A story a day…

Manpriya Singh 

When Chandigarh-based author and columnist Priya Tandon was first putting together her book Sunrays for Sunday in the year 2004, little did she anticipate the book turning into a seven- series endeavour. What she did intend to do with the book was though start off a trend comprising weekly storytelling sessions with stories that were value-based, relatable and scuttled through the age groups, be it an 8-year- old or be it an 80-year-old. 

“They are all inspirational stories sourced from all possible sources, some are based in incidents, others out of observation, experiences, some stories have been spun around a discourse found in the holy books and scriptures,” she shares of the connecting thread that one can find in each story all through her now seven books, with the latest and the last addition being Sunrays for Saturday. 

“The idea was that you sit over a story every Sunday and since there are 52 Sundays in a year, hence the 52 stories,” she explains the compelling figure of as many as 52 stories in each of the books. “But then some are as short as two pages. Because today’s generation is so short on attention span, where is the time for lengthy discourses.” 

Who doesn’t love a good story, but then how many good stories exist outside of the ubiquitous names in children’s books, Enid Blyton and the fairy tales or even the Panchtantra series.  “She’s like the queen bee who has put them all together, while I have just been instrumental in sourcing some of them, narrating them, scouting them from my travels, experiences,” chips in her husband Sanjay Tandon, the co-author, a city-based businessperson and a politician; While further telling us about the App called Sunrays that lets him access the stories even theme wise. “For instance I type the word dedication and four stories will open right up.” Obviating any need for referencing in the old fashioned manner.  

A novella, a fiction, she’s not ruling out anything at the moment, though not quite sure, what’s on the anvil next. But there are a few things she is sure about, which is what she will never do. “It will be something value based for sure and not frivolous.” 

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