A Candid Take on 'The Story of a Suicide' by 'Sriram Ayer' : A Masterpiece with a Purpose

My Precious Readers, it took me a lot lot courage to confess it here, a secret that I have hidden in my heart for decades not years but if my story coupled with an inspirational novella like this can serve as an eye opener to the one in need, it's worth admitting. Yes, I accept, I have been, depressed, depressed for a very very long time in my life. I know how it feels, it really hurts within, the despondency was killing and I could watch my world shattering around me but I couldn't help myself, no matter how hard I try. I was constantly being pulled into a well of self proclaimed failure! I was dying a thousand deaths each moment and the silence and loneliness were stifling...It surely is better to die once that the repeated trauma. 

As a suicide attempt survivor, I really really understand the darkness that engulfs us when we let the desire of ending one's life take shape in ourselves, probably the seemingly easiest solution to put an end to our woes.Mostly I believe the fear of what society will think, the social stigma triggers and accentuates such an act. Mom, dad everyone's there but the power of that negative moment refutes all authority and support. The heart bleeds and pumps so hard that the blood roll down from the eyes in uninterrupted cascades.

Even a thought of those lonely moments still makes fear run down my spines. I was truly Destiny's Chosen Child that I survived my vehement attempt to put a perennial end to God's greatest gift of life, many years ago. This was the reason I picked up the read of the much applauded release, 'The Story of a Suicide' by 'Sriram Ayer' and am so so glad I did. I was glued to it for hours and finished it in one go quite unlike the busy mommy me whose times slots are so damn tightly scheduled (Don't trust me check out the engrossing trailer below) .

Well the reasons were umpteen, the sensitive narration took me back in time and resonated with my heart's strings, its emotions. At several occasions my eyes got soaked in tears at the impeccable portrayal of the characters and the seamless weaving of circumstances in the life of the protagonists Hari, Sam, Charu and Mani(I dare not view any antagonists here from the angle I perceive the characters) whose life intersect when they join an esteemed institute called KIT. Undoubtedly written with a lot of patience, hard work, prudence and perseverance, words fail me to laud the attempt of the author who has created this Masterpiece with a Purpose. 

Plot and Synopsis of the Open Book 

The Story of a Suicide is an earnest endeavor of the author to weave together emotions of love, denial, homosexual inclinations, rejection, deceit, angst, depression and vulnerability yet enabling the 4 main characters hold on the ray of hope no matter how bleak it was...to serve it as an eye-opener to current generation whose endurance span has unfortunately shrunk. Each of them represent real life people like you and me whose past determines what they are today.

While Hari finds it extremely difficult to heal the scars of child abuse he has faced at the hands of a near and dear one, his present Homosexual Orientations create further turmoil in him. His dilemmas are very genuinely expressed and touch the heart.

Contrasting is the character of Sam, who is an ardent tech geek. His bruised heart after a break up with Priya, recovers quickly when Charu enters his life. 

Charu, a rebel,  truly is the heart stealer of the novella, whose exuberant spirit despite the hardships of life, is contagious. Well, all girls must definitely read this book to learn worthy lessons of life from this damsel (if not exactly be as aggressive as her). I loved the conviction of the author in putting forward a woman's thought so crystal clear.

On the contrary, Mani falls a prey to the circumstances and attempts suicide. His admittance for his love for Hari appears candid and you must turn the pages of this book, to know more about this love story.

Its worth reading how these characters  intersect each other on the crossroads of life.

This book not only carves genuine integrated tales which leads a human being to succumb to the vicious traps of life but also aids its readers with best out of the box advice to deal with such situations, rendered softly often directly or indirectly through its characters. It also abysmally brings forth the somersault of human emotions under which some perish while they are the fittest who survive.

Tone and Aesthetics 

The tone of the book is optimally balanced and is not turned sadistic at any point of time. The language is crisp and leaves a lasting impact. It grabs a piece of your mind and heart and casts a spell. The characters are woven intricately and with adequate finesse and are not left to drag at any point of the book. You can make the most of this inspirational thematic novella if you maintain an optimum pace of reading it. The use of hashtags makes it more relatable to the current generation.

High Point
For me the high point of this book is the beautiful synchronization of the impeccable story telling by Sriram Ayer and larger than life illustrations of the same by the very talented Ghana. The illustrations carve the mental frames in which the story is beautifully set and served to the audience multiplying the impact several fold. All in all, in my eyes, the vision to integrate the two was a welcome idea to bring about the most lasting impact on the minds of the readers, the very agenda of this excellent book.

Overall Rating of the Book

I rate this book a perfect 5/5 and #MustRead for the great chunk of learning it can impart the current generation who are leading the life of a bubble. I wish I had this book in my arms a decade ago and my vision to look at life would have been so much different and broad.

My Mantra to Deal-Stranger Therapy

Lastly, a last word for my esteemed readers from someone who has experienced the word Suicide from the nearest angle. Life is a precious, very precious gift from Lord Almighty my dears, value it, cherish it, make it worthwhile , lead it with a smile as wide as river Nile but when... trapped you feel in circumstances that don't heal, seek help of anyone - a loved one, an acquaintance or even a  stranger(better so if he is a psychiatric professional) , whomever you feel comfortable to share your heart with. You don't realize but that neutral person will open many undiscovered new vistas to you with a calm mind which you failed to visualize in your gloomy state. This is my personal experience. Pour all the woes of your heart to him/her, just empty them and their Therapeutic Healing Touch soothe you.

Final Word
Do Read 'The Story of a Suicide' by'Sriram Ayer' which for its a million dollar book and please let your near and dear ones read it too for the divine healing touch it spreads. 


About The Author
Sriram Ayer is a social entrepreneur, writer,compulsive dreamer 
and the founder ofNalandaWay Foundation, which works with children from the weakest strata in India, helping them using the creative power of arts, to become creative, learn life-skills, build self-confidence and succeed in schools. Named by the Outlook Business magazine as one of the top 50 social entrepreneurs in India, he has received numerous awards, including the World Bank’s South Asia development marketplace award, 'Architect of the Future' by Waldzell Institute, Austria, Ashoka Fellowship and more recently the Millennium Award instituted by US AID, Govt. of India, UK AID and FICCI.


Click Here: To Read or Hear The Soft Version of The Book and aid in spreading this 'MasterPiece With A Purpose'by sharing it as much as possible and be the 'Face of Positive Change'.