Telling Tales

At Kathakar International Storytellers Festival,currently on at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).

At Kathakar International Storytellers Festival,currently on at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA),one is bound to find a passage through time and space,mostly to those hidden corners of India where men and women continue to relive history through colourful performances and music. We find the Bhopas,priest singers of Rajasthan,who perform in front of a scroll known as phad,which functions as a portable temple. There is Wari Leeba,one of the oldest form of storytelling from Manipur,which finds a pillow as one of its props to unfold their stories. Kathakar is part of the Ghummakkad Narain initiative by Nivesh. Along with this NGO,its been organised by IGNCA and British Council.

This year,we have a larger programme than before. We are increasing our networking and associations with more organisations, says Mangalam Swaminathan,Programmes Head of IGNCA. The line-up comprises not only traditional Indian storytellers but a few from UK too. The idea is to have a dialogue and look at storytellers in a more contemporary way, she says.

Apart from stories of valour of local heroes of Rajasthan in Dev Narayan Ka Phad by the Bhopas (will be performed on September 28),led by Kalyan Joshi,and Wari Leeba with its experimental props (which will be performed today),the Indian stories will include the classic tale of the Rajput warriors Alha and Udal by Jugal Kishore Namdeo and group (September 29). We know that the storytelling for Alha Udal comes from Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. But we have a rare performance by the Banafar Rajput clan, says Richa Negi,coordinator for Kathakar at IGNCA.

Artistes brought to the country by the British Council include Godfrey Duncan,(also known as the self-coined TUUP,The Unprecedented Unorthodox Preacher),from West London,born in Guyana,known for its storytelling culture. His stories come from his travels in Europe and Africa and is seen as a revivalist in London. Another British performer is Nell Phoenix,whose performances are replete with classic texts,plays,physical theatre,mask work and puppetry.

International Storytellers

Festival will be held at Amphitheatre,IGNCA,Janpath. It is on till September 29,from 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm. Entry is free

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British Council

Telling Tales

At Kathakar International Storytellers Festival,currently on at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).

At Kathakar International Storytellers Festival,currently on at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).