Storizen Magazine March 2022 | Manasa Yendluri

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MARCH 2022

STORIZEN Celebrating 4 Years of Storizen!

EXPLORING DALIT FEMINISM

M A N A S A Exclusive Digital Issue For more Columns and features, scan the QR code

Y E N D L U R I Exclusive Feature on PAGE 8

Cover Story

Book Reviews

Exploring Dalit Feminism: The True Way - Manasa Yendluri

Swapna Peri

Brand Partners Aleph Book Company Bloomsbury India

Editors Pria Raiyani Saurabh Chawla

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WHAT'S INSIDE 7

EDITOR'S NOTE

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STORIZEN CONTRIBUTE Perfection in Imperfection - Neelakshi Banerjee

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COVER STORY Exploring Dalit Feminism: The True Way - Manasa Yendluri - Pria

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STORIZEN HEALTH

BESTSELLER READS

Overcoming a Conditioned Mind

Love Marriage by Monica Ali

- Athreya Kadambi

- Hachette India

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HOT OFF THE PRESS Vultures by Dalpat Chauhan

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Siddharth Sehgal - Founder of Indian Periodical

- Penguin India

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HOT OFF THE PRESS LifePass by Payal Kadakia Founder of ClassPass

- Riya Gulati

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HOT OFF THE PRESS How to be Perfect by Michael Schur - Hachette India

STORIZEN HEALTH Fat: A Menace or Boon - Sushma M Bhardwaj

- Hachette India

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STORIZEN INTERVIEW

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STORIZEN REVIEW Heal with Foods by Manjari Chandra - Swapna Peri

WHAT'S INSIDE 46

STORIZEN REVIEW

66

The Mantra and Meaning of Success by Rajesh Talwar

STORIZEN POETRY Life: An Odyssey - Madhumathi H

- Swapna Peri

68 50

STORIZEN POETRY An Odyssey: Between Human Being & Being Human

STORIZEN REVIEW The Girl In The Glass Case

by Devashish Sardana

- Mamta Joshi

- Swapna Peri

70 54

STORIZEN POETRY

STORIZEN REVIEW

Shades Of Life

Birdwatching by Stephen Alter

- Aparna Mukherjee

- Swapna Peri

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STORIZEN POETRY A Writer's Wish

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STORIZEN REVIEW

- Sumantra Chaudhury

Long Run: A Paradise Augmented by T. Sathish - Swapna Peri

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STORIZEN POETRY My Life — An Odyssey

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STORIZEN ASTRO

- Vidya Shankar

Monthly Horoscope: April 2022 - Himani Gupta

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STORIZEN ANNIVERSARY Messages from our readers!

- Storizen

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

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Books we are loving this month

2022

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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.

"I n three words I can sum up everything I've learned about

life: it goes on. This wonderful quote by Robert Frost reminds me of the time when I was having the worst time of my life. Now, I am again with the same quote, during the best times!

Life goes on and everybody has their share of ups and downs, highs and lows. Both time and life don't stop for anything or anybody, like an odyssey. So is the theme of our 4th Anniversary issue was - Life: An Odyssey.

India is a country with a stronghold of regional literature.

You can find eminent readers and writers in southern India. We got a chance to have a conversation with one of the most prominent Telugu authors, Manasa Yendluri. Do check out the cover story - "Exploring Dalit Feminism: The True Way" on Page 8.

Book Lovers, we have curated some of the best reads for you this month. Do check out the Hot Off the Press section and grab your copies now.

Mindfulness comes from practice and we are already running on predefined conditions.

Athreya shares with us some tips on overcoming a conditioned mind. Do check it out on page 26.

Health and fitness freaks, we are back with yet another article about one of the most important macronutrients that are always in some conspiracy, Fat. Do check out the article on page 38.

What's in the stars for you in April 2022? We have included the horoscope for the month of April 2022. Do check out yours on page 62!

Super excited to share this issue with you all on our 4th Anniversary is power-packed with stories, poems, book reviews, and information that will make you read this again and again.

Thank you all for your constant support and blessings that we have made it this far and we are sure, that we will move forward together stronger. Here is a toast to our 4 years of togetherness!

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

Happy Reading!

editor@storizen.com Saurabh Chawla, Editor in Chief

COVER STORY

COVER STORY

Exploring Dalit Feminism: The True Way Discussion with Swapna Peri.

Text by Pria

COVER STORY

I

ndia is probably one of the very few countries globally that have a stronghold on regional Literature.

Various cultures, languages, dialects and traditions often result in multiple stories. The folklore that India has, ranging from the Himalayas to Vindhyas, Easter and the Western Ghats, The Deccan Plateau region and so on, have all contributed to the regional Literature. Often, regional literature laureates are also seen translating their works into the most available languages. It is also a known fact that Indian Literature stands as the mirror of Indian culture, quintessential of its exceedingly rich prehistoric tradition.

This also includes the regional Literature. The sublime influence of the myths, superstitions, fables and stories have been beautifully cocooned into mainstream Literature. Hence, it can be said that the regional Literature in India is not only long but rich!

the states in India. Down South, apart from the mighty Tamilian and Malayalam literature, including Kannada literature that falls under the Dravidian Literature, the Telugu literature also has an important place.

The evolution and historical maturation of Telugu literature is generally divided into six periods, namely: 1. The pre-Nannaya period (up to A.D. 1020), 2. The Age of the Puranas (1020 1400), 3. The Age of Srinatha (1400 - 1510), 4. The Age of the Prabandhas (1510 - 1600), 5. The Southern period (1600 - 1820) and, 6. The Modern Period (since 1820).

While the regional Literature sustains in its form in many places, the socioeconomic conditions post the Independence have also been given an ideal place. The invasions that happened have had a long-lasting influence on Indian Literature. This influence has spread over almost all

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Also, the Telugu literature had thrived and prospered during the Qutub Shahi dynasty of Golkonda (15181687 A.D.)

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COVER STORY

The modern age of Telugu Literature has produced many eminent and prominent writers, story-tellers, novelists, and authors.

Without many dwellings into the past, here, at Storizen today, we would like to introduce a young, dynamic and progressive writer\author, Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar -2020 winner and a woman with many facets - Miss.

Manasa Yendluri.

Born to a couple who are both stalwarts in Telugu Literature, precisely, the Dalit Literature, Manasa grew up reading books. Her parents are not only writers but also academicians. Manasa’s mother, late Dr. Putla Hemalatha, was a writer and thinker. Her first short story was published when she was 13. In 2011, she established India’s first women’s web magazine, MARCH 2022

Vihanga. While the research was her most extensive interest, she is also best known for her compilation of scholarly articles on Dalit women’s writings. Some of these were published posthumously after losing her in 2019.

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COVER STORY

Similarly, her father, late Prof.

Yendluri Sudhakar, was a wellknown poet and short story writer.

He worked as a professor of Telugu at the University of Hyderabad.

His evergreen contribution towards the Dalit literature will remain in golden words. With such rich backup, Manasa started reading at a very early age. But, as she grew up, the dearth in Telugu literature on Dalits and Dalit Christians revved her.

This was the time she buckled herself to become a writer.

Her initial writings were her experiences as an Urban Dalit Woman. Thus, her quest as a Dalit feminist writer started. It takes immense pleasure to share that Manasa Yendluri is the recipient of Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar 2020 for her book, Milinda, a collection of short stories. She has also translated Shravan Kumar Limbale’s Marathi novel ‘ O ‘into

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COVER STORY

Telugu, titled ‘Ooriki Dakshinana’.

She is also working on a few other translations as told to us.

Coming from a minority community, her perception has always been different from that of a regular Telugu writer. Manasa’s books mostly talk about how she is looked up to, women’s plight, and the fight against the male-dominant families.

While she writes about these, she also addresses gender discrimination in society. Hence, she is one of the initial new-age writers who wrote and talkies more about the LGBTQ+ community. Her voicing upon the same-sex relationships also created some friction initially amongst the literary circles. But, later, when her writings were accepted by the majority of the people, even the conservative MARCH 2022

Born to a couple who are both stalwarts in Telugu Literature, precisely, the Dalit Literature, Manasa grew up reading books.

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COVER STORY

thinkers applauded her. Here, Manasa says it makes her happy when people take her writings without any prenotions. This is a great success in a writer’s life when society progresses with their writing.

Apart from her role in Dalit Literature, she chose Dalit Feminism over mainstream Feminism. When asked about this choice, her explanation will definitely blow-up horns. In her view, often, Feminism is seen through tinted glasses that only talk about male chauvinism, issues on patriarchy, or gender disparities. Usually, the caste and religion are shrugged off. Manasa here takes a strong stance and explains how Dalit women are exploited and neglected through her writings in the name of caste. When asked her opinion on a general idea on Dalit women and why it cringes her on how the public usually conceives, she says often a Dalit woman is stereotyped as a malnourished personality with a poor attire destitute look.

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She outrightly trashes this idea and looks at Feminism from a different angle.

Talking about her roaring voice, team Storizen wants to introduce our readers to her two books.

1.Milinda - Sahitya Akademi Puraskar winner - 2020

Yuva

2. Ooriki Dakshinana - Translated from Marathi book

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COVER STORY

Saying this, we at Storizen would like to thank and congratulate Manasa Yendluri for her time and thoughts on women, Dalit women, and Dalit Literature. Wishing you a stroke of great good luck!

Subscribe to Storizen to learn more about your favorite authors and to receive tips on writing and marketing your books combined in a single package – Storizen Magazine personally in your inbox!

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About Pria - Young mesmerizing freelance blogger, social enthusiast, an economics graduate from Jharkhand University with Master in Child Psychology. She is hardworking yet crazy, a passionate reader, an ardent music fanatic, an avid caffeine lover, and a maniacal animal lover too.

She has been a part of numerous anthologies, articles, and write-ups for newspapers and magazines which are multi-linguistic. She has also written screenplays for YouTube series.

Contact: pria@storizen.com

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Hot Off the Press Love Marriage is a story about who we are and how we love in today's Britain - with all the complications and contradictions of life, desire, marriage and family

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MARCH 2022

HOTthe OFFpress A gripping and graphic story that makes it hard to look away from both the page and the truth.

MARCH 2022

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LifePass by Payal Kadakia - Founder of ClassPass

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STORIZEN EVENTS

Payal Kadakia is the founder of the revolutionary fitness and wellness platform, ClassPass, which provides people access to the best boutique fitness classes, gyms, and wellness experiences around the world. Payal is also the founder and artistic director of the Sa Dance Company, dedicated to expressing Indian American identity.

ABOUT THE BOOK Introducing The LifePass Method: A unique method of goal setting from the founder of ClassPass that will help you hone in on your feelings, screen out unnecessary distractions, and live a successful and fulfilling life based on your deepest desires. When Payal Kadakia let go of the pressure to achieve a traditional kind of success, she tuned in to her calling and built ClassPass into a multi-millionpound company. In LifePass, she shares the unique how she changed her approach to not just business, but to her life.

MARCH 2022

In LifePass, you will learn how to: - Focus on what's meaningful to you - Embrace all parts of your identity - Push past expectations to hear your own voice - Turn failure into learning opportunities - Make money work for you, instead of working for it - Manage your time guilt-free - Build a supportive tribe of people around you - Set actionable goals aligned to your dream

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How to be Perfect by Michael Schur

From the writer and executive producer of the award-winning Netflix series The Good Place that made moral philosophy fun: a foolproof guide to making the correct moral decision in every situation you ever encounter, anywhere on earth, forever.

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MARCH 2022

STORIZEN EVENTS

Michael Schur is a television writer and producer who has worked on shows like The Office, Master of None, The Comeback, and Hacks, and created or co-created Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn 99, The Good Place, and Rutherford Falls.

ABOUT THE BOOK How can we live a more ethical life?

This question has plagued people for thousands of years, but it's never been tougher to answer than it is now, thanks to challenges great and small that flood our day-to-day lives and threaten to overwhelm us with impossible decisions and complicated results with unintended consequences. Plus, being anything close to an 'ethical person' requires daily thought and introspection and hard work; we have to think about how we can be good not, you know, once a month, but literally all the time.

Schur, boils down the whole confusing morass with real-life dilemmas (from 'should I punch my friend in the face for no reason?' to 'can I still enjoy great art if it was created by terrible people?'), so that we know how to deal with ethical dilemmas.

To make it a little less overwhelming, this fascinating, accessible, and funny book by one of our generation's best writers and adept minds in television comedy, Michael MARCH 2022

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Perfection in Imperfection

by Neelakshi Banerjee

R

oger was not satisfied with his life, too much imperfection, too many anomalies. From his early childhood, he suffered from an acute sense of dissatisfaction. He wanted everything immaculate. A speck of dirt in the couch crevice, he would shudder in disgust.

Too many birthdays presents he would term them as a waste of money.

His friends called him ‘perpetual faultfinder and snobbish failing to understand his real anxiety. Even a score of 98% wouldn’t please him while obtaining full marks would be justified as a depreciating standard of the school.

He woke up the next day, the sun exceptionally bright, prodigally drenching him in her radiant glory. The sky, a bright azure, his perfectly manicured gardens resplendent with spring colors. Just as he liked. When he stepped out to go to the office he was surprised to see all identical buildings with complementing colors lined on the roadside.

In his office, he found his boss, infamous for ill-temper and outright favoritism graded each officer equally.

Even the fat Steve who dozed off most of the time and ate 5 cheeseburgers daily managed to get an “outstanding.”

Roger grew up, got a decent job, bought a lucrative house, and donated the excess amount to philanthropic causes. Still, the nagging dissatisfaction persisted. The poverty, the inequality used to eat him up. “If everything were perfect” he used to sigh.

In-office the credit of hard work and labor of the workers were usurped by the boss who reveled in the skyrocketing profits of the company while the actual people responsible used to languish in shadows of oblivion.

This infuriated Roger and he was about to resign just after Christmas.

On Christmas, he wished for a perfect world.

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He came home and his son told him that today something weird happened in school. Everybody scored the same and was able to answer all the difficult questions. “No competition I guess” his voice sounded somewhat forlorn.

The next day the same thing happened.

Again the excess sunshine, not a beggar in the street, identical raise in office. And the next and the following day.

With a jolt, Roger realized that his wish had come true. Everyone was now equal, everything the same. The houses, the marks, the grades, the flowers in the garden. Even the sky was a dull monotonous azure with not a speck of the weird-looking clouds.

When had December been free from the snow? The constant smile emanating from everyone’s faces flashed uncomfortably in front of his eyes. It almost made them robotic.

Suddenly he missed the snow, the misty greyish cloak shrouding the landscape seemed a refreshing change.

And no matter how much he worked assiduously, everybody was praised and awarded equally. Somehow it was a bit disincentivizing, making him somewhat lackadaisical. Again the known sense of dissatisfaction was slowly creeping ready to engulf him in its despondency.

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His son would complain “What is the use of working extra hours if lazy Sam gets equal marks?”

And Roger started realizing there is beauty in variation, the need for sorrow because without it the true worth of happiness would be lost.

Poverty is a drawback, but it could not be eviscerated with a magic wand.

Honest labor is imperative and so is healthy competition.

His wife came one morning at the breakfast table. “Why such a long face Roger? I thought you got your wish?” she said with a wink.

Roger only grunted in response.

“No problem, you can have another wish” his wife gave him a plate with a cake sitting on it

My name is Neelakshi Banerjee.

Recently I have developed a budding interest to delve through the subtle beauty of art and articulate my imaginations with the help of words.

Music holds a pivotal place in my life.

Though am an engineer by profession I believe both science and arts are equally imperative to make this world a more beautiful place. @justice11254

“For your birthday today, a plain fruit cake with a single candle, just as you want. Now blow it.”

The next morning Roger woke up with the drizzling of snow, it had poured exceptionally last night covering much of the road. “Come outside John. Let’s play snowballs outside.” squeaked an ecstatic Roger to his surprised son.

Finally, his imperfect world had returned back and it had become perfect for him.

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Overcoming a Conditioned Mind

by Athreya Kadambi

I

magine if all of us were to come with an operating manual. Everything would be scripted. Our lives would be at the mercy of the one with the manual and we would be mere puppets, strutting around the stage of life. Bickering with our emotions, fighting our demons, and at the end of the day, wondering what’s wrong with us?

Life would be encapsulated by a single word. Monotonous.

With the introduction of systems, institutions, and hierarchies, we are constantly served with mandates and ultimatums. So, are we already living based on a manual?

Most of us are asked to get a degree and settle down with a job. Living from paycheck to paycheck our entire lives.

Trading time away for money and then, satiating our egos with buying a big house or an expensive car or a new piece of technology.

But why does material bought by money determine our identity? Since when did money become an identity marker?

Well, it all comes back to creating a safety net so that we can fall safely.

Like it doesn’t really matter where we fall as long as we fall within the given guidelines.

Pic Source: Amine M'Siouri from Pexels that a person is about to go sky diving.

He’s excited but scared to death at the same time. After mustering a lot of courage, he finally decides to step towards the edge of the plane, ready to launch himself into infinite. The feeling is exhilarating! But right before he jumps, he is told that there is a safety net a hundred feet above the ground to make sure that he lands safely.

Not only does this deny him the opportunity to land on his own feet, but it also takes away the thrill and joy of the sport. Nullifying the entire experience and an important lesson – That one can overcome his fears.

Subsequently, this brings us to our next gawking understanding that these safety nets were literally designed to condition us. In fact, most of us spend our lives looking for safety nets and coddling ourselves in their comfort. In turn, leads us to an anchor called “mediocrity”.

Speaking of safety nets, let’s imagine MARCH 2022

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So, would it be easy to let go of something that we’ve done for a very long time?

Absolutely not. But it’s worth the shot!

It all starts by taking that step towards acknowledging that we were conditioned.

While we cannot completely reverse what’s been done, we can certainly take responsibility for our choices.

Maybe, it is time to quit that painstaking job and start a different venture. Or to end a toxic relationship. Or to tell parents that we can make our own decisions.

Yes, that vicious thing that most of us hate, yet settles in like an ice cube in a tray. And then, we wonder why life is so hard?

So, coming to the most important question – How to overcome a conditioned mind?

1. Acknowledging that we are bound by conditions Most of us live without realizing the fact that we are bound by conditions. We skim through it just because we’re told to do something or live in a certain manner. Or worse, sometimes in absolute denial.

Well, nobody wants to accept that they were wrong, especially when the condition has become a habit. It’s something that we’ve been practicing for a very long time and it’s hardwired into our system.

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Or sometimes, just to tell ourselves that it is okay – It’s okay to be wrong sometimes…

2. Replacing the Habit Now that we’ve taken responsibility for our choices by accepting that we were conditioned, it’s time to change those habits that render us conditioned.

That’s right. Habits create man. Warren Buffet once said that “Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken”.

Now, can we simply change a habit?

Well, let’s just say that it is easier said than done. But the human brain is accustomed to a wonderful phenomenon called Neuroplasticity. This means that we can mold our thoughts and shape perceptions.

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So, now we can rewire our habits and unshackle ourselves from those conditions. But first, we need to identify what’s going wrong. Perhaps, we need to ask ourselves important questions like, “Where does it happen?”, “How does it happen?” and “Can I do something to change this?”

The idea is to introduce our minds to a change through priming. Priming is a phenomenon that would allow us to rewire our habits. The reason for this is that our minds are meaning-making machines. So, we’ve got the power to write the code, reprogram our habits according to our requirements.

For instance, something as innocuous as watching television late at night can be a habit that one has developed.

Perhaps, he is trying to replace the habit by falling asleep a little earlier. Or perhaps, he wants to rewire his habit by replacing it with reading.

Although, it must be reiterated that it’s hard and mostly comes down to how badly one wants it. We’ve got to remember that we can either coddle ourselves in that safety net or take that leap of faith (a calculated leap) towards the change we seek.

Of course, it’s hard. However, it gets easier with time. The easiest way to adopt a new habit or replace habits is to couple the desired habit with a microhabit. It can be something as small as making a cup of chamomile tea or writing a one-minute journal.

3. Practicing the New Habit

Another instance is when we’re trying to start exercising or going to the gym.

Our micro-habit could be as small as wearing gym gear and stepping outside our home.

The micro-habit could be any activity that we would do just for two minutes.

In this process, we’re reconditioning our mind to think that the new habit is easy to develop and not become overwhelmed by the task.

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So, now that we’ve rewired our minds through micro-habits, it is also important to become consistent. As Will Smith once said, “You don’t set out to build a wall. You don't say ‘I’m going to build the biggest, baddest, greatest wall that’s ever been built.’ You don’t start there. You say, ‘I’m going to lay this brick as perfectly as a brick can be laid.’

You do that every single day. And soon you have a wall.”

The idea is known as Kaizen; taking a small step every day to develop or improve our habits.

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Also, we must understand that there is a possibility of a relapse… And that’s alright. Well, it’s not wrong to be “wrong”.

However, we need to be conscious enough to get back on track by reminding ourselves about the reason for all our efforts.

One of the best ways to recover from our relapse is to tie our desired habit down to something important to us. We need to tell ourselves that our efforts are to achieve a bigger mission.

Now, for an alcoholic giving up alcohol is probably one of the hardest tasks.

However, when it is tied down to a deeper mission, it becomes easier to achieve.

For instance, it could be to actively support our family or reclaim our health from the jaws of diseases.

Remember, our minds are meaningmaking machines? So, associating meaning to our actions or a higher purpose to our habits could be pivotal.

Now, most importantly in any endeavor, there will be challenges. If things go south, we must not let it discourage us.

Rather we must consider it as a segue way towards a higher mission.

Remember the time when we were infants and we were trying to walk? Of course, we don’t. But one thing is certain – we did not succeed in the first attempt.

Most certainly, we fell down repeatedly but ultimately learned to walk.

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So, imagine if we were told that it was not safe to walk because we might fall.

We’d probably be crawling on our knees all our lives.

Now, let’s acknowledge safety nets for a moment – Safety nets and guidelines are important. In fact, in some cases, they can save a lot of time. Although with that said, they can as well deter us.

In most cases, it can be detrimental to invest ourselves in building them because we run the risk of sacrificing new experiences. It is new experiences that lead us towards growth and our desired changes.

So, what if we fall down sometimes? – We can’t rise if we don’t fall. So, what if we’re wrong sometimes? – we can’t be right, or rather less wrong if we’re not wrong at all.

I am a professional content writer at a Bangalore-based marketing company with a degree in Literature and Psychology. I started publishing professionally 6 years ago with my blog called fortitude writer. I've previously been published on Kitaab.

So, what if we die tomorrow? Ultimately all of us are going to die someday.

Would it be wise to tie ourselves down to yet another conditioned safety net or walk away from them in pursuit of freedom?

The choice is always with us – We can reconcile and lay low with yet another condition or step up to un-condition ourselves.

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A CANDID INTERVIEW WITH

Siddharth Sehgal

FOUNDER OF INDIAN PERIODICAL

by Riya Gulati

Siddharth Sehgal, an Engineer by profession and a writer by passion has significantly contributed to the literary field. The techie is an alumnus of the University of Alabama, a columnist for The Times of India, and the founder of the Indian Periodical who has aptly used his creative powers to enchant the readers. After returning to his home country in 2017, Siddharth devoted his time to volunteering for the Ram Krishna Mission Ashram wherein he used his international expertise to teach the underprivileged children in a nifty way that paved for more skillful and practical knowledge. To bring out his creative and social work to the light, we are happy to share excerpts from an extremely intriguing conversation:

Initially, I had many rejections but I kept trying, writing, bringing clarity and structure to my arguments, and when my first article was published, it was as if the happiest day of my life, I didn’t get paid nor did anybody takes notice but the idea of getting published, expressing my views to an audience was a huge motivation for me. I continued sending articles to the Kaleidoscope and eventually, I was hired by the newspaper as a columnist.

This journalistic experience during my student days was the start and I haven’t looked back ever since.

What made you inclined towards writing and when did you commence it?

I’d say rather than a particular work, I see my overall writing journey as an achievement itself in a personal sense.

I have been religiously publishing Indian Periodical for almost eight years now, every weekend, I never made any money out of it but it gave me an opportunity to not only continue my passion for writing but also interact with other kindred writers, poets, and artists, it is an immensely satisfying feeling.

I was studying at UAB in Birmingham, Alabama, it was the summer of 2010 when I came across my University’s newspaper The Kaleidoscope. It was run by students, and this was really interesting to me because we in India have a very different understanding of a newspaper.

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Which has been your phenomenal work as of now? Is there any genre you wish to explore?

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But, I do wish to publish my memoirs someday and maybe become a fulltime writer or columnist.

Writing requires some solitary timehow do you crack out the persisting distractions?

You are right, writers, poets, and artists are solitary souls. I often go for long, long walks, whenever I can. If I can’t go outside, I’d start strolling in my living room during the early hours of the day or at night when other family members are fast asleep. It helps me in thinking, a walking meditation of sorts but it helps me to process the ideas and get clarity. Even during my day job, I take breaks to go for a short walk; it’s like a mental pause that resets everything.

How do the writing ideas come to you- do they pop up unannounced or it’s more of a conscious method you follow up?

It's more of an unannounced pop-up that comes to mind, though it happens more often when I am either walking, writing, sitting idle, or sometimes even sleeping. Especially, when I am relaxing or resting. I think everyone has their own resonant frequency where they are more open to channelize that creative stream under certain conditions. That is why it's necessary to have that hobby or interest that one can pursue to psychologically recharge themselves. It can be through

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meditation, walking, writing, painting, or any other activity.

Do you think that digital books have an upper hand over physical books?

Does e-learning suffice over traditional learning methods?

Books are physical manifestations of ideas and experiences, that is why they will always have that special connection with the readers. I am not saying that digital books are not useful but people can have distractions such as an email or a WhatsApp notification in between while reading something online.

Reading physical hardcover, paperback books is a more attention driven focused activity, that is why physical books are far superior to their digital counterparts.

In fact, it is unfortunate that libraries have virtually disappeared from our urban landscape, neither people nor politicians feel the need to have libraries in their neighborhoods or constituencies. A well-read citizenry will be more conscious of our country's and society's development. We should make some space in our homes for books if we can.

MARCH 2022

What is your say on the Indian publishing industry? Do you think that addressing the real concerns or coming up with debatable topics is curtailed and does that limitation to freedom of speech and expression justified?

poets to share poems in Indian Languages be it Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam along with a basic English translation because our languages contain our collective memory, history, and experiences and I believe that defines who we are as Indians.

The Indian publishing industry is at a critical juncture where it's trying to find new ways to sustain itself but basically, it all boils down to whether it can regenerate interest in reading. People spend more time on Whatsapp and Social Media rather than reading newspapers or books and that tells a lot about our publishing industry. It also has to do with an inclination towards English literature which even though enjoys a good readership but the majority of speakers in India speak local languages.

As far as freedom of speech is concerned, there is a genuine concern of censorship. Many times, we hear about comedians or journalists facing jail time overexpressing unpopular opinions, tweets, or articles. We should always have room for disagreement if we don't want to become like our eastern or western neighbors.

If we can find ways to re-ignite interest in the literature available in Hindi and regional languages, I think that will generate new sustainable demand and will act as a booster for our publishing industry. In fact, I will be more than interested in publishing my memoirs in Hindi if I am able to find an interested publisher because I think I can tell a story more effectively in my mothertongue and I think that goes with all of us.

In Indian Periodical, I especially urge

MARCH 2022

What are your recommendations for revamping India in terms of education?

We have a rote learning-based system where marks, percentages are everything, only good academic performance is considered criteria to evaluate a student which is a deeply flawed paradigm. A person's marks in 10th, 12th or Bachelors should not close opportunities for him or her in future.

We also have a problem of education inequality where a student from an underprivileged background may not be able to compete with a student from a well-off background in exams like IIT, NEET, or CAT.

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Just because a student can’t speak English well or he can’t afford coaching, he should not lose a chance to graduate from premier institutions. Yes, merit is important but it doesn’t mean anything if there is no level playing field.

The one thing you would to change about India? What milestone have you set up for yourself for bringing that change to the nation?

Education, plain and simple. You build a country and its citizens by education.

Quality education that is centered on building an aware, conscious, dutiful and compassionate citizenry is the way to change a country’s destiny.

I have a dream of setting up institutions where quality, practical education can be provided specifically to students from underprivileged backgrounds.

Though to be honest it’s just a dream, besides mentoring kids at Sharda Balgram orphanage at Ram Krishna Mission Ashram in Gwalior, I did not have much progress in this direction but I hope someday it will come to fruition.

What advice would you like to impart to the budding writers?

A writer should write for the love of writing, doesn’t matter if his work is read by ten or ten million. There are lots of rejections in this domain and a writer should not get disheartened by

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rejection letters. No one becomes a successful writer overnight. It takes a lot of work and patience. Do not get discouraged, keep writing.

What message you would like to share for our readers' club?

We should all strive to make this world a better place by whatever big or small means we can. Important thing is to walk the path, reaching the destination is secondary.

MARCH 2022

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.

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F A T :

M E N A N C E

O R

B O O N

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.

F

at is considered to be a bad wolf of nutrition, but it is an excellent source of energy. Fat is a substance composed of lipids and fatty acids. It is one of the main nutrients in food. It can be stored in the body. A healthy body needs fat to make tissues and manufacture biochemicals such as hormones, Vitamin D, and bile.

1. Gives shape to our body 2. Cushions our skin 3. Reduces heat loss from the body 4. It is a part of every cell membrane 5. Brain tissue is rich in fat 6. Fat enables us to absorb the fatsoluble vitamins like A, D, E & K 7. It is a shock absorber that protects our organs when we fall

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STORIZEN HEALTH

Fatty acids are basically of three types: a. Mono-unsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) fats rich in MUFA are liquid at room temperature example nuts and olive oil. b. Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) food rich in PUFA is liquid or soft at room temperatures like corn, soybean, and sunflower. c. Saturated fatty acids (SFA) are mainly found in animal foods such as meat, butter, whole milk. Foods rich in SFA are firm at room temperature.

According to the National Institute of nutrition, we need: SFA: 27-33% PUFA: 27-33% MUFA: 33 to 40% So we need all the fatty acids in the right proportion. The oils which are available in the market lack balance of all the fatty acids. Doctors suggest we have all three varieties of oil. Rice barn oil is one such oil that has a balance of all three types of fatty acids. Along with this, it is rich in antioxidants like tocopherol, tocotrienol, and orizionol.

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Orizionol is the antioxidant that is found in rice barn oil so it is also called heart oil, as it takes care of all the diseases of the heart like BP, triglycerides, and high LDL levels. Its boiling point is high like two 232 degrees centigrade so if you cook food at a high temperature it does not produce smoke. It does not change into trans-fat so we can use it again and again and it is very light.

There are lot many brands in the market but I would like to suggest the use of rice bran oil of OK life care because it has 1400MG off original which is not fine found in any other brand.

Remember fats are vital to your life, but they can be harmful if you eat too much of them. Read food levels and increase your awareness of how foods are prepared. Take time to evaluate your diet. Do not let fat take control of your life rather than take control of the fat and lead a good and healthy life.

MARCH 2022

WE DON'T SELL BOOKS

We help you increase your book sales.

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A Healthy Dose Reviewed by Swapna Peri

STORIZEN REVIEW

BOOK REVIEW

Every book has its own way of sharing information. In this book also, author Manjari Chandra gives the readers a comprehensive guide that talks about food, nutrition, and how you can heal your body with the right foods. The book is well researched in every aspect.

The book is written in a very cheerful and non-preachy tone. The book and its contents look assuring and calming. Author Manjari sticks to facts and gives a practical approach that connects with daily life.

She not only just provides a diet with a chart but clears some myths that are rampantly shared across all the media. She nudges all these myths with the proper explanations in a scientific manner. She touched many types of diets, the ins, and outs of every diet, and attached advantages/disadvantages.

MARCH 2022

Pic: Manjari Chandra (Twitter)

All these are explained in simple language that can be understood by any reader who wants to integrate their life with sound health.

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About the Book Heal with Foods puts the focus on gut health for promoting overall wellbeing. It takes the reader on the journey of exploration, reflecting on factors that influence our diet and gut health.

Book Review

STORIZEN REVIEW

The book focuses on wellbeing and a healthy lifestyle.

Who can say no to such a book? Thus the book is a definite entertainer.

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

MARCH 2022

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A Must Read Self Help Book Reviewed by Swapna Peri

STORIZEN REVIEW

The whole book just stresses positivity, belief, will, power and hope. Techniques to achieve success are being explained very effectively. The book's flow is as easy as drinking water with simple language and great vocabulary. The book also has anecdotes, examples, and verses by eminent leaders, speakers, and other great people worldwide.

BOOK REVIEW

This is one of the self-help books out of many books available in the market around. The book mainly focuses on success and then the concept of selfconfidence. The book also talks about various ways to tackle and achieve goals in life, success building, life management techniques, and a positive approach towards life. This book stands away from the other books due to its straightforward process towards all the qualities mentioned above.

Pic: Rajesh Talwar (Wikipedia)

books. It s not relatively easy often to switch between the genres. But, Rajesh has proven that it can be tackled with tremendous and quintessential writing.

Therefore I think this book is also as good as his other books.

Author Rajesh Talwar's writing is always engaging and straightforward. I have had an opportunity to read his other

MARCH 2022

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About the Book This is not the usual kind of book on success. As well as telling you how to be successful, it discusses the true meaning of success itself.

Important lessons are drawn from the lives of successful businessmen, innovators, writers, actors, artists and billionaires.

Book Review

STORIZEN REVIEW

Overall, this book - 'The Mantra and Meaning of Success' by author Rajesh Talwar is a book that will provide its readers with the proper way to plan and reach success. (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

MARCH 2022

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A Riveting Crime Thriller!

Reviewed by Swapna Peri

STORIZEN REVIEW

The narration is gripping and engaging.

The elaborate and detailed descriptions make the story readable. The story can be divided into two parts. The story's first-half runs like a roller-coaster where Simone and Zoya try to pick clues to catch The Dollmaker. The second half becomes more of a psychological thriller where the psyche and life of the serial killers. This is where the readers will understand why they attempted these murders.

The characters in this book are all strong, deep, and intense. There are man characters apart from the central characters. Each character has its scope and strength in the story. Each character has a story in itself.

MARCH 2022

BOOK REVIEW

The book is strictly for those readers who can digest severe crime. Though there is gore in the story, many crime is intrinsically detailed narration is found.

On the other hand, the book is a definite feast for all thriller lovers.

Pic: Devashish Sardana

The characters of Simone and Zoa will definitely entice the readers.

To make the readers hooked to the story is a big task. Here, author Devashish has done an interesting job.

With excellent and exiting writing, the story moves at a somewhat faster pace.

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About the Book The Girl in the Glass Case is a jaw-dropping psychological crime thriller.

Suppose you like determined heroines, nailbiting twists and chilling serial murderers. This is an exceptional psychological thriller by author Devashish Sardana.

Book Review

STORIZEN REVIEW

The Girl In The Glass Case is overall a well-written psychological crime thriller. It has all those elements to make it an unputdownable read. Therefore, this book by author Devashish Sardana is a perfect entertainer but must be read with caution!

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

MARCH 2022

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A Bird Watcher’s Delightful Journey!

Reviewed by Swapna Peri

STORIZEN REVIEW

The narration amidst the layers of thrill and excitement is quite endearing and charming. Be it in Kalimpong or near the river, or on the roof of the building, the narration with its detailed descriptions captures the readers.

No reader can refuse themselves without getting smitten by the intelligence operative Guy Fletcher. He is an ornithologist or the bird watcher; in simple words, he is chosen for a mission that is unknown. His experience is exciting to read. Likewise, the characters of Afridi, Thupten are as

MARCH 2022

BOOK REVIEW

Set among a dead body found near Chanakyapuri in New Delhi, an American Ornithologist accidentally stumbles, taking him to the CIA. The story then gets interesting with the introduction of Imtiaz Afridi from the Military Intelligence. There is so much that happens in the story. Ah! Not to forget the beautiful bird names and the titles of the chapters. It was a wonderful time reading the book.

Pic: Stephen Alter (Aleph Book Company)

interesting as watching a great thriller.

All the characters have been drafted with ample scope and excitement.

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About the Book When American ornithologist Guy Fletcher stumbles upon a dead body near Chanakyapuri, New Delhi’s diplomatic enclave, he does not realize that his life will change drastically.

Soon, he is recruited into the CIA and sent straight into the heart of a secret war raging in the Himalayas.

Book Review

STORIZEN REVIEW

The book is a beautiful treat to all those readers who get excited when there is some spy action. Also, the story is set in amidst the Himalayas and the beautiful state of Sikkim and many more treats. (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

MARCH 2022

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A Real Life Drama Reviewed by Swapna Peri

STORIZEN REVIEW

The actual story starts when Anjali reaches Raghu, who is the fund guru.

The story showcases the life of a management graduate, the lifestyle, the friends, the hard decisions to be taken, and much more. Man known incidents pertaining to the world market are listed in the story. Thus, the story looks believable rather than just a work of fiction.

MARCH 2022

BOOK REVIEW

Life is not always a bed of roses with carefully trimmed thorns; sometimes, roses become dry and poke the life.

This is exactly what happened with the protagonist Raghu in Long Run. Raghu Santhanam is a fund guru who is visually handicapped. Why is he handicapped dates back to his early days of the profession? His monstrous zeal to play well in the stock market explains his personality and life. His being alone without a partner dates back to his college life.

Pic: T. Sathish

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About the Book Long Run: A Paradise Augmented by T. Sathish is an exhilarating tale of Raghu Santhanam, who is obsessed with world finance.

Being successful early in life, an accident changes his whole life.

Book Review

STORIZEN REVIEW

There is college life, there is a love story, there are stocks and investments, and there is good drama. What more a reader can ask for. Go for Long Run! 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

MARCH 2022

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TO READ SIMILAR STORIES, VISIT WWW. STORIZEN. COM

ARIES MOON SIGN: 3 OF CUPS This Month, it is the time for enjoying and celebrating with your friends. It’s party time for Aries. Enjoy your success with your friends. Spend Quality time with friends and supporting each other.

TAURUS MOON SIGN: 9 OF CUPS This Month, your wishes will be granted by the Universe. It’s a wish card. Have gratitude to universe for everything which you have now. It is the card of financial [abundance.

GEMINI MOON SIGN: 8 OF SWORDS This month, Gemini you might stuck in a situation and feeling trapped with negative thoughts and unable to come out of the situation. Just relax and think with a calm mind, you will get the solution.

MARCH 2022

CANCER MOON SIGN: THE SUN This month, Cancer you have a highly positive week where you will get success in whatever work you will going to do. If you were going through challenging situation last month, rest assured this month you will be relieved from the situation. Some might receive salary increment or Promotion.

LEO MOON SIGN: THE STRENGTH This Month, Leo if you are facing any challenging situation just have inner strength and courage to face it.

Just be kind and compassionate towards others and love yourself.

Have determination to come out of the situation with calm and peace of mind.

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VIRGO MOON SIGN: 2 OF WANDS This month, youneed to plan your things properly with proper research. If you must make certain decisions in life, just look for the best possible way by deeply researching on the things. Have the confidence and courage to find best possible solution to your problem.

LIBRA MOON SIGN: KING OF PENTACLES This Month, you are mature enough to take any decisions related to your financial growth.

New opportunities might knock at your door. You are very ambitious and confident enough to work towards financial success and abundance.

SCORPIO MOON SIGN: 4 OF PENTACLES This month, you are holding certain things within yourself because of being afraid of losing them. It also talks about relationship with money.

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You are holding money tightly this month without spending on your enjoyment. You are thinking about future planning.

Sometimes we need to maintain a balance between enjoyment and future planning.

SAGITTARIUS MOON SIGN: 3 OF PENTACLES This month, Sagittarians you must be working in a team to complete your task. It’s the best way to learn new things from others. This card also suggest that some might be learning new things that will help them to grow in their work.

CAPRICORN MOON SIGN: THE WORLD This Month, Capricorns you have achieved one milestone in your life and getting praise and appreciation from your superior and you are ready for new beginning. If you are in a relationship since long, this month you might be planning to get married.

It also suggests Travelling for official work.

MARCH 2022

AQUARIUS MOON SIGN: THE CHARIOT This Month.Aquarians you have the courage and determination to reach your goals no matter what obstacles or challenges come your way. Just be focused on your goals and you will be victorious.

PISCES MOON SIGN: 2 OF CUPS This month, you might receive your soulmate if you are single and looking for love. This relationship will be perfectly matching your desires. Also, some might start something new venture in partnership which will be mutually benefit for each other. It is the month of compassion and love for you Pisces.

MARCH 2022

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.

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STORIZEN POETRY

Life: An Odyssey

by Madhumathi H Sweet, bitter, warm, cold People arrive, people leave Love, is the constant in every phase Gifting mirages, or bouquets of spring Souls have shown, how wonderful I am While searching for my broken pieces Some have been leeches, too Took bountiful, leaving my heart parched...

Life, an Odyssey of seeking love, becoming love It's our heart, that goes for a toss In the end we laugh at our folly, while EVERYTHING bears the scent of transience Travelling beyond the horizons To find new mountains, rivers Foot-prints left behind, gasped at the barrenness Sand, sighed at the speeding silhouettes Sliding downhill, curious, restless Parachutes, Boats, Jigging rods, Backpack Everything crumbled, vanished at the sight of dunes Mirage, laughed with a thumbs down Fallen, broken, tears rolling down Blurred, muddled, stumbled upon a labyrinth Swirling around, clueless, trapped Desperate for the leading door, kindly light

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STORIZEN POETRY

Glow-worms' luminescence kissed the eyes The gurgling stream, woke up the ears Scents of mountain-breeze, gave a soul-hug Water dripped from the Conch, moistened the tongue...

Just, the other side is greener?! No more hopes...

Sceptic self, anxious about the spectre, an invisible fear Stared at the sky, reluctant for reality-checks Idyllism simultaneously tempted, threatened...

The tossed coin flew higher and higher Robbing off the fear of losing again Fingers trembled yet waited for the descend but It rolled down faster never to be seen...

In chorus cheered, all my poems, "Life, is NOW.

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, CPCChennai Poetry Circle, IPC – India Poetry Circle, Amaravati Poetic Prism, and in ezines 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

MARCH 2022

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STORIZEN POETRY

An Odyssey: Between Human Being & Being Human

by Mamta Joshi A spirit tempered to endure No matter how bumpy the road How stinking the urinals A stubborn gene An odd stirring A sharp tugging like Odysseus Dreaming the dream of another quest Unrolling the sleeping bag Of passion and pleasure In an uninhibited forest Under the brightly lit stars Away from the swirling currents Of humanity.

A virus followed by a war paralyzed wanderlust Fermenting paranoia Travel plans on leash Like an overstretched elastic The already strained ecosystem Hit back with brute force.

Industries,Corporate offices,theatres Bistros ,cafés and saloons Stood empty and grieving Many festive occasions and promises Morphed into shards From the noisy pulsating collective We became numb and solitary.

Nobody is born with faculties To navigate with loss of freedom Unnoticed,unfelt, unremembered Missing the bonhomie of friends There was nothingness to be dealt with 68 |

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STORIZEN POETRY

The mode of journey turned inwards The spiritual hygiene To knit the fractured mind Sanity as vital as sanitizing our hands.

An audience at intermission Waiting for the concert of life to resume We learn to adjust our sails To slow down or speed For the world never quits growing With or without us Like Odysseus returns home to Ithaca We too come back to our souls Plugged into our earphones.

MARCH 2022

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

Shades Of Life

by Aparna Mukherjee Some mornings are better Some evenings are bitter Sorrows and adventures Are the essence of life At times, life throws curvy balls at you Taking the life's challenges Bouncing back in life shows That fearless person in you.

Not every time flowers will be strewn In the path of your life There will be thorns as well Which you will have to remove While journeying in the ups and downs of life.

Do not fear Do not shed tear

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.

When you see a dark tunnel In front of you.

Keep walking ahead with confidence And believe in yourself Keep all worries at bay For, you will be the winner someday.

If sweet fruits are served on your platter Stale fruits will also be served on your platter.

Learn to enjoy good and bad sides of life For, this is the real way to lead a pleasant life.

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STORIZEN POETRY

A Writer’s Wish

by Sumantra Chaudhury

Another story, another verse penned...

A million words like the river have flown...

And yet all these seem just too less...

Like a journey that’s still waiting to begin.

As I flip through these painted pages...

They cherish many memories, so inspiring ...

Scribbled by dreamers of a colorful world...

Who have followed the road less taken.

Amidst these reigning stars bright...

Like a spark, I flickered with fervor...

And in these pages, I found my glow...

Wherein to the world did I show...

Emotions of this childish heart...

And did they embrace me with love...

These words an impression did they cast...

And so this path have I traversed...

For many years and will for more...

And even if the pages get over...

This voyage I shall lead...writing history...

Weaving magic for the years to see.

MARCH 2022

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.

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STORIZEN POETRY

My Life — An Odyssey

by Vidya Shankar Stark My life That breathes upon The green-brown expanse of earth Under The silver-blue depth of sky Yet neither here nor there.

Stark The belonging Of family to bond with And friends to love Yet the journey solitaire.

Stark The abundance of the universe And all in it that is mine Yet with the Truth Of the Emptiness That makes the ‘I’ bare.

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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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

Happy

Anniversary To Storizen, with Love!

As we complete 4 successful years, 48 issues, we are delighted to have you, our readers, subscribers, contributors, and authors, whose contribution has made Storizen what it is today. Sharing some of the lovely messages we received on our anniversary!

We are overjoyed with your love and support. It motivates us to better ourselves and bring you the best of Storizen, every month!

It's because of you all, our readers, contributors, subscribers, and authors that Storizen has reached where it is today. This month, we celebrate 4 years of Storizen. Keep showering your love and blessings as we continue to steer forward in this amazing journey!

We share some of the messages we have received on our 4th Anniversary below.

Congratulations, Storizen for completing four eventful years of publishing. When I say, Storizen, I mean Saurabh, Pria, all the readers of the magazine, and all the contributors whose amicable participation in every issue has made Storizen what it is today.

I have been with the magazine for the past three years. The first time I had a poem featured was in the February 2019 issue. The theme was Love. Prophetic, I must say, considering how my association with the magazine has withstood the ravages of a pandemic. Interestingly, the pandemic brought out the best of poetry from within me and I knew I always had a reliable platform in Storizen through which I would be able to reach out to my readers.

Each issue of Storizen has something different and worthwhile to offer, the credit for which goes to the editorial team of Saurabh and Pria. Month after month, they work tirelessly; overcoming their own challenges to not just bring out a magazine of repute but also to make sure each issue, and every contribution gets the reach it deserves.

With a passionate editor like Saurabh at the helm, I have no doubt that Storizen will grow in strength in the years to come. Here’s to wishing the Storizen team more and more success stories.

- Vidya Shankar

MARCH 2022

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Congratulations to Storizen to have walked into the 4th year of their literary pursuit of excellence. I was a contributing author of Storizen have had a very warm response always with a dash of politeness esp from the editor Mr. Saurabh Chawla. I admire their constant endeavor-the waking up of the sleeping tides in their authors’ heads as well as creating newer literary tides in the budding authors’ heads. Yes the authors need constant food for their pens and storizen has been always up with one new food item name( minus the recipe, of course, 😝) in their literary platter which helps to do the reverse engineering and we authors wield our pens to find different recipes of that one item. This makes the storizen come out very vibrantly for all their readers. You deserve a pat for sure. May you rise high and high in the years to come. God bless.

- Ankita Srivastava Delighted to share my humble thoughts on, my journey with Storizen. First, my sincere wishes, to the entire team, on this beautiful 4th Anniversary. I think my journey with Storizen, started in 2019.

"Books, Health & Fitness, Interviews, Travel, Food, Lifestyle...'' covering a wide range of topics, taking knowledge, information, entertainment, Art, Literature to audiences across the globe, is humongous! an inspiring commendable journey...

Kudos, to the entire team. Deepest gratitude for all the fulfilling opportunities to write for Storizen. I take pleasure in thanking my dear friend, and a wonderful poet soul Vidya Shankar, who had always motivated me to write, shared themes instantly, and celebrated my happiness in writing, as her own. Grateful to every single reader for their time, kindness, and constant encouragement that motivates writers, to create more. I joyfully write in the hope, to make a tiny difference.

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“I don't go get a poem.

It calls me and I accept it.” ~Lucille Clifton How true! Likewise, every single theme from Storizen calls me, and I accept it with delight, gratitude, and once the poem feels it is ready for submission, I have cathartic tears. Can't put in words, how the themes of Storizen I have traveled so far with, have gifted me hope, healing, vent, joy...

Besides the open theme to explore the world of words, It was always a beautiful inner experience to write on soulful, soothing, profound themes... ''The seed of Hope, Let's breathe in the Coffee, The Colors of Fall and bliss of Winters, Monsoon spell, Life and Death - The Eternal bond, Falling in Love under the starry sky! Savouring the lost time, Let Go, Love and fear of Winters, I bet you think about me...'' to name a few.

Readers get a kaleidoscopic view of art and life through Storizen. Likewise, Writers find their writing journey, colorful. Meaningful.

Storizen trending among the top 20 in the Entertainment category and at number 11 in the Celebrity category on Magzter Inc.., is a commendable achievement, that is possible only through dedication, and passion. Kudos again, to the entire team.

Immensely proud, and happy.

I MUST mention Saurabh. His enthusiasm is contagious! so much passion for art, knowledge, and I have always loved the happy vibes his posts, tweets on Social media create. Untiring efforts. Zest for life.

Can't thank Saurabh, and the team enough, for their empathy in extending deadlines, excusing the delays in submission. I have felt bad in those moments, asking for more time, but sometimes the poems, the words play hide and seek...I used to feel helpless, but finally, words become my Anchor. Grateful for the team's patience, kindness.

Poetry is everything to me, and Storizen has ALWAYS been a calming space to write uninhibited. I would always happily look forward to writing more...

My poems feel at home, in the pages of Storizen. :) I wish you the best always, dear Storizen and team. Storizen will always stay close-toheart.

- Madhumathi. H

MARCH 2022

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