Watching Deepa Kiran perform once is an enlightening experience. But to watch her perform the same story twice is a process of renewal and revival. I first watched Ramayana in a folktale by Deepa Kiran, renowned international storyteller and storytelling teacher, whose style is so genuine and embellished with rare understanding and insights into Indic thought, during the Indica Storytelling Conference in December 2022. The second performance was her rendition of the “Ramayana in a folktale” in her youtube channel which she maintains with care and affection for a vast audience who turn to it for inner nourishments. The performance which is a reflection of what is culture and why in a country where there is so much traditional art form many of us still miss out on the “essential culture of the Ramayana itself.” The story is a metaphor for how the Ramayana is central to the Indian cultural context and yet remains alien to many Indians who have chosen samsara over nirvana. Also, the story is a take on how the rasa experience of the traditional storyteller can be a hilarious process of confusion for the non convert to the cultural spaces of India.
Story Practices 