple terms yet with great understanding. The Sanatana Dharma offers a thorough comprehension of the world, including the character of oneself, the cosmos, and the divine. This knowledge can assist followers in finding meaning and purpose in life. It also offers direction on moral and ethical difficulties; thus, publications like this assist people in grasping and accepting the idea.

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50 Greatest Love Stories

by Terry O'Brien

50 Greatest Love Stories book, compiled and edited

by Terry O'Brien, consists of endearing and heartwarming stories that capture the warmth and affinity of the human heart. Witness how two souls fall in love and the various types of love. This book will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy, featuring the work of some of the finest writers in the history of literature, from Maupassant to Mansfield to Maugham. Readers will definitely appreciate the introduction in this book before beginning to read the selected love stories.

Terry's concept of love and love stories, and what makes a perfect love story a living classic, is beautifully expressed. The stories in the book reflect voices that ought to be heard. They're guaranteed page-turners: best-sellers that have inspired blockbuster movies or successful TV shows, classics that have lasted the test of time, and novels that have received thousands of glowing reviews from fans. Nothing, not even artificial intelligence, space travel, audiobooks, or instant messaging, can ever surpass the power of a love story. These fantastic love stories, like the light passing through a prism, expose the spectrum of human emotions, allowing a colorful glimpse into the author's and his words' souls. Some love stories transcend time. Readers may joyfully experience the feelings emitted by these stories.

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STORIZEN REVIEW

Afghanistan: Through the Fog of Instability by R.K. Sawhney Afghanistan's history is turbulent, with foreign invasions, internal warfare, and Taliban control. It has remained turbulent, with continuing clashes between the Taliban and the Afghan government and other extremist organizations like ISIS. Poverty, corruption, and a lack of infrastructure have also been significant issues in the country. Most of the population is impoverished, with inadequate access to clean water, healthcare, and education.

The Taliban reclaimed control in Afghanistan in 2021, twenty years after being deposed by US forces. They suppressed women's rights and ignored essential services throughout their brutal rule. Former Indian diplomats who served as ambassadors to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Russia, and the United States or held top positions in India's national security apparatus wrote these articles. They give either firsthand experience with Afghanistan affairs or expert assessments of Afghanistan-related issues from critical vantage points in the country's immediate neighborhood or as observed from states that have played a role in shaping events there.

This book provides a comprehensive historical perspective, encompassing the era from ancient times to more current times, when there was a movement of ideas, philosophies, trade, and business between Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent, with Afghanistan functioning as a bridge. The book is a fantastic choice for everyone who wants to read about Afghanistan and understand what it was, what it is now, and what it will be like in the future.

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Maulana Azad by S. Irfan Habib Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, popularly known as Maulana Azad, was an influential leader of the Indian National Congress during the Indian independence struggle. He was born on November 11, 1888, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and died in Delhi, India, on February 22, 1958. He was a prolific writer, journalist, and orator noted for his strong support for Indian independence, communal peace, and secularism. He was a close friend of Mahatma Gandhi and served as president of the Indian National Congress several times. Despite being detained on multiple occasions for his actions, he persisted in his efforts to advance Indian independence. When India earned its independence in 1947, Maulana Azad was appointed the nation's first Minister of Education.

He devoted her life to increasing literacy and education among the Indian people. He also had a significant role in founding the Indian Institutes of Technology and the University Grants Commission. Azad's initiatives for elementary and adult education, his efforts for the nation's growth in science and culture, and his contribution to the arts and culture of a young independent country are all priceless attempts to improve the country's inadequate educational system. In this in-depth biography, the historian S. Irfan Habib takes the reader through some of the most crucial times of Azad's life. In "The Early Years," we learn about Azad's unusual upbringing, illustrious family, the Islamic world's upheavals, and the earliest indications of Azad's freethinking outlook on life.

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STORIZEN REVIEW

The Great Bank Robbery by V. Pattabhi Ram & Sabyasachee Dash

The Harshad Mehta scam, also known as the Securities Scam of 1992, was a major financial scandal that shook the Indian stock market. For the first time as a child, I learned a new word – scam. Though he was a State Government Employee, my father was interested in the stock market and shares. I remember him buying some shares, and when the 1992 scam went like fire, there was some tense situation at home.

Later, in 2020 during the Covid lockdown, the web series on the Harshad Mehta scam, though interesting to watch, also showcased weaknesses in the country's financial regulatory system and led to several reforms aimed at improving transparency and accountability in the financial sector. The Great Bank Robbery by authors V. Pattabhi Ram & Sabyasachee Dash is a unique piece of writing where the contents of the book wake up the brains that forgot the biggest scams that happened in India. Using fiction as a weapon, weaving a story with some characters with conflicting central points as actual incidents is fascinating. This book clearly describes the nuances and complexities of banking, which anybody dealing with economic crimes and banking experts must comprehend. Economic offenses and financial crimes have been prominent in India's criminal justice system. To avoid forgetting about the 11 frauds, it is essential to understand and document them. I would advise any banker and anyone who works with financial crimes to read this book. We should applaud V. Pattabhi Ram and Sabyasachee Dash for their research and factual portrayal.

FEBRUARY 2023

The Indian Metropolis by Feroze Varun Gandhi

The Indian Metropolis book, in short, aims to start a national discourse about the concerns and provide methods to transform our cities into supportive, invigorating places that improve the typical city dweller's everyday . existence. This book, written by BJP MP Mr. Feroze Varun Gandhi, analyses the challenges Indian towns face and offers a toolkit to aid in reassessing urban area management and sustainable development techniques. The purpose of this book's writing, which is to comprehend and explain the hardships of rural India and how Indians live in urban India, appears to be a difficult one. The hundreds of Indians who were surviving the plague in our cities, however, made it plain through his encounters with them that daily life there was challenging. And the book primarily emphasizes this. This 840-page arduous book's primary goal is to improve community economic connectedness. The real estate markets will undergo a significant transformation due to increased urban mobility to meet the need for cheap homes. And one of the notable topics addressed in the book is the split of the vast different divisions to improve governance. There are nine chapters in all, and each one discusses elements that policymakers must consider if they want to improve the sustainability of urban life. This book provides a comprehensive understanding of how modern cities may be made into comfortable living places with good planning and funding via facts, numbers, and excellent research.

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STORIZEN REVIEW

A New History of India by Rudrangshu Mukherjee, Shobita Punja, Toby Sinclair An Encyclopaedia is a reference work that offers a comprehensive collection of articles or entries ordered alphabetically on numerous themes. Encyclopaedias strive to give a thorough and authoritative overview of a certain branch of expertise or area of interest. They can be about anything, including science, history, literature, art, music, and culture. A New History of India by writers Rudrangshu Mukherjee, Shobita Punja, and Toby Sinclair about the history of India in the modern era might be called a modern-day encyclopedia, particularly for Indians. Starting with the country's geological origins a few billion years ago and the migration of Homo sapiens from Africa into the region a few millennia ago, the book covers all of the key historical events from ancient times up to the twenty-first century. The book is divided into 24 chapters. The first chapter describes India's long and complicated history, which spans thousands of years. The book's chapters may be divided into Ancient India, Medieval India, British India, and Modern India. A New History of India also covers the Mughal Empire, which ruled over a sizable area of India from the 16th to the 19th century, and the construction of numerous major buildings, including the Qutb Minar and the Alai Darwaza. British India demonstrates how British colonial rule in India started in the 18th century and persisted until 1947 when India attained freedom.

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Become Successful Right Now by Aleph Book Company Become Successful Right Now book, published by Aleph Book Company, brings vital life lessons from the world's finest super gurus who have inspired billions worldwide. This book offers significant insights into leadership, effective communication, and tenacity, addressing procrastination, self-confidence, and stress management. Self-help books can empower individuals to take charge of their lives and make positive changes. They can help readers establish their objectives and build a plan to attain them by providing a feeling of direction and motivation.

Self-help books include self-awareness, practical counsel, suggestions for coping with specific obstacles or problems, and fresh perspectives on life. The contents of Become Successful Right Now are separated into three sections. Each section contains exceptional life lessons and insights from great works by authors such as Paramhansa Yogananda, His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, George S. Clason, Dale Carnegie, Devdutt Pattanaik, Napoleon Hill, Joseph Murphy, and James Allen. This book may be helpful in personal growth and development since it provides readers with the knowledge, skills, and drive they need to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals.

The book's contents may be summarised in a single statement, such as: 'Success looks different for everyone, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. It's important to define success on your terms and work towards the goals that are most meaningful to you.'

FEBRUARY 2023

STORIZEN REVIEW

The Nemesis by Manoranjan Byapari, Translated by V.Ramaswamy

The experiences of Dalits in India, especially the difficulties and injustices they encounter due to poverty and castebased prejudice, are vividly described in Byapari's works in a highly intimate and moving way. His writings offer a distinctive viewpoint on India's social and political background, particularly the emergence of the Naxalite movement and ongoing fights for Dalit rights. The Chandal Jibon Trilogy, which comprises The Runaway Boy (Chandal Jibon Trilogy - Book 1) and The Nemesis (Chandal Jibon Trilogy - Book 2), was written by Bengali author Manoranjan Byapari.

Readers have given his novels favorable reviews.

The first part of Manoranjan Byapari's semiautobiographical Chandal Jibon trilogy, The Runaway Boy, has garnered excellent reviews. It portrays the narrative of Jibon, a newborn who arrives in a refugee camp in West Bengal in the arms of his Dalit parents, fleeing the Muslimmajority area. The trilogy has received appreciation for its exploration of dislocation and melancholy. East Pakistani immigrants who arrived in India in the late 1960s and early 1970s are the subject of the second book in the Chandal Jibon Trilogy, The Nemesis. It examines hunger without end, caste politics, poverty, and marginalization. Twenty-year-old Jibon is a young guy who is battling hunger. He works as a chef for Naresh Thakur's catering company, where he swiftly establishes a reputation for excellence. But he also has to deal with the stress of work during the wedding season and the good intentions of strangers, which may easily become evil.

FEBRUARY 2023

A Death in Tokyo

by Keigo Higashino

From the iconic Nihonbashi bridge in Tokyo's Nihonbashi area, a strange monument of a kirin, a Japanese mythical beast, keeps watch over the neighbourhood. A drunk man stumbles onto the bridge and passes out just beneath the statue of the winged beast.

When the patrolman arrives to wake up the man after witnessing this event, he finds that he has been killed; he was not intoxicated; he had been stabbed in the chest. Finding out where he was assaulted and why he used such extraordinary effort to transport himself there would help investigators solve the murder; nevertheless, where he died was not the crime scene. A young guy called Yashima gets hurt in a vehicle accident the same night as he tries to escape the police with the victim's wallet. Detective Kyoichiro Kaga of the Tokyo Police is assigned to the squad looking into the murder. He will need to use his investigative talents to get the truth about what happened that night on the Nihonbashi bridge. Kaga's quest leads him into dark alleys and the unknown past to discover what occurred and why. Though this is the third book in the Kyoichiro Kaga series, readers need not read the prior ones to understand this narrative. Because the author gives readers the information they need to comprehend the roles and personalities of the key characters, this book excels as a standalone. The book also includes a helpful cast of characters list at the beginning for the readers' ease.

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STORIZEN REVIEW

Dear Reader – A Writer's Memoir

by Sankar, Translated by Arunava Sinha Sankar's autobiography, A Writer's Memoir, is an autobiographical description of his life as a writer. It chronicles his fortuitous rise from clerk to the last British lawyer of the Calcutta High Court, Noel Barwell, to becoming one of India's best-selling Bengali authors. The biography also pays gratitude to those who inspired and impacted his literary career, including his mother and grandmother, instructors, and headmasters. Throughout the book, Sankar reflects on his own life, including one episode in which a weak elderly man goes to great lengths to find Sankar's house and asks to meet Sankar's mother. Arunava Sinha translated the novel into English after it was first published in Bengali as Eka Eka Ekashi. He is an Associate Professor of Creative Writing at Ashoka University and a translator from India. He has translated 72 books from Bengali to English and is co-director of Ashoka University's Centre of Translation, encouraging women to become translators. He has authored several books, including Harbart, The Merry Adventures of Harshabardhan, and Gobardhan. In this book, Sankar criticises individuals who rejected him as a one-book author and blamed him for five years of anguish between his first and second novels. He asks his mother, "Who is greater, the writer or the reader?" She responds that it is the reader who becomes a writer. Sankar's writing style is distinguished by vivid descriptions and an emphasis on ordinary people's daily lives. He frequently draws on his own life experiences to tell stories that are both personal and accessible. His novels have received accolades for their realism, wit, and understanding of Bengali society.

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Rishi Sunak – The Rise

by Michael Ashcroft The Rise of Rishi Sunak by Michael Ashcroft is a biography of Rishi Sunak, the current Chancellor of the Exchequer. Sunak's journey from his parents' Southampton pharmacy to the University of Oxford, the City of London, Silicon Valley, and the pinnacle of British politics is chronicled in the book.

Sunak is portrayed well in the book as intelligent, thorough, and data-driven. It also includes information on his early childhood and schooling.

Rishi Sunak (born May 12, 1980) is a British politician and investor who has been Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Conservative Party Leader since October. He was born in Southampton, England, to Hindu parents from Southeast Africa of Indian Punjabi origin. Sunak earned a Fulbright scholarship at Stanford University after graduating from Oxford in 2001.

Sunak was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer

by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in February 2020.

Sunak was named Prime Minister when Johnson resigned in October 2022.

The book has 22 chapters that talk about Rishi Sunak's birth, childhood, teenage, wedding, and till his travel into the cabinet. The book is a fascinating read that delves into the life and career of one of Britain's most influential politicians. While it does not address all of Sunak's queries, it does give a fascinating peek into his life and profession.

FEBRUARY 2023

STORIZEN REVIEW

Hindutva: Origin, Evolution and Future by Aravindan Neelakandan Hindutva is a philosophy that aims to celebrate and promote India's Hindu community's cultural and spiritual heritage.

The fundamental tenet of Hindutva is that India is a Hindu nation and that Hindus possess a distinctive cultural and spiritual heritage that ought to be honored and safeguarded. For decades, Hindutva has been recognized for its comprehensiveness and coherence. However, the 816 pages length has garnered more attention than its contemporaneity has. In addition, the book's overarching theme is about the true principles of Hinduism and how they are connected to the original ideas that dominated our society and culture as a whole. Some concepts like cow worship, among other things. as well as the Aryan Invasion theory and other important historical events shape our present.

The book's extensiveness and connotations and the author's disclosure of significant facts to reconcile spirituality with modern science remain its most remarkable features. Spirituality and science were thought to be at odds for a very long time. The author also talks about other fundamental aspects of Hinduism's sociology, like how it has and continues to show up in our dayto-day lives. The book's writing style has been kept simple and easy for readers to understand, and despite its length, each page has interesting material for them to look at and investigate. The book is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn more about Hinduism or explore the religion from a neutral and contemporary perspective.

FEBRUARY 2023

The Book of Bihari Literature

by Abhay K.

The book, published by HarperCollins India, features a vivid mix of writingspoems, essays, and storiespenned by some of the finest poets, thinkers, and authors from millennia who were born or lived in what is now Bihar. Angika, Bajjika, Bhojpuri, English, Farsi, Hindi, Magahi, Maithili, Pali, Sanskrit, and Urdu are the languages included in 'The Book of Bihari Literature,' compiled by poet-diplomat Abhay K. Going back into history, Bihar has a rich and diverse literary tradition that spans centuries. Some of the most prominent figures in Indian literature, such as Tulsidas, Vidyapati, and Kabir, hailed from Bihar. Bihar has also given birth to several wellknown authors and poets who have made significant contributions to literature. Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, a notable Hindi poet and essayist; Phanishwar Nath, an influential Hindi novelist and journalist; Bhikhari Thakur, and others are among them. This collection makes the abundance of Bihari literature available to English-speaking readers and works in forgotten languages by ancient philosophers and prominent modern authors. With the comfortable font size and accessible translation, this book by Abhay K stands out in the translated works published recently. A must-read for all the enthusiasts who want to explore Bihar Literature.

(Reviewed by Swapna Peri) Visit storizen.com to read full reviews

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STORIZEN POETRY

Serenading Through Time

by Vidya Shankar

Night and day I hear him play at his piano love songs for the lady he wished to share his life with.

She was but a wisp of memory gone before he could tell her of his love for her.

Night and day he strikes at the keys endlessly as if the melodies oozed from his fingers not caring that he is withering away.

Night and day he plays at his broken down piano the melodies never out of tune believing that one day she will hear him believing that one day he will be one with her.

Night and day I hear him play at his piano knowing his heart belongs to another knowing I never will be one with him.

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Vidya Shankar, a widely published poet and writer, an English Language teacher, a 'book' in the Human Library, author of two poetry books, and editor of four anthologies, loves experimenting with free verse writing techniques and exploring Japanese poetry forms. She finds meaning in her life through yoga and mandalas.

FEBRUARY 2023

Those tiny(?) aches of love. . .

by Madhumathi H.

That train journey tore her apart While solitude wafted through the window Soothing breeze ruffled her hair The joy of briefly traveling in an empty compartment Her close-to-heart transport The train that has soul All these vanished, as the stench of loneliness, choked her...

We all carry that piece of our heart, hidden That lonely piece laden with the unsaid, unheard Longing for love, solace, a shoulder A soul to call one's own That someone who will make you forget mirages Handhold you to the rivers, and oceans Sing under the starlit sky Dance with you in the rain...

Destiny, Karma decides what we deserve Sigh! But Love prays for what we believe would heal us She wished for a dreamer, wanderer Someone who translates her soul in the voice of poetry A hope-weaver who gently handles her tears A soulmate who would hug her fears, caress her tired wings Replenish her heart with hope, and smiles...

We often meet beautiful souls, like a mirror But at the wrong time Our crush, infatuation are the passing clouds While our longings, the permanent sky that never shifts We cherish the brief encounters Let go with tiny aches that heal with time...

Or we act, lie to ourselves the wounds are healed We drown little by little In our own sea of tears, piningsFor the unrequited love The unspeakable love, that someday would tear us apart Like how the train journey helped her Swallow the bitter truths of life And...

Nobody saw, the train too was in tears...

FEBRUARY 2023

A bilingual poet-writer(Tamil, English), Madhumathi. H is an ardent lover of Nature, Poetry, Photography, and Music.

Her poems are published in Anthologies of The Poetry Society(India), CPC- Chennai Poetry Circle's EFFLORESCENCE, IPC's(India Poetry Circle) Madras Hues Myriad Views, Amaravati Poetic Prism 2015, and in e-zines UGC approved Muse India, Storizen, OPA – Our Poetry Archives, IWJ - International Writers Journal, Positive Vibes, Science Shore. e-Anthologies Monsoon moods - Muse India, Green Awakenings - On Environment, by Kavya-Adisakrit.

Ignite Poetry, Breathe Poetry, Dream Poetry, and Soul shores have 10 of her poems published, Soul Serenade, Shades of LoveAIFEST, Arising from the dust, Painting Dreams, Shards of unsung Poesies, are some of the Anthologies her poems, and write-ups are part of. (2020 to 2022) Besides Poetry, Madhumathi writes on Mental health, to create awareness, break the stigma, believing in the therapeutic, transformational power of words.

Contact: madhumathi.poetry@gmail.com Blogs: https://madhumathipoetry.wordpress.com

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TO READ SIMILAR STORIES, VISIT WWW. STORIZEN. COM

ARIES MOON SIGN: 10 OF WANDS This Month, Aries. You are working alone with too many responsibilities both personally and professionally which is causing you stress and tired.

LEO MOON SIGN: PAGE OF PENTACLES This Month, Leo, you will find new financial opportunities, new beginning. It’s the month to manifest personal growth.

You can start something new as it’s the good month for new ventures.

TAURUS MOON SIGN: 6 OF PENTACLES This Month, Taurus, you are helping your team members in their work and supporting them. It also indicates, some might seek help from others.

GEMINI MOON SIGN: 8 OF PENTACLES This month, Gemini You will be putting extra efforts in your work to be efficient in your task and get appreciated.

CANCER MOON SIGN: THE MAGICIAN This month, Cancer it’s time to manifest your dream desires as universe is blessing you with all the power required to fulfil your dreams.

FEBRUARY 2023

VIRGO MOON SIGN: 10 OF CUPS This month, Virgo, you will spend time with your family, and they will support you in every aspect your life.

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LIBRA MOON SIGN: THE HANGED MAN This Month, Libra it’s time to go with the flow and don’t rush things. It’s the time to take a pause and think about new directions and ways for the situation.

SCORPIO MOON SIGN: 7 OF CUPS This month, Scorpio you will find lots of opportunities which might be tempting and interesting but be careful as you are prone to illusions.

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SAGITTARIUS MOON SIGN: THE FOOL This month, Sagittarians it’s time to take risk based on your faith in the Universe.

CAPRICORN MOON SIGN: 3 OF CUPS This Month, Capricorns you will enjoy celebrating your success with your friends and have a great party time.

I am Himani Goyal, By profession, I am an HR Manager working in Banglore. Reading is my hobby which led me to write reviews for my readers. I have read and reviewed numerous books so far. I am also a practicing Tarot consultant and would be sharing daily, weekly, monthly horoscopes for you all here.

AQUARIUS MOON SIGN: 2 OF CUPS This Month.Aquarians, you will find your soulmate if you are single and enjoy understanding each other and spend quality time together.

PISCES MOON SIGN: 2 OF SWORDS This month, you are confused and indecisive to take any decisions as you have two options and both seems to be promising.

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FEBRUARY 2023

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