Storizen Magazine October 2021 | Chetan Bhagat

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OCTOBER 2021

STORIZEN

FROM ROMANCE TO MYSTERY THE JOURNEY

CHETAN BHAGAT Exclusive Digital Issue For more Columns and features, scan the QR code

Exclusive Feature on PAGE 8

Cover Story

Book Reviews

From Romance to Mystery, The Journey

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)

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WHAT'S INSIDE 7 8

EDITOR'S NOTE

- Sushma M. Bhardwaj

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STORIZEN CONTRIBUTE Let Go, Gently...

HOT OFF THE PRESS The Happiness Train by Nandini Nayar

STORIZEN HEALTH How to Prevent Sleep Disorders

COVER STORY From Romance to Mystery, The Journey - Pria

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- Madhumathi H

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STORIZEN CONTRIBUTE Let Go and Feel Liberated

- Hachette India

- Stuti Gogia

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HOT OFF THE PRESS The Wish by Nicholas Sparks - Hachette India

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STORIZEN CONTRIBUTE Let Go …. Let’s GO!!

- Abhrekha Jain

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HOT OFF THE PRESS Being Ritu: The Unforgettable Story of Ritu Nanda, by Sathya Saran

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STORIZEN CONTRIBUTE The Art of Letting Go - Riya Gulati

- HarperCollins India

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HOT OFF THE PRESS The Cinema of Satyajit Ray

by Bhaskar Chattopadhyay - Westland

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STORIZEN REVIEW The Jamun Tree and Other Stories by Richa Gupta - Swapna Peri

WHAT'S INSIDE 46

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STORIZEN REVIEW

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STORIZEN POETRY

Guilty of Love, Your Honour

by Rajesh Talwar

Wrestling With Autumnal Desires

- Swapna Peri

- Mamta Joshi

STORIZEN REVIEW

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Eye on You by Kanchana Banerjee

STORIZEN POETRY On a Bench at The Beach - Vidya Shankar

- Swapna Peri

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STORIZEN REVIEW

Images

Agnibaan by S.Venkatesh

- Sumantra Chaudhury

- Swapna Peri

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STORIZEN POETRY Letting Go - Sumana Bhattacharya

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STORIZEN POETRY

STORIZEN POETRY Move On In Life - Aparna Mukherjee

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

BOOKMARKED

Storizen Magazine September

Books we are loving this month

2021

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

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from the editor

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.

M oving away from someone or something can be both relaxing or disturbing. What is harder is to let go of the emotions, attachments, and feelings.

It's difficult to let go... In everybody's life, there is something or someone they have to let go of. The theme for the month of October was "Let Go..."

Authors are evolving and there is a shift in genre for every writer. This month we have an author whom we all grew up reading to and who has made the genre switch from romance to mystery. We are extremely delighted to feature Chetan Bhagat this month in Storizen! Do check out the exclusive story on page 8.

Like every month, we have shortlisted some of the good reads for all the book lovers. Do check out the hot new releases and the Bookmarked section to learn more.

Having sleep issues? This month in Storizen Health, we have shared some tips on how you can prevent sleep disorders and have a good night's sleep!

We thank our readers and contributors for their constant support and motivating us to bring you some of the best content each month. Keep spreading the love and support!

Do read, like, comment, and share with your friends and family.

Happy Reading!

editor@storizen.com Saurabh Chawla, Editor in Chief

COVER STORY

“The world's most sensible person and the biggest idiot both stay within us. The worst part is, you can't even tell who is who.”

- Chetan Bhagat

COVER STORY

From Romance to Mystery, The Journey Discussion by Swapna Peri and Saurabh Chawla, Text by Pria

COVER STORY

L

ove him or hate him. Surely one cannot ignore him! Criticized by the ' elite readers ' and loved by the casual readers, Chetan Bhagat is the first author that every reader wants to pick up who wants to inculcate the reading habit.

Since 2004, his books have given a paradigm shift in Indian reading, and it is not exaggerating to say that his books produced many young readers and new-age authors. The coffeetable books are his books because of the easy and simple language, engaging narrations, and straight stories.

There is also a set of people in the society who judge the readers if they read his books. Barring all the criticism and the not-so-favorable comments, he is still the most followed and read author!

His books have simple stories. The conversations are straightforward, and the characters are easy-going. But what is to be also taken into account is the social angle that every book has.

town girls and guys face when they seek their future in urbanized places and many such things.

Apart from fiction writing, he has also written three non-fiction books that question and share the idea of India with future citizens. Even the titles of those books are riveting. The nonfiction books, What Young India Wants (2012), Making India Awesome (2015), and India Positive (2019) have been received well.

During a recent conversation with him, his opinion of reading and today's decline in reading habits gives an idea about his concern. When asked why people don't read now, he replied that the advent of technology and especially social media has brought in a huge leap.

He further mentions how people, irrespective of age, are spending more time watching Facebook videos or the Instagram reels for more than 40mins which doesn't yield anything productive. Though his statements may create uncomfortable ripples among the people who love those apps, his reason stands tall.

His books have also given a fabric on how a professional college hostel looks like, what difficulties the small10

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COVER STORY

When asked about his new book 400 days and its story, Chetan says 400 Days is about a missing child in the backdrop of a love story. The book's main theme is children's safety in the age of the Internet when everyone has a phone; literally, anyone in the world can reach our kids through the Internet.

Though the story runs on a serious line, the book has the usual elements of love, friendship, and romance. At this juncture, when he was asked about the shift in his writing style from the romance genre to mystery, his reply was honest and realistic.

To stay in the competition, it is a mandate to follow the order of the day Chetan's strive to pitch himself amongst the budding writers made to change his approach in the storytelling.

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This reply also shows his passion for creating new stories and exploring many facades of society.

His first novel was published in the year 2004. This is 2021, and there is a vast difference in lifestyle, people's mindsets, likes, and interests around the world. It has been a long journey as an author.

He was 29 when his first book, and now he is 47. So, it's a very different Chetan Bhagat in that way. Saying this also gives an important aspect that a writer and a storyteller must evolve. This is proven in his case.

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COVER STORY

His first novel was published in the year 2004. This is 2021, and there is a vast difference in lifestyle, people's mindsets, likes, and interests around the world. It has been a long journey as an author.

He was 29 when his first book, and now he is 47.

So, it's a very different Chetan Bhagat in that way. Saying this also gives an important aspect that a writer and a storyteller must evolve. This is proven in his case.

He never wanted to be a one-bookhit writer but wanted to be a writer who travels for a long time with his readers keeping in mind the happening around. His stories tell that he was ready to take risks and try different ways in depicting the love stories from the beginning.

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OCTOBER 2021

COVER STORY

Click here to watch on YouTube His ever-evolving attitude also reflects people's disinterest in reading with the cheaper rates of the Internet that drifts the interest.

The exact amount of Internet can be used to read ebooks or listen to audiobooks, increasing the reading interest. In this regard, when asked about his inclination towards audio and kindle books, his reply was endearing as a commoner.

The feeling of holding a book, turning the pages physically with fingers, and smelling the book is missing with the usage of Kindle readers and audiobooks.

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I wrote 400 Days during the lockdown and therefore I could focus on the book entirely. I truly enjoyed writing this book and I can say that this is one of my best books ever. With this book, I have expanded my horizon and explored themes of a missing child, the dangers of the internet, and infidelity. I am grateful that the readers have loved my books in the past and hope that they will enjoy this as well.

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400 Days The book presents an unputdownable tale of suspense, human relationships, love, friendship and much more

400 Days is a riveting read filled with mystery and romance unlike no other.

COVER STORY

Asking about his reaction to social media trolling, he says he doesn't care about it anymore. He further states that as he proved himself and has been in the circle for a long time, it is not easy to invalidate his opinions now.

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OCTOBER 2021

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.

Contact: pria@storizen.com

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HOTthe OFFpress Suraj and Radha never know when the colourful ‘Happiness Train’ will chug into their village, offering them a whole new world of fun and enchantment!

‘Trains and tracks are evil,’ says Amma, ‘they carry people away.’ But this train’s musical whistle, the gorgeous pictures on the coaches, and its promise of faraway exciting lands and the raja who owns them – all make Suraj eager to leave his humdrum life at home and set out on adventures.

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OCTOBER 2021

HOTthe OFFpress If you had one wish...

Maggie hasn't told this story in years. More than two decades ago, she fell in love.

She was sixteen and far from home, waiting to give her baby up for adoption.

Bryce showed Maggie how to take photographs and he didn't judge her for the way her belly swelled under her jumper. They had the perfect first kiss. Theirs was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of love.

OCTOBER 2021

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Being Ritu: The Unforgettable Story of Ritu Nanda, by Sathya Saran

Meet Ritu Nanda. As Raj Kapoor’s daughter, she was part of the first family of Bollywood. Her marriage to Rajan Nanda of the Escorts Group led to her joining another illustrious family. Yet, she went on to carve her own identity as an insurance advisor and even got her name into the Guinness Book of World Records!

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STORIZEN EVENTS

Sathya Saran is best known for her long association with Femina, which she edited for twelve years. She is also the author of a diverse variety of books. Currently Consulting Editor with Penguin Random House India, Sathya also teaches fashion journalism at NIFT Mumbai, Kangra, and Srinagar.

ABOUT THE BOOK Meet Ritu Nanda. As Raj Kapoor’s daughter, she was part of the first family of Bollywood. Her marriage to Rajan Nanda of the Escorts Group led to her joining another illustrious family. Yet, she went on to carve her own identity as an insurance advisor and even got her name into the Guinness Book of World Records!

the kaleidoscope of her life—her family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers.

Being Ritu is the story of a woman who shed her shyness and stepped into the limelight, taking on a variety of roles— entrepreneur, insurance advisor, author, negotiator, and pioneer. It’s about her quiet determination, grace, and courage as she lived every moment to its fullest, even while battling a dreaded disease, and touched the lives of everyone around her. It’s also about those who added color to OCTOBER 2021

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The Cinema of Satyajit Ray by Bhaskar Chattopadhyay

Ray is the tallest Indian figure in world cinema. Retrospectives across the globe, perhaps even more than at home, have kept his legacy alive. But how do we understand his cinema in the context of a vastly different world? What keeps great cinema from becoming dated? What are the particularities of Ray’s movies that cause them to endure?

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OCTOBER 2021

STORIZEN EVENTS

Bhaskar Chattopadhyay is an author, translator and screenwriter who lives and works in Bengaluru, India. His translations include 14: Stories That Inspired Satyajit Ray (HarperCollins, 2014) and Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay’s Aranyak (Penguin Random House, 2022).

ABOUT THE BOOK Ray is the tallest Indian figure in world cinema. Retrospectives across the globe, perhaps even more than at home, have kept his legacy alive. But how do we understand his cinema in the context of a vastly different world? What keeps great cinema from becoming dated? What are the particularities of Ray’s movies that cause them to endure?

Bhaskar Chattopadhyay’s literary engagement with Ray’s cinema spans years. In this book, he revisits each one of Satyajit Ray’s thirty-nine feature films, shorts, and documentaries to investigate their cinematic and social context. He also speaks to a number of the master’s collaborators as well as other directors and critics to truly understand Ray and his work.

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Packed with delightful anecdotes and fresh insights, The Cinema of Satyajit Ray is an essential book for every cinephile’s library.

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How to Prevent Sleep Disorders

by Sushma M Bhardwaj

STORIZEN HEALTH

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only. It does not intend to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any diseases. Get the help of a certified medical professional or a certified dietician before making any changes to your diet or exercise regimen.

S

leep is not an option but a necessity.

During the day normal cells create waste and as it accumulates, we feel tired. The waste is flushed away during sleep enabling us to awake refreshed.

Sleep also removes toxic proteins in the brain linked to many brain-related diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia. Common sleep disorders like insomnia, restless legs syndrome, narcolepsy, and sleep apnea can affect every aspect of your life including your safety, relationships, school, and work performance, thinking, mental health, weight, and the development of diabetes and heart disease.

It is believed that between 30% and 48% of older adults suffer from insomnia. Women have a lifetime risk of insomnia that is as much as 40% higher than that of men who have sleep disorders and mainly arises due to their lifestyle.

The key organs responsible for cleaning or detoxication like kidneys, lungs, liver, and large intestines work at their peak at night. These organs responsible for detoxification in our body start the OCTOBER 2021

process of detoxification when the body is at rest during the night.

The many stages of sleep transition from wakefulness to deep sleep 1) Stage 1 - it lasts for 15 to 10 minutes 2) Stage 2 - body temperature drops and heart rate begins to slow down.

The brain begins to sleep. It lasts for 20 minutes.

3) Stage 3 - muscles relax BP and breathing rate drops and deepest sleep occurs.

4) Stage 4 - rain becomes more active body becomes relaxed and immobilized. dreams occur and eyes move rapidly.

The following conditions may occur when we do not get sufficient sleep 1) Chronic tiredness 2) Mood change 3) Frustration 4) Difficulty in controlling emotion 5) Inability to think For students, the effect of insomnia or sleeplessness can show up in the following ways 1) They worry more and find it difficult to concentrate, understand, and remember.

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2) They become weak physically and get more prone to catch cold and other infections 3) They don't like to take part in sports activities and live to eat more sugary food Consequences of sleep deprivation 1) Increased risk of mental health disorders like anxiety excessive daytime sleepiness and poor diet.

3) Avoid taking heavy meals late in the night 4) Make the sleeping place comfortable dark and quiet. neither too warm nor too cold To be at your peak performance 7 hours of sleep is a must important adult asleep works as a vacuum cleaner.

2) Body organs do not get proper time to flush out toxins and toxin gets stored in the body causing damage as there is fixed timing for the detoxification of various organs e.g: gallbladder detoxifies between 11:00 PM to 1:00 AM, liver lungs and large intestines from1 to 7:00 AM If one sleeps at 2 am one day the gallbladder would not detoxify the said day and if the sleep time continues, the toxicity increases.

We can follow a routine to relax before sleep like 1) Reading a book, listening to music, and taking a bath. Try not to watch television or mobile phone half an hour before sleep.

2) Go to sleep at the same time each day and get up at the same time each morning. try not to take naps during the day 24

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OCTOBER 2021

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Let Go, Gently...

by Madhumathi H

L

etting go, is a deep pain. It takes a lifetime to heal from certain memories, moments, experiences that stay with us, even after moving on.

Talking about detachment, to be like water on Lotus leaves is always easy.

But we are all humans with a myriad of emotions, feelings swirling within...One song, one fragrance, a scribbling found in an old diary, opening a trinket box – just anyone these could leave our eyes bedewed with tears... The past gatecrashes... It needn’t be a romantic relationship to go through emotional turbulence in letting go. It could be any bond, watered with love...

The more we try to let go, the more our heart holds tight the emotions...

But how long is the struggle?! Isn't letting go, and moving on a sane, and peaceful way to live?! Don't we all long for that one big leap to let go, hushing the heart?! Featherlight mind is a healthy side effect for those who have mastered the art of letting go!

Whatever bond we share, it is OKAY to love deeply, with all our hearts! We do become emotionally unstable at times.

We hurt, in the name of loving, that might overwhelm the one who is loved.

We get hurt, being ignored, our love is taken for granted, or being used by fairweather friends. We are never prepared for heartbreaks, partings, losses...

When there is a crack on the glass, bitterness that seems to last, pauses, long silences never fail to sting!

Memories surface, transporting us to the sounds of laughter, giggles, to the texture of brittle tears, scents of joy, love, celebrations, and to all the colors of nourishing togetherness...

Will they allow the 'letting go' happen, like a cakewalk?! Life smirks and winks...

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Maybe, taking life as it comes, being in the now, living life one day at a time, we can learn to let go with less hurt, and more wisdom.

Maybe, we can learn from the flowers...

Unfriending their fears, doubts, and the 'whys?!', to just bloom, absorb the sunshine days, welcome the rain, or storm, and let go as it slides and drips from each petal...

Hosting the dewdrops, embracing all the climates of life, with an unfading smile, and wither...

Sigh! To be a flower, to blossom, and let go, is not easy to a human whose life is constantly hounded by, "If only, and What if?!"...

To let go of memories of loved ones who are not in our lives anymore, either cruelly taken away by death, or cluelessly orphaned by love, is lifelong learning...

We sometimes find it difficult to let go of even old furniture, an old cycle, crockery, or clothes, for instance, attaching so many emotions to them. Despite knowing how unpredictable and ephemeral life, is!

The tighter we hold, the deeper the ache...

It's a quagmire...

Let's live. Love. Fall. Rise. Realize. Let go, gently...

Let the love that teaches us to hold, guide us to let go, too...

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A bilingual poet-writer(Tamil, English), Madhumathi is an ardent lover of Nature, Poetry, Photography, and Music. Her poems are published in Anthologies of The Poetry Society(India), AIFEST 2020 Poetry contest Anthology, CPC- Chennai Poetry Circle, IPC – India Poetry Circle, Amaravati Poetic Prism, and in e-zines UGC approved Muse India, Storizen, OPA – Our Poetry Archives, IWJ International Writers Journal, Positive Vibes, and Science Shore. ‘’Ignite Poetry'’, “Arising from the dust”, “Painting Dreams", “Shards of the unsung Poesies" are some of the recent Anthologies her poems, and write-ups are part of.

Besides Poetry, Madhumathi writes on Mental health, to create awareness and break the stigma, strongly believing in the therapeutic and transformational power of words.

Contact: madhumathi.poetry@gmail.com

OCTOBER 2021

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Let Go and Feel Liberated

by Stuti Gogia

I recently have started deep-diving into spirituality and getting many new life lessons as a part of it mostly on daily basis. The best of it all is “Let-Go”.

Letting Go is the hardest thing to do especially for people like us who are in an era of technology and social media where life is so results and successoriented. Because it’s not at all easy to Let go of numbers, likes, and following, and still maintain zeal for the content you are creating and creativity you are maintaining.

Krishna started preaching Let Go since “Mahabhartha” when he said “Karam Kro Phal ki chinta mat kro” which means “Focus on your Work and do not worry about results” and that is the truest and easiest example of letting go.

When we attach ourselves to either desires or results which we want as an input to that desire that’s where we start being slaves of our mind. True Liberation is freeing ourselves from everything we cannot control.

All we need to be our best if efforts to sow a seed with fertilizers, soil, and regular care, and that should be our only motivation, let go of weeds and doubt about how the flowers are going to bloom.

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

Let Go of everything which keeps you stuck in low energy vibrations.

Let Go of everything which attaches you to results.

Let Go of everything which puts you back in doubt Let Go of everything which stops you to feel Liberate and Free OCTOBER 2021

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Let Go… Let’s GO!!

by Abhrekha Jain Sahlot

“I’ve been stabbed in the back by those I needed most. I’ve been lied to by those I love. And I have felt alone when I couldn’t afford to be. But at the end of the day, I had to learn to be my own best friend because there’s going to be days where no one is going to be there for me but myself!”

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Drifting away from someone or something you had loved or was attached to could either be relaxing or disturbing. What is more difficult or perhaps the hardest is to let go of the emotions, attachments, and feelings. The hardest thing about change is letting go of what you were comfortable with and going forward with something you are not.

We all have experienced these feelings and emotions multiple times in our lives. When we had our first heartbreak or when we lose our loved ones or when someone whom we loved immensely betrays us.

While I have closely felt and experienced the pain of losing my father, I could still manage to lift myself after few years and accept that he is around me, always blessing me and motivating me to move forward.

Whenever I feel low or miss him, I have his emails and pictures, mentioning how proud he is of me and that his blessings are with me till eternity.

Somehow, his encouraging words of wisdom OCTOBER 2021

has always helped me to move forward to achieve bigger and better.

Everyone has a different mechanism to deal with losing their near and dear ones, but I chose to celebrate his life instead. I chose to be happy always as this is what he always wanted, I chose to make him proud, I chose to continue his legacy, spreading love and happiness forever...

Losing any loved one is painful, yet it heals with time, while memories remain forever, we still move on with sweet remembrance.

However, another feeling which we often experience in our lives is of betrayal, which often leaves us bitter. The saddest and most hard thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies.

A betrayal from your own family is extremely devastating than a betrayal among friends, or even lovers. Betrayal happens on many different levels all the time, and there is no worse feeling than realizing someone STORIZEN MAGAZINE

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STORIZEN CONTRIBUTE

you thought you could trust has gone against you.

Just because a person doesn’t touch you physically, doesn’t mean they aren’t abusive.

Abuse is control, arrogance, jealousy, negativity, disrespect, and hurtful words. Don’t settle for emotional abuse thinking it’s ok because it’s not physical.

Life is not all about who looks real on your face, it’s about who is really behind your back, genuinely.

I know it’s very funny that how sometimes the people you would take a bullet for …. Are the ones behind the trigger. But you need to accept that, a “Snake” never loses its characteristics of being dangerous and poisonous. So, you should not wonder if someone behaves insanely even after years of loving and supporting them, it’s because of the characteristics of that human analogous to a snake, who can never be your pet, no matter how much you love or nurture.

So, what do I do if other people hurt me? Well, that’s their problem, their character, and their actions, which are not mine. We must distrust each other; It is our only way and defense against betrayal.

Never push a loyal person to the point where they no longer care about us.

The essence of life dealing with betrayal is unless you LET GO, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that situation is over, you cannot move forward.

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STORIZEN CONTRIBUTE

Don’t worry. People who lie or cheat or betray you are just life’s way of making you realize the importance of the people who don’t need to be around you. Stay away from negative, jealous, and complaining people, surround yourself with people who genuinely love you and keep you motivated.

It takes a very strong individual to sit with themselves, calm their storms, and heal all their issues without trying to bring someone else into the chaos.

Your journey into self-love is just that—and we all should practice doing it.

Ending this wonderful October month theme of “Letting Go” with this beautiful famous quote.

“I’ve been stabbed in the back by those I needed most. I’ve been lied to by those I love.

And I have felt alone when I couldn’t afford to be. But at the end of the day, I had to learn to be my own best friend because there’s going to be days where no-one is going to be there for me but myself!”

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Mental health needs not to be discussed only on 10th October every year. It impacts your well-being every second. Here is what usually works for me in times of despair…

Take Sips of life as it comes, take one day at a time, focus on what all is right in your life than focus on wrongs, let the smallest ray of hope brighten your day, let your eyes soak the universe’s energy. Just take it easy and be grateful to God that you are LIVING. Breathe, breathe, breathe… this is the only thing that is yours and in your control.

Breathe and believe … it will all be OKAY one day!!

Season’s greetings to all my wonderful readers, May the sun radiate peace, prosperity, and happiness in your lives.

Love & Light

Meet Abhrekha Jain Sahlot, the name is derivative of her parent’s name ( Abhay & Rekha). She is full of life, energy and enthusiasm. A gold medalist computer engineer she has been working with top MNC for over 13 years now.

Blessed with an incredible supportive family, Husband Tushar Sahlot stands behind her as the strongest pillar of strength, shouldering equal responsibilities at home. A doting mother of 2 boys ( Nabhanyu & Daksh Sahlot), life has given her various opportunities to explore and she seems to have taken best of everything. From singing, painting to acting, swimming and basketball, she has been into various co-curricular activities from artistic ones to the sports ones.

However, currently, she enjoys sharing her blessings with fellow women by addressing women and parenting forums and helping women in her capacity and spread message & the importance of being happy & content @abhrekha

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OCTOBER 2021

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THE ART OF LETTING GO

by Riya Gulati

Let’s imagine that the world is going to end tomorrow and you have only 24 hours left- what will be your priorityyourself, family, mentors, friends, job, knowledge, beauty, materialistic possessions, fame, spirituality, dwelling in the past or any other thing? The answer would vary from person to person but 95% of individuals would like to spend their last day with high morals and standards. Instinctively, there will be bountiful love, generosity, meekness, and sweetness all around for the tail end. The miscellaneous5% would fall under the category of people who would selfishly attempt to feed their ego at that time. We are God-fearing individuals rather than God-loving spirits. We all are the creator’s special creation(s) and we

only realize the same when we have less time left. Why veneer the good behavior and deeds for the last days, why not ingrain the magical acts now and every day?

Thinking about oneself is not impolitic but creating disruptions in other people’s life is indeed foolhardy.

Realistically, we all have intentionally and inadvertently been engulfed in minor and major misdoings in life which have disgruntled someone. We must take a minute to wonder and have an action check- how would we feel when the same thing is done unto us? We live in a world that is adversely swayed by the rat race, social media, 60% freakish and melodramatic (imprudent) social persuaders to whom we mindlessly follow and tend to be pretentious. Expressing your emotions and thoughts is a natural process but with time and situation, we must be wise enough to understand the repercussions attached to it.

In the contemporary world wherein people, materialistic things, and feelings attached to them are temporary- it comes and goes with an

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exception of the special (irreplaceable) ones who occupy a big space in our heart regardless of distance, time, and space. Letting go of your emotions, bad chapters of life, and past experiences do require patience, the art of acceptance, wisdom, mindfulness, humility, inner compassion, and understanding the latent virtues that lie behind the series of events whether good or bad.

During this festive season of Dussehra which marks the celebration of the triumph of good over evil, let’s pledge to fight against the ten demons in our life: arrogance, anger, deception, greed, lust, jealousy, procrastination, hatred, sorrow, and fear. Endeavor to make your life more purposeful by getting rid of the inner evils and letting go of anything that pulls you down.

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.

Friendly Reminder: Past is over, Future on the road- Act shrewdly now!

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OCTOBER 2021

We are Sure You got a brilliant idea for a story Let us know when you write it and publish it.

We'll help you spread the good word.

talktous@storizen.com

The Realistic Fiction Reviewed by Swapna Peri

STORIZEN REVIEW

BOOK REVIEW

Short stories are definitely a challenging format of story-telling because, within the restricted space and time, a lot has to be told without any hush! And having many stories woven under a similar or a particular theme is a herculean effort.

The simple yet engrossing language in the book stands as a highlight. Apart from this, the titles of the stories are attractive. Each story has its own fabric of emotion and depth.

What to expect The Jamun Tree is a perfect ala-carte of short stories that talk about life from various perspectives. It will surely appeal to readers who love realistic fiction. Since the book is set in the backdrop of present life and generation, it can essentially be called a sociorealistic drama. Expect a lot of relatable narration and some great perspectives coming straight from the future. There are some surprise elements in the short stories that are not easy to guess.

Therefore, I recommend the readers to pick up this book and have a great experience.

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About the Book The book is a collection of 19 stories that depict many emotions and feelings, and all are based on pandemic times. There is love, and there is distress, there is hope, there is death, there is sadness, there is greed and whatnot. All the themes are very well and incorporated in the stories.

Book Review

STORIZEN REVIEW

Richa uses a language that is easy and simple to understand.

Thus, with readable font size and font, the book can be read by readers of any age from maybe 14. This is my third book of her, and I now realize I have a liking towards her writing, unknowingly.

Final Rating 4/5

Visit storizen.com for full review

A passionate book reviewer, writer, narrator, translator, and copy editor, Swapna has a B. Tech in Computer Science and is a former SAP Technical Consultant. She is the writer, narrator, editor, and translator for three books published with Literoma Publishing, Kolkata. She created and manages the “Book Reviews Café” official blog and Facebook page that contains all the book reviews.

Swapna is also a content writer and reviewer with Storizen Magazine, CriticSpace Journals website, The Literature Times website, The Asian Review website, and the Literature Today website. She is a columnist with one of the leading women's websites in Telugu named 'Vihanga'.

@swapna.peri @sappy_dreamz_unlimited @swapna508

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A Tale of Love & Emotions!

Reviewed by Swapna Peri

STORIZEN REVIEW

BOOK REVIEW

This book by author Rajesh Talwar is an interesting tale of love and friendship that are inevitable in anyone's life. If these are not set within the definite and societal rules, then life goes bonkers.

This is the main theme of the story, and how do the characters react and act is what the story is. Every character in the story, including Simran, has its own space, identity, and strength.

The inclusion of Bollywood songs also added some spice to the story.

Who can read?

The story is targeted towards the readers who love to read fiction stories that revolve around themes like love, friendship, bromance, etc. As the story is written in a universal language, the book can be read by teenagers also.

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About the Book Love doesn't need an invitation to enter your life!

Luv, a lawyer, learns this when he falls in love with his best friend's girlfriend. And that's only the beginning of his troubles!

Luv finds out Jeet, who works as a high-flying corporate executive, is to be married to Simran, the girl he loves, and he tries to keep his emotions under check.

STORIZEN REVIEW

Book Review

Final Verdict A one-time interesting tale of love and emotions

Final Rating 3/5

(check out storizen.com for full review)

A passionate book reviewer, writer, narrator, translator, and copy editor, Swapna has a B. Tech in Computer Science and is a former SAP Technical Consultant. She is the writer, narrator, editor, and translator for three books published with Literoma Publishing, Kolkata. She created and manages the “Book Reviews Café” official blog and Facebook page that contains all the book reviews.

Swapna is also a content writer and reviewer with Storizen Magazine, CriticSpace Journals website, The Literature Times website, The Asian Review website, and the Literature Today website. She is a columnist with one of the leading women's websites in Telugu named 'Vihanga'.

@swapna.peri @sappy_dreamz_unlimited @swapna508

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The Realistic Story Reviewed by Swapna Peri

STORIZEN REVIEW

BOOK REVIEW

Life on social media has become more attention-seeking than informationseeking. With the advent of social media, engaging websites like the then Orkut, Facebook, and almost equivalent dating sites like Tiktok that were banned recently, Snapchat and Instagram were primarily meant to share photos of the traveled places, food, and culture have all turned upside down. The primary objective of these sites was to connect people across the globe on a universal platform to share knowledge. But, unfortunately, because of the absence of strict social etiquette, voyeurism, hatred, stalking, personal comparison, adultery, etc., have been increasing comparatively. This book, Eye on You, with the title itself, talks about what the book is about. The blurb also shows that the book is a strict discourse on not using social media.

The story starts with Myra's suspicion of being abused physically the before night. Myra, the protagonist in the story with her friend Dipti, with whom she shares her mental agony, helps her in the investigation.

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About the Book The story starts with Myra's suspicion of being abused physically the before night.

Myra, the protagonist in the story with her friend Dipti, with who she shares her mental agony, helps her in the investigation.

Book Review

STORIZEN REVIEW

The language, the narration and the incidents with realistic background make the book a readable one.

This is one of those books that will warn and caution today's social media users on how to be careful!

Visit storizen.com for full review

A passionate book reviewer, writer, narrator, translator, and copy editor, Swapna has a B. Tech in Computer Science and is a former SAP Technical Consultant. She is the writer, narrator, editor, and translator for three books published with Literoma Publishing, Kolkata. She created and manages the “Book Reviews Café” official blog and Facebook page that contains all the book reviews.

Swapna is also a content writer and reviewer with Storizen Magazine, CriticSpace Journals website, The Literature Times website, The Asian Review website, and the Literature Today website. She is a columnist with one of the leading women's websites in Telugu named 'Vihanga'.

@swapna.peri @sappy_dreamz_unlimited @swapna508

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A Must Read Fantasy Fiction Reviewed by Swapna Peri

STORIZEN REVIEW

BOOK REVIEW

AgniBaan: Guardians of the Fire Chamber is the second book by author S. Venkatesh. Like the previous book, this is also fantasy fiction with elements of mythology.

The story is set around two interwoven stories, one from 535 CE and one present-day; the book is set in Egypt, the US, and India. This story is a combination of history and folklore stories.

This story is a blend of ancient time and today's timeline incidents in India and the USA and already mentioned. The story starts in 535 CE in Egypt, where there were two orders. The order applied to run the world. The purpose is the order of the Guardian were Guarding the Secret Kept in the Fire Chamber of Great Pyramid. The second order is the Dark order of Apep, which was demonic, that always try to get their hands in this secret.

Aphotep is the member of the order of the guardian who rushes to India with a package holding secret. The parallel story is the assassination of the US presidential candidate.

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About the Book 535 CE A young warrior sails from Egypt to a secret destination in India, carrying a mysterious package from the Great Pyramid. He guards a secret for which wars have been fought, for which men have staged the most ruthless massacres. But the forces of darkness are not far behind.

Book Review

STORIZEN REVIEW

The language and the vocabulary used in the story is some of the interesting aspects. The characters are relatable and written with strength.

Though somewhere the story was lagging, the immediate incidents patch up the lag.

The author's interest in research and putting all those into writing is one of the highlights. An interesting and engaging narration with quests, twists and turns is what makes the book readable. (check out storizen.com for full review)

A passionate book reviewer, writer, narrator, translator, and copy editor, Swapna has a B. Tech in Computer Science and is a former SAP Technical Consultant. She is the writer, narrator, editor, and translator for three books published with Literoma Publishing, Kolkata. She created and manages the “Book Reviews Café” official blog and Facebook page that contains all the book reviews.

Swapna is also a content writer and reviewer with Storizen Magazine, CriticSpace Journals website, The Literature Times website, The Asian Review website, and the Literature Today website. She is a columnist with one of the leading women's websites in Telugu named 'Vihanga'.

@swapna.peri @sappy_dreamz_unlimited @swapna508

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Letting Go

by Sumana Bhattacharya

I still love you so much but I have to let you go Let you go for your sake, so you can live with what you have Guess I was just an intrusion, a distraction that went too far You never meant for it to be anything more, I just misconstrued, I fell head over heels in love with you The memories of our times together make me smile and cringe with embarrassment at the same time The embarrassment that made me purge my phone of all our pictures together, block everything that may remind me of you It would hurt less and heal my battered ego, I thought I still love you so much, but I have to let you go Let you go for my sake, so I can move on, no matter how tough The restlessness, the anxiety, the pain, the tears that fill my eyes for no apparent reason The questions that keep me awake at night, a strange ache that refuses to soothe, the infuriating embarrassment I have to let it all go, so I can live again

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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 postgraduate in English from Hyderabad Central University. She works for a PR agency and lives in Gurgaon.

OCTOBER 2021

STORIZEN POETRY

Move On In Life

by Aparna Mukherjee When you were there with me Life was a garden of roses Thoughts of yours Gave me smiles on my face Your existence made me feel Life is indeed beautiful As you left by my side Life appeared to be cruel.

Your love and care I valued the most After you decided to move on My eyes welled up with tears.

My mind crept with fears.

Your absence made me feel Life is bland Time slips away from my hand Like slippery sand.

In a few words, Aparna defines a woman who beholds high aspirations and firmly believes in expanding her horizon. She holds a Master's 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.

Your moving away Seemed difficult for me I was left alone In the middle of a vast sea.

Certain decisions are bitter But, they are necessary for life Instead of dragging a dead relationship Putting a permanent halt to it Is a decision that is way better.

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STORIZEN POETRY

Wrestling With Autumnal Desires

by Mamta Joshi My no-fuss mother had quirky views On aging, on letting go Like pot-pourri in tiny pouches Fragrant without being overpowering Old age for her was retreating afternoon Handing over the baton of household keys To the next generation While she gently clicked her prayer beads Snoozing most of the time in a cot Between the cusp of day and night.

Looking elegant for Mother mattered But comfort mattered more Like unraveling an old sweater The top of the piece goes first The first row stays on till the very end While she forgot what she ate for lunch Old places,old friends Old clothes,old pictures Remained crisp and fresh in her memory As therapeutic to her as a warm bath.

Old invocations of a blazing hearth Chromatic harmonies of a huge family Pressing feet of the elderly Are mere obfuscations No longer true No longer veiled I belong to a generation Of empty nesters Looking for wired kinship In the addictive network Of a digital world.

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STORIZEN POETRY

For me Living in nostalgia will not do The past has to supersede By the present Accepting things as they are Of a world that cannot be Strengthened by virus, glitches, cybercrime and outages Not strangled by them Paring down to essentials Letting go anger and hate The Panch-bhuta of life Sunlight, open skies Fresh air, rain and greening of the earth Hold utmost encore Taking stock of one’s life Downsizing matters more than before The season of fall is here Teaching detachment and giving more With the dismantling of leaves Mother Nature Is ready To move on without pause For a brand new pageant Seamlessly mantling itself With a new ensemble A new season A new showstopper Fresh applause!

OCTOBER 2021

Mamta Joshi did her Masters's in History from Allahabad University. Her poems, reflective essays, prose pieces, and short stories have appeared in national dailies and international e-magazines. A free spirit, she works with equal ease in Hindi and English.

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STORIZEN POETRY

On a Bench at The Beach

by Vidya Shankar we sat there for a long time, till the crowd around us thinned, till the sun shifted and the light changed, till we felt our eyes could meet again, without the tears A mere call away, yet The space of a million miles Of gushing tears separating us Life! Precious!

Not to be squandered away The song that played in the background Was mournfully painful And forgiveness was not easy in coming I was in no hurry, but determined Frame by frame The movies in my head Ctrl + Alt + Del Ctrl + Alt + Del Ctrl + Alt + Del Ctrl + Alt + Del Through the night Dawn blossomed On a bench at the beach

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STORIZEN POETRY

At whispering distance On the bench at the beach He sits We sit We have been sitting here a long time The bustling, distracting crowd has thinned The sun has shifted, the light has changed Our eyes that once explored each other’s deeply Pleading for acceptance before looking away Meet now Without tears The waves hum a love song That no longer echoes Pain

(The lines, we sat there...the tears are accredited to the author, Tatiana de Rosnay’s bestselling novel, Sarah's Key.)

Vidya Shankar finds meaning to life through yoga and mandalas which invigorate her to write poetry that wins accolades and finds its way into the ‘Yearbook of Indian Poetry in English, 2020-2021’. Be it stories, articles, blogging, editing, her work is suffused with passion. Featured in a unique coffee table book, ‘50 Inspiring Women boys and girls should read about, Chennai Edition’, Vidya Shankar, a motivational speaker and a “book” in the Human Library, is the author of The Flautist of Brindaranyam (in collaboration with her photographer husband, Shankar Ramakrishnan), and The Rise of Yogamaya (an effort to sensitize her readers about mental health and the need to break free from an outdated society).

@shanvidwinsalways @vidya.shankar.author

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STORIZEN POETRY

Images

by Sumantra Chaudhury

Lying on the floor astray are bygone tales, Of days, some bleak... some colorful, Few careless, others thoughtful.

Frozen now in a time so distant, Imprisoned behind black and white frames, Crying aloud... shedding tears of emotional games.

And as I looked, a whisper escaped, “Move on. Life's a journey...let go.”

A droplet in the corner, the vision blurs...

I smirk and gather with motions slow.

Images floating around like falling leaves, Locked away now in a walnut chest.

Like million secrets that I have known.

Forever in my heart put to rest.

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Sumantra is a young aspiring poet trying to express his thoughts, emotions, and ideas through rhyming verse. He is working as a Senior Consultant (Communication Design) with a reputed IT firm in Bengaluru.

He is also a trained Kathak & Hip Hop dancer and has performed in several stage shows. When not writing or dancing, he spends time creating short funny videos on social media. He believes that the best gifts in life come in small packages.

OCTOBER 2021

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