My career started in teaching. I did a lot of private tutoring, working with young people, creative writing courses. I did my undergraduate in English and Psychology in Canada. I came back from Canada to teach. I pursued my Masters in Education after that. I left teaching when I moved to the United Kingdom in 2001. For a few years, I worked with a youth offending team and the work was in behavioural work, purpose of behaviour and motivation and energization with young offenders. I took a break when I had children. I did my training in PsychoTherapy. It has been counselling work since. I started counselling for a children and young adults NGO. I was then a counsellor at the YMCA. I started my own private practice and started working at the University of Cambridge. There I am a part of the Student Counselling team covering students from under graduation, post graduation and PhD students.
Could you talk about the theoretical influences in your work?
I am a core Adlerian psychotherapist. My training thus was in individual psychotherapy and Adlerian psychotherapy was the school.
How would you describe Adlerian psychotherapy to a layperson?
It is humanistic. The focus is on the individual. In Adlerian psychotherapy you focus on the lens by which you see the world. The term is lifestyle, that determines how you see your life, how you make choices and how you see challenges. It is not what happened to you but what you made, your perspective of what happens to you.
In working with clients, I do a lot of early memory work. How you see the world is seen in your early memories – your logic, your core belief.
Could you talk about using storytelling in your work?
Storytelling is subject to the therapist and every Adlerian psychotherapist may use storytelling. We may use what is the favourite story, your childhood story. This will tell what resonates with you. In the story the person comes out in a specific way.
Do you use personal narratives or general stories in your work?
We can do both. If someone likes Little Red Riding Hood, we can talk about what made you connected to that particular story, a personal experience. My favourite story is ‘Butterfly lovers’ a Chinese story. The protagonist wants to learn and study. She was not educated and not energised to go to school. But the protagonist had a deep love for learning. She did what she had to do to get what she wanted. It was a story my mother told me. It was a story I had watched the opera performance of.
Could you talk about other psychotherapy models you work with?
I find the Adlerian model to be broad. I use Gestalt, elements of psychoanalysis. I saw the Freudian aspect coming in. Freud and Adler shared a lot. I am not too much into CBT. There are parts which are common with CBT – humanistic perspective.
Could you talk about your interest in dreams?
Dreamwork is very interesting. Adler studied dreams differently – looking at dreams from a perspective lens. Two people may see the same dream but what it means to them due to culture could be very different.
I have been working on dreams in the context of dealing with grief and loss. For instance, in a dream of a grandmother who passed away, it could be a dream of unresolved grief. What does the dream mean from a cultural context? It can be a symbol of the psyche. From the western perspective it is always unresolved grief. Looked at from the cultural space, the same dream could be understood differently.
When you understand the culture, you understand a lot of what it means. Take the Japanese for instance – a self-sufficient people, for being responsible yourself, for taking ownership.
My client was looking for a light switch. It was in the dream – ‘If I have find the light, I have to switch it on.’ This lens of taking responsibility for the light switch was due to culture.
For a Chinese client, who is an heir and comes from a traditional Chinese family and was about to inherit a business, who dreamt he was lost the dream had to understood from the cultural lens. The dream of being lost was understood as he was looking for his elder. If we don’t know where we are we are looking to our elders for advice. I had to figure it out based on the culture.
Since culture has a direct bearing how the dream is understood, and your folktales could determine your archetype, could you talk about the importance of folktales?
When you pick a story from your religion you can connect, take the Akbar Birbal stories, they have so much wisdom, community feeling. You will see both resilience in using cultural stories and resistance. Take the story of Cinderella. The idea of girl being asked to do housework may not resonate. It is all based on what resonates with you and impresses your sense of identity.
Butterfly Lovers is a story about a girl who wants to go to school and finally does something about it. We are looking for the lens that helps me see the world. We do storywork with clients. It is not about which book you like it is about what resonates with you.
Any concluding ideas you would like to share?
It is important to remember there is a lot we have in common regardless of culture – community feeling, a sense of belonging, contributing to the world around you and helping others contribute.
My career began when I started my masters in Cultural Studies. I did English Literature in my bachelors. Studying English literature was a launch into the questions of selfhood. When I was younger, I had read Hindu Philosophy. English Literature felt like it could be a way of enquiring into ourselves. There is a joy in studying the social sciences and humanities and focussing on culture.
The kinds of questions cultural studies answered didn’t satisfy me.
As I was doing my PhD, it occurred to me that cultural studies answered the how question (how things are done?) rather than the why question (why they occur in the first place?) I wanted the why question answered. Knowledge quests are in a very fundamental way asking about the why question. I started getting answer to the Why question through Hindu studies. I was studying Akka Mahadevi. I was studying an array of religious studies.
I read over 200 books in feminism. I do identify as a feminist. I have read a lot from the discipline of religious studies. In the United States, I did a lot of religious studies research. It is an interesting engagement. I love some scholars and don’t love some of them.
Could you talk about your reading?
The academic reading is read in order understand ideas, draw comparisons, etc. Culture Studies reading helps gain a different impression of history and culture. It is a different experience. Reading fiction is an altogether different experience. It allows to experience in images, in full colour and sensory details. I have read 200 odd novels. It has been a joyous experience. I have read English literature, Kannada and regional books in translation. Amit Chowdary is one of my favourite writers and ‘Strange and Sublime Address’ is one of my favourite books. I love the way he writes. Shashi Deshpande and Arundhati Roy are two of my favourite writers. The impulse to write a novel or a poem next follows me.
Could you talk about history writing from India?
Until 1970s, history writing in India was conducted bias free. Since the 1970s, very left leaning ideologies have taken over history writing in India. There are two very different things – one looks white and one looks black.
Could you talk about women’s history writing in India?
Women’s history in India can’t be understood unless we understand StreeDharma. In a Jain scripture we get glimpses of women performing rituals and yagnas. The Upanishads are known for the Brahmavadinis – independent women who are independent scholars. In the Upanishads we get small glimpses of how women lived. Who were the foreigners who altered us? Hindu warrior code was clear that you should not fight a woman. The warrior code of the other side seems barbaric now and they did fight women. Streedharma, which looks very regressive, was set up in these circumstances. Women are restricted to their home. Uma Bharati, Andal – the stories of these women give us a glimpse of lives of women in ancient India.
There are two tasks that hindered the history writing process in India – extreme tolerance for the project and extreme hatred for the project.
Hindu Dharma did offer women compensations. If women due to family commitments could not participate in spirituality – equalities and substitutes were offered. Hindu dharma did offer that. That is kind of feminist.
What about the unique place of Goddesses in Indian history?
Celebrating Goddesses in a country where women can’t still be what they want to be in society fully, is showing futility. Women in India should be like Goddesses in real life. We retain the ancient goddess tradition in India. We once had women who were brahmavadinis – that is the goal.
Could you talk about the Dus Mahavidyas in this context?
If you tap into these energies – you will never be disappointed. For me however, this is an academic endeavour and an active research process that gives the answers.
Could you talk about your research topic and Bhakti in particular?
Bhakti opened a way for women out of StreeDharma. To pursue knowledge is a bhakti search in medieval India. Wherever there were hostile external circumstances some women became bhaktas – living within and living detached. They lived in society but in a detached manner. Times can be very difficult in an unsafe society and society still feels unsafe. That needs to change.
Akka Mahadevi is addressing a deep quest within. As far as time immemorial in India there has been a quest for the self, a philosophical quest. She is a part of this ancient tradition. It has been there for men and women. The quest for the self within remains in India. The interesting this about Akka Mahadevi is that she does not deny StreeDharma and recommends it for women in general. Akka Mahadevi was a part of the Veerashaivaite movement. Her Ista devta was Shiva as Mallikarjuna. Veerashaivism had a tantric understanding of Shiva and Shakti. Here we can clearly see the connection between tantra and bhakti. Scholarship tends to look at literary aspects of bhakti writing without understanding their experiences.
Storytelling fosters the social and emotional development of the child. The main offshoots of storytelling are that it fulfils children both socially and emotionally. Schools are not completely equipped to work on some of these areas of each and every student. I felt the need to fill the void. I worked children’s language, communication skills, creative skills, logic and reasoning abilities etc,, I made the sessions interactive.
How did Kathalaya influence you?
Geeta has been a great influence and a guide. She works so much towards your growth. She will tell you – “You have reached here; you should reach here.” She helped me get started as a storyteller.
Some tips for storytelling?
I am very positive about the connections between storytelling and nature. I use storytelling to make children aware of nature. It is very interesting to note how storytelling and nature go hand in hand.
Could you talk about the relevance of storytelling?
Once anything is put in the form of story it can easily be understood and remembered. We never forgot the stories our grandparents told us. When we hear stories – this is the space we return to after so many years. The storyteller and the essence of having stories told to us aligns with us. I have had a chance to understand the efficiency of the storytelling process through my work for children.
Could you talk about creating a curriculum for early childhood education?
I did this and built the curriculum for early childhood education. I used storytelling to teach children about maths, science and social science. Basically, I evolved a concept-based storytelling curriculum. I was very clear that I wanted to tell children concept-based stories.
On your unique storytelling journey?
It’s been a great journey – but it was least expected of me to take this path. When I made it to the storytelling pathway, I decided to make it financially work out for me too. A lot of people will tell you, “There is no money in storytelling.” But I could make a career out of storytelling. I made it financially lucrative too.
I am an electrical engineer. I was with Konika films. I had great growth in that company. They made camera films. I am a Kannadiga. I was managing aftersales. I was in many managerial roles and managed multiple projects. I worked on System Integration. I worked on seamless management of audio-visual facilities. I was in the managerial area for 24 years – business development, client servicing and everyday operations.
Your storytelling pathway?
I had no clue about what storytelling was. I was highly involved in presentations to clients. I was otherwise not someone who would read books. Storytellers are usually from literature background. I took a storytelling course. Storytelling gave a lot of exposure. Other people are an integral part of the storytelling experience. Storytelling opens the heart. Storytelling is deep engagement with children on a daily basis. My feeling is that I didn’t chose storytelling. Storytelling chose me. I did learn a lot with Geeta Maam. She is a great person to learn from. She opened the heart of storytelling for me. The Kathalaya storytelling diploma was a deep dive into storytelling. The diploma internalised storytelling for me and skilled me with different techniques in storytelling. I learnt to use different practices for storytelling. I started preschools in Mumbai. I run eight centres, all in Mumbai, where I teach storytelling. I am part of two international schools where I do storytelling as a part of the curriculum. I teach parents storytelling for their children. I find that storytelling is a skill that helps me breathe. We are all storytellers.
Can you talk about storytelling for the classroom?
Once I turned into a storyteller, I have an eye and ear out to absorb details that can help create great stories. I made my own curriculum for storytelling for early childhood development.
I have done an MBA full time and then did an MA in English Literature by distance mode. I was more into science or physics. So, the MBA appealed to my analytical side. I could not adjust in the corporate world and I did the MA in English and a career in literature looked appealing to me. I started sending my writing to people. I gathered a lot of feedback. I worked with Artoonsinn and Writer’s Workout. Now I am a published writer.
What genres do you prefer?
I read a lot of mysteries. I try writing mysteries. I enjoy writing horror. I like writing the strange pace of events in horror. I like the supernatural and the paranormal. I enjoy magic realism too. This collection Forests and Fairies was a collection for children and is middle grade stories.
Your writing has a lot of references to the world of folklore and fairy tales, could you talk about this?
I have a soft corner for fairies. I look for inspiration in the Panchatantra Tales and Jataka Tales. I like weaving stories around forests. We all as children read the folk tales and fairytales and this becomes a part of you since its a part of our childhood. Many of my stories find inspiration in fairytales and folklore. I used really like the Little Mermaid as a child, though it was a sad story. I think my love for fairies goes to barbie movies. Mariposa and barbies became an inspiration for my fairy worlds. I associate the barbie movies and also fairies with a sense of safety. You can rely on fairies when things go wrong. The fairies try to help you and even you can’t see them.
Your journey of writing Forests and Faeries?
I have been writing the different stories in this collection for children over four to five years. The writing was done for different publications. But the editing was what took attention. When we decided to publish the collection, I had a chance to read a lot of middle grade fiction and children’s books. In this book, there are a lot of pagan people and people who are close to nature. The stories retain a sense of globalness. The stories can be retold in any other context – African or South American.
Could you talk about your interest in sustainability?
Forests have been central to my writing. I create spaces with the presence of trees, animals, calmness, a brook on the side etc. It makes me carefree. Another location I like setting my story is in the ruins of a temple. In Shared Roots I had set my story in the ruins of a temple.
Could you talk about motifs in your writing?
I see forests as a safe place. I see them as a non-venomous space. These forests are home, and they are where I believe magic happens. Forests have everything I ask for as a home. Another motif in my writing is Faeries – the little helpers, guardian angels, giving us help and hope. We all need help and hope. We are always stepping on shadows. Fairies give us hope. As a writer, I also have characters in the story who read books and like books. This is a given.
Could you talk about your idea of magic?
Being a Hindu, magic is a part of our lives. The Ramayana, the Mahabharata with Sita Haran or War Scenes. There are different types of arrows, causing rain, using fire. The ties are close by. As a child you read a lot of folktales and fairytales – it becomes a part of who you are. I see magic as a kind of help when you need it. When you need help and get it – it is form of magic. It comes in varied forms. It depends on how much magic we want to believe in. The flower turning into fruit – there is magic in science. As a child, I believed in magic.
Could you talk about writing as a dialogue?
When I write the first draft. I write for myself. I don’t think of the reader. Then there is dialogue with me and what I have read so far. When I start editing that’s when I have a dialogue with the audience. Some of the stories had to be edited to make them suitable for children. The story Perfect Paradise has a hopeful ending for instance.
I have written for 15 years. I wrote for the media (newspapers and magazines) and the IT corporate set-up. I started my own website and web magazine. Here, I worked on a blog with features on the conscious space, with all things conscious like practicing Veganism, Climate Conservation etc. I also ran an online store which sold five – six products like soy candles, body butter etc. to fund my writing. I had registered this manufacturing, and it was done inhouse.
In 2018, I said goodbye to my 9-5 job. I went for a Vipassana retreat in Jaipur. Ten days of Vipassana has transformed me. As a consequence of this transformation, I realised I did not need so many things in my life. I was practicing Vipassana and gym. Because of the 10-day Vipassana meditation, my complete lifestyle changed. In my web magazine I started featuring people who practiced conscious lifestyles. And out of these interviews a published book emerged – An Alternative Way of Living: 25 Interviews.
The field of Positive Psychology talks about the importance of Positive Journalism. Do you see your work as Positive Journalism?
I wanted to document the little practices that made people feel good. I could see these practices as an alternative way of living. I wanted to focus on lifestyle practices that helped. The positive side of life is something that newspapers need to talk about. Newspapers are filled with news on criminals and scandals. Not of it makes much of a difference to the life of reader. Say there is news on a scandal in some remote part of the world how is it going to change my life or that or the reader. It is a scandal and cannot have a positive impact on my life. Now instead if I write about wearing cotton fabric it is a lifestyle practice that can fundamentally alter someone’s life. News on a criminal in Tihar Jail will not help me improve my life. People need to understand this. I met a family friend and gave him my book of interviews. I asked him to give it to his dad who is in the 70s. This friend said that his father won’t read such light stuff because was interested in serious things. Yes, knowing about the suffering and strategy of the government brings empathy and expands the mind, but so does reading a book like this.
Could you talk about the Vipassana meditation that transformed your life and set you on the journey to write this book?
I have attended 10 retreats after the first retreat. It has been six years of tremendous transformation. I can now clearly see how an alternative way of living is the direct pathway to such transformation. This is what I have explored in my book. It is the little practices that can make a huge impact. I was a big fan of milk tea. I interviewed people following veganism and saw it as an important alternative practice. I could see after the interview how we are depriving cows of milk and not giving calves their full share. I have written on cotton fabric. We resort to synthetic fabric because it is easy to maintain. But is it good for us? After Vipassana, my view of things has changed. I have a wider view and a clearer view.
How have these practices impacted your writing?
I have started to write better and with more clarity. My thoughts flow in a straight line. I have a wider view of being a human being. A lot of my stories revolve around the themes of impermanence and acceptance – these are practices from Buddhism. I wrote one story about a girl who gets a million gifts for Christmas. Initially these gifts are very exciting for her. But in time she realises the problems – like how they slow her down. I don’t subscribe to what the world asks you to think. I have an independent school of thought.
Could you talk about the ‘little practices’ covered in your book?
The book lists around 20 practices. One interviewer has been wearing natural fabric for 25 years. When you wear natural fabric the body feels better. Traditionally fabrics of India were made from natural material. Two of the interviewees are working on garbage management which is very important for a country like India where there is no understanding that garbage needs to be managed. A Bollywood actress talks about how children need to be graded not just for knowing things in textbooks but for their understanding of plants. We need these alternative practices in today’s India which is full of European brands and style aspirations. We are forgetting good practices. The idea is not to hurt oneself, others and nature around us.
When talk about not hurting do you mean Ahimsa?
Ahimsa is a strong word; it has connections with violence. By not hurting I mean not causing them pain even in little ways.
Could you talk about mindfulness in connection with conscious living?
I see mindfulness and conscious living as synonyms to each other. A lot of people associate mindfulness as being only present in the present moment, but I see it as same conscious living. Being mindful about how you are talking, how your actions are affecting the other person, being mindful about what you eat, what you wear – these are some aspects of mindfulness.
How do you define conscious living?
Living in way that does not hurt me, hurt you or hurt the nature around.
How has writing this book changed and influenced you?
I have adopted a lot of the practices I have written about. I have turned 80% vegan. My wardrobe has 85% natural fabric. I have become mindful of the fabric I am wearing. I learnt about a new practice called permaculture, so I learnt something new. I turned into a minimalist. In 2023, I didn’t buy anything. I realised had so much already. In Delhi, known for its small shops I shopped for all of Rs. 5000 for one year.
Could you talk about the book?
I have written about eating mindfully, sleeping mindfully and behaving mindfully. The book launched on July 18th. A lady told me during the launch that the book is very good and different. A friend of mine Niveditha started writing with Morning Pages, a practice documented in the book. In a sustainability event, all participants were given a copy of the book. A book like this can impact the collective consciousness.
Your future plans?
I am writing an autobiography on being on the conscious path. I am also working on a book of interviews on Vipassana practitioners and how the practice has helped them transform.
I started working as a pre-primary teacher. I worked in pre-primary for 33 years. I worked as a coordinator for the pre-primary sector. That is when I thought that storytelling is an important aspect for pre-primary sector. I contacted Kathalaya and invited Geeta Ma’am for a workshop. At that time, I thought that when I quit my job and retire, I will be a storyteller. This was the inspiration I had that day to be a storyteller.
After I quit my job, I took storytelling as a profession. That is when I called Deiva and she asked if I could do storytelling through schools. I started working on storytelling for schools through Kathalaya. I have also done the diploma in storytelling through Kathalaya.
Could you talk about the certifications in storytelling you completed at Kathalaya?
I did an online beginner’s course during Covid. Since I had decided I work as a storyteller, it worked well. After that I did my diploma at fireflies. The Kathalaya beginner’s course covered how a story should be told. With the diploma we covered the deeper nuances of storytelling – the importance of voice, voice modulation, movements, body language, and the role puppets play in storytelling. For the diploma we interviewed a few folktale tellers and made a booklet with fairytales, folktales etc. We documented all this.
Could you talk about your interest in using puppets for storytelling?
When you do the diploma in storytelling, you know who your audience is. Mine is storytelling for pre-primary children. For others it has been storytelling for adults, storytelling for senior citizens, storytelling for special children etc. Since I am interested in doing storytelling for pre-primary children or smaller children I knew that puppets will be relevant. I make my own colorful and attractive puppets. I make hand puppets and stick puppets. I have a whole box of puppets.
Could you talk about the role of sounds and voice modulation in storytelling?
When we are enacting animals, each has a characteristic sound. We use a different voice for each animal. For instance, the lion has a gruffer voice, and the mouse has a softer voice.
During storytelling sessions, voice modulations for different animals is done.
Is there a need to research ecology for storytelling?
A lot of study is needed while preparing for a storytelling session. We need to read a lot of information on nature, plants, animals, birds etc. For instance, if you are working on a story on hornbill, then you need to know if the bird migrates, if it can fly etc. You need a lot of information and facts to tell the story of an animal or bird.
Can you talk about your experience as a story narrator?
Every platform, I perform in is a different experience. Even storytelling in one school to another school is a different experience. The storytelling experience varies from when your audience has only children or when it has less children.
Could you talk about spontaneity in storytelling?
The same story can be told to a two-year-old and to a ten-year-old. You can elaborate on different points of the same story to help different audiences connect. The way you tell a story to younger children requires much more voice modulation than a story told to older children.
Could you talk about movement in storytelling?
I start my story with an icebreaker with movement. Movement helps the audience connect to the story and the teller. Through getting the audience to enact movements during the story they are able to pay better attention to the story.
How has storytelling positively impacted you?
Once I got into the profession of storytelling and stopped working in schools my perception towards life itself changed. I was able to read more. I have been meeting different types of people. My knowledge has increased. It has changed my perspective of life.
On your plans as a storyteller?
I would like to reach out to more schools, more children and do more storytelling.
The favourite story you like telling?
The story of the lion and mosquito.
Once there was a lion. The lion thought that he was the King of Jungle. He really thought that.
The lion growled.
The mosquito was trying to sleep. The lion was making so much noise that the mosquito could not sleep.
The mosquito asked the lion to be quiet.
The lion said, “I am the King of the Jungle and can do anything I want.”
The mosquito said, “I don’t think you are the King of the Jungle.”
The lion said, “I am the King of the Jungle.”
The mosquito said, “I don’t think you are the King of the Jungle.”
Then the mosquito, entered the lion’ nose.
The lion cried, “Leave me please.”
The mosquito bit the lion hard.
The lion said, “Leave me alone.”
The mosquito asked the lion, “Who is the King of the Jungle?”
The mosquito then said, “Now, I am the King of the Jungle.”
And that is how the mosquito became the King of the Jungle.
Could you talk about the use of dialogues in the story?
The more you talk in dialogues during a narration the more the children will be able to assimilate. Their language also improves. I use Kannada and associate it with English. I do storytelling at the Sharadha Mutt and I do it in Kannada and English.
Could you talk about other influences to your storytelling?
I am a trained dancer. I have been training since the age of five and have been performing till the time of marriage. This has helped in storytelling with expressions and voice modulation. I am trained in Bharatnatyam, Mohiniattam and Kathakali.
Could you talk about how Kathalaya has impacted you?
After I left school I told Geeta Maam, about joining as a storyteller and she knew what my strengths were. She knew I had been associated with schools. She suggested I do storytelling for schools for Kathalaya. We are also working on building a story curriculum.
Your experiences as the Founder of the Storytelling Movement in India and in many parts internationally too?
This is my feeling and thought that there is nothing new in what I am doing. It is like reinventing the wheel. Storytelling is as ancient as human time itself. We have always said at Kathalaya that the world is made up of stories not just atoms. Right from the time the first atom appeared, stories appeared. Human beings are social animals from the very beginning, sitting around the fire, where they shared food and along with the food stories. We must thank fire. All around the world, people have been moving in 18th and 19th centuries with the beginning of industrialization from small towns and villages to big cities. Historically in India, approximately from 1945 to 1990 there was nothing happening with storytelling – all due to nuclear families, the search of jobs, the moving away from traditional roots, Macaulayan education, there was no time to listen to stories! There were no grandmothers being heard as they narrated stories, no time for community gatherings. The only way children listened to a story was by reading them. Originally in India, we had listening, retelling of stories along with a discussion on them – that was the guruvul. All this got converted to reading and writing. When I was growing up, it was a mixture of tales that is a mixture of heard and read stories – my parents were from the old times from villages in Tanjore and Nagercoil – I both listened to stories and read them. There was both the oriental input and the western input. Curiosity is very important for learning, for growing up, if you didn’t wonder, if you are not curious you can’t learn. Stories became a diet and this diet was very nourishing for my soul. I became a teacher and a librarian – wherein I found that 45 minutes was all that was allotted to each class, it was all very divided. I figured out that the best way to teach concepts was through a story. I didn’t know I was starting a movement, it was like climbing a ladder quickly – teachers called, NGOs called – storytelling was tool that could be used everywhere. Teachers called to get help with concepts, NGOs on how to use stories for special education and for teaching the deaf mute. This waterbody of stories had many tributaries. And at that time, there was no competition as people did not know ‘what was storytelling?’. People didn’t challenge us much because they thought storytelling was not a ‘real business’. I wanted to give storytelling a genuine pedestal by professionalising it. I wanted it to have goodwill. It was the right time and the right thing happened – to be able to do all this without obstacles and to be able to build the whole universe of storytelling. I was one of the facilitators to make storytelling happen.
You used the symbol of the fire, could you elaborate on this key Indian metaphor?
What we call learning is rooted in our civilisation and its fondness for storytelling. Gypsies had it. So, it bards. This culture of learning through stories. If you look at the ancient Egyptian, Chinese and Indian civilisation, they were very ahead of modern western education and societies. Much of the learning was integrated with healing and therapy based. Of the therapy based traditions, India has strong storytelling roots. One of the earliest art based civilisations was the Indus valley or Harappan Civilisation. So many things we were doing ahead of its time. Our rishis were true seers and had the power of foresight. The Chinese, Egyptian, Mesopotamian, civilisations were all gifted with seers. The seers in the Indian civilisation were the rishis. These Rishis foresaw the universal values, that is the basis of all storytelling. They also heard sounds from the cosmos, its vibratory patterns, these were converted to chants.
The elements – eternal and universal, have a way of syncing up with and helping human beings. In times of old, people wandered around and sat around trees waiting for ideas. One day, while sitting under a tree, early man heard a voice – this voice informed him that by bringing out the fire from the stone he will prosper. In those days early man used to eat raw meat. Once early man became a settler, he heard the sound from the stone and fire came out. Now he could cook his food.
There are these stories of Nachiketus in the Upanishads, who as a littleboy, who questioned whatever his father offered as sacrifice. His father, when a cow became old, would offer that as the danam. As a consequence of an altercation with his father, Nachiketus goes looking for Yama. The god of Death, Yama, is fascinated by the questions the boy has for him. Yama tells the boy the secrets of death and gives fire the name the Nachiketa Yagna. This is also known as the agni vidya. It is through the vidyas that people learn and the vidyas had stories behind them. Fire helped man settle down. Fire and flames were powerful in that they let man know that everything can’t be conquered. Water and fire became very important. Pranayama is done for wind. That’s why in human life the elements are so important. The rishis could perceive the elements – they could see the tree in the seed.
How would you describe the potency of storytelling as a form?
The power of storytelling lies in that you sit near a person, when you listen to a story. The west has been very good with documentation. In storytelling, everything had to be told from the heart. It has to be felt and told. It comes from the heart. There had not been too much reasoning. Storytelling as a form looked like it was a very rote process and retentions helped. Because of retentions it helped in rethinking the story. Today, the same thing is converted to a digital form. When you see an animation the effect is not the same as person telling the story. In a telling, the energy of the person reaches the student.
In India the tradition we have come into is that the purpose of living was to live in service of others for the rishis. In the world this can be seen as well – In Egypt’s desert areas there were learned fakirs and Sufi ascetics, in China there was Confucious and then there was influence of the Buddha. They were role models and seers for who life had to be lived.
On storytelling in Adivasi communities?
In the Adivasi communication they have a lot more oral traditions, lots of music and a lot of folklore. They will sing the story so beautifully. Santali tribals don’t have a written script. They still tell stories to impart knowledge to children, stories to impart knowledge to children – the stories of the first Diwali, the story of how a woman married a peacock, the story of why the lizard’s tail keep growing back. There is humour in the stories, music and songs. In Mangalore, there is a story for why two types of fish are not cooked together.
Could you talk about your experiences in setting up storytelling internationally?
I was asked to build a culture of storytelling. In Sweden, they had their culture and their teachers. They wanted to bring storytelling as a concept of learning. Before this storytelling was for performance and entertainment. They did not know that storytelling could be integrated with the classroom to set up a cultural curriculum. I helped them integrate storytelling with lifeskills and values. I trained them in the art of communication through storytelling. In Scotland, Sweden, Brazil – storytelling was all about building the bridge.
