Listening to stories is ingrained at every stage of our childhood. It is a silver lining found throughout the world. Listening to values, questioning actions and reactions, repeating expressions, and conjuring imaginary beings with their creative abilities is a sign of mentally healthy and happy minds.
We grew up hearing and imagining folkloric characters, stories from the Puranas, Mahabharata, Ramayana, fairy tales, fables. Many of them would be bedtime stories told to us by our parents and grandparents - the everlasting, evergreen childhood memories. Storytelling is still a powerful tool for strengthening family bonds.
“Twenty + One - Short Stories” is a collection/compilation of well-meaning truths, selectively put together to share worldly wisdom and virtues with the common folk of all age groups.
Life is just about making choices and deciding our priorities! Our wish to reform ourselves each day and add value to our existence determines our strength of character. Going along with societal conventions is natural and may rarely go wrong. However, this easy-way-out choice: is deemed to be branded as a weak response to simple and serious challenges we face in our mechanical, repetitive and pedestrian lives.
“Twenty + One - Short Stories” is a collection/compilation of well-meaning truths, selectively put together to share worldly wisdom and virtues with the common folk of all age groups.
The Covid-19 pandemic has taught us how possible it is; to shed mindsets; set thinking and habits. It has also made people the world over introspect and look inwards, which was rarely the case during the pre-covid times. One wonders how self-absorbed we are and why so? The fast, hectic, and frenzied pace of life has finally slowed down. Now, people Stop, Look and Proceed through the buzzing traffic called ‘Life’!
Shree Shambav is a pious, generous, and humble storyteller and philosopher. Our connection dates back to the pre-covid era. He is a firm believer that stories, rather than clinical studies and analytical research, can best convey simple truths such as concern for all living beings.
It is the mind that needs to accept realities than the science that justifies it. As our cultures are undergoing rapid changes and our professional and personal lives are witnessing a metamorphosis, segments of societies seek a moral compass that can guide them through their trials and tribulations.
The author brings to life characters who have little meaning in our daily rigours and routines. Animals and trees; are counted in terms of their numbers and densities. Some of them are fortunate and blessed to be given names, anointed with titles, and prayed for and protected. Mountains are regarded and referred to as inanimate geographical features valued solely for their utility.
Seamlessly intertwined, the stories build bridges between us - humans and the plant and animal kingdoms. He plainly says pain and grief as felt by us are suffered by trees and animals, too. While we enjoy the privileges of expression, they suffer silently! This, when well understood, would make it easy for the coming generations to relate to ecology and the environment from an entirely different perspective.
Children of today would become leaders of tomorrow. So, it is our bounden duty to groom and educate them to find solutions to manufacture substitutes to paper instead of deforestation, protect all animals to keep their life cycle going instead of preferential treatment only to the rare species and also preserve nature in its pristine glory instead of polluting it with emissions and the like.
The utter disregard for nature owes its origin to the self-centred, selfish, and greedy designs of global communities and societies. However, let us not ignore the fact that development and prosperity demand research, innovation, and sacrifice. We are simply sacrificing those that cannot speak for themselves. Even while debating climate concerns, etc. we tend to find more insurance for ourselves than addressing the plight of nature itself.
The essence of the stories leads me to the concluding note. I would like to mention that,
• Instilling the value of environmental preservation and sustainability in children will encourage them to care more about nature and its various manifestations.
• Human behaviour in all its forms is a result of circumstances and situations. We must develop the resilience to adapt to the entire spectrum of challenges, the way we feel elated/satisfied on overcoming some challenges. As a result, we should be able to; control and contain our reactions, allowing us to live better lives!
A....., short story with accuracy, brevity and a monument of life in time and values. The author has effectively carved - "a niche of timeless gems".
The rich cultural heritage offered a host in twenty + one short stories with incredible imagination, morals and values prevalent at a given time, influencing how people respond to a crisis or any situation. The author has recreated images with universal values and morals. The plentiful of fascinating from faraway lands would leave the modern play and story writers a cringe. The book supports trust and immeasurable values instilling hope for the new generations.
