Journalism of Courage
At a recent story-telling workshop,London-based Craig Jenkins encouraged participants to connect with characters from the Ramayana for easy emotional expression
Raavan speaks of his inner peace and Kaikeyi’s notorious nurse Manthra makes her confession. The energy builds up as one by one,the participants relay their parts. It’s Day 2 of the four-day storytelling workshop with Craig Jenkins at Open Space,Law College Road. A story-teller with the London-based Vayu Naidu Company,Jenkins came to Pune to conduct the ‘Sutradhar’ workshop that explores the theme – ‘Other Voices : Exploring the Rakshas in the Ramayana Epic’. He was accompanied by ThilagavathiPalani,a Kattaikkuttu dancer.
At the workshop,ThilagavathiPalani,lovingly called Tulika,danced to show the happiness that Surpanakaha felt. The happiness changed to disbelief as her nose was cut off by Laxman. In another part,Ravana prayed and talked of inner peace. “Stories are a safe way of addressing emotions that we can’t normally articulate well,” says Jenkins. “When they choose a character,they have to relate to it. How would you react if this were you? This thought process is the essence of story telling,” he adds.
