Khyati's Post

@vikalpbhatnagar ‘s debut novel Chilla-i-Kalan: The Winters of Kashmir is as haunting as the season it borrows its name from—the harshest 40 days of winter in the valley. At once tender and unsettling, the book captures how love can unravel under the weight of tragedy, and how silence can speak louder than words. The story follows Vivaan and Meera, a couple whose quiet companionship is abruptly ruptured by a violent incident in Pahalgam. The opening—a gunshot in the snowy stillness—sets the tone for a narrative that refuses melodrama, instead focusing on the emotional aftershocks of trauma. What follows is not just a love story, but a meditation on resilience, loss, and the fragile threads that hold people together. Bhatnagar’s prose is restrained yet evocative. Kashmir is not just a backdrop but a living character—its beauty, unpredictability, and silences mirroring the couple’s inner turmoil. The novel doesn’t sensationalize conflict; instead, it highlights its quiet, devastating impact on personal lives. Meera and Vivaan are deeply human—hesitant, flawed, and achingly real—making their journey relatable and raw. What makes this novel stand out is its emotional authenticity. Instead of dramatic declarations, it lingers in small moments—conversations cut short, silences that stretch, memories that intrude. In doing so, it feels less like fiction and more like lived memory. Chilla-i-Kalan is a promising debut that will stay with readers long after the last page—a story of love tested by silence, survival, and the long winters of the heart.

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This post was published on 25th September, 2025 by Khyati on her Instagram handle "@bookish.fame (Khyati)". Khyati has total 30.4K followers on Instagram and has a total of 1.3K post.This post has received 148 Likes which are greater than the average likes that Khyati gets. Khyati receives an average engagement rate of 0.46% per post on Instagram. This post has received 15 comments which are than the average comments that Khyati gets. Overall the engagement rate for this post was lower than the average for the profile.