Kathakar – the International Storytellers Festival is back for its seventh edition with the aim of reviving the tradition of oral storytelling. The festival is a part of Ghummakad Narain – The Travelling Literature Festival that brings together the most talented bunch of storytellers from countries like Belgium, UK, Italy and you can expect everything from Neapolitan Puppetry style stories {a rare form of storytelling} to folktales from Himachal sung by renowned playback singer Mohit Chauhan.
You Can Hear Stories From Around The World At This Event {Or Tell Your Own}
The information in this post might be outdated
What Is It?
Who Is It For?
All those who love stories {who doesn’t?}, are fascinated by cultures & beliefs around the world and feel that listening to stories is one of the simple pleasures of life, would have a great time at the Kathakar Festival. In between college, office meetings and growing up, most of us have forgotten what hearing a story in its most raw form felt like and this festival might rekindle the same joy all over again.
Why Should I Go For It?
Remember how much fun it used to be when your grandparents narrated stories to you and you’d wait for each and every sentence, every word of theirs like your life depended on it? This festival will let you relive that feeling {or at least try to do so} with stories from across borders, from different traditions and beliefs, all told in the most exciting styles with puppetry, music, drama and humour.
Plus, there’s just so much to look forward to like the strange and scary stories by Joe Baele {Belgium}, Nautanki by Choudhury Sajjan Singh and group {U.P.}, speed storytelling for amateur storytellers with Rachna Bisht, Manoj Tiwari’s Bhojpuri folktales and even stories by Vishal Bhardwaj. If you’re a budding storyteller and words are your weapons of charm, the open mic session is where you could get your voice heard.
And somewhere we feel stories can heal, stories can teach and stories can inspire in ways unimaginable, so there’s only everything to gain at the Kathakar Festival.
Anything Else?
The festival’s being organised in two slot, the morning slot {9am – 12:30pm} is for school kids, while the evening slot {4:30 – 8:30pm} is for the general public, so take your whole family along because it’s where everyone can have a great time. Follow their Facebook page for more updates.
When: Dec 1-3, 9am – 8.30pm
Where: IGNCA, Mansingh Road.
Entry: Free for evening slots {first come first served}. For morning slots, schools must get in touch with the organisers.
