Storytelling enthusiasts from across India gathered in Noida this past weekend for the Kahaani Festival. This two-day event enchanted and empowered the audience with narratives from across the country and other parts of the world.
The festival was held at the Pathways School, where the school director Dr Shalini Advani opened by saying, “It is the imagination and creativity that opens up the world. Nothing is more important for that than the world of stories.”
The festival, which primarily targeted a young audience, included many performers and speakers, all of whom had stories to tell through words, music, dance, song and puppets.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, performed by Wide Aisle Productions from Delhi, was a crowd favorite. The upbeat and witty performance of Shakespeare was perfect for a young audience and the catchy music had children dancing with the actors when the play ended.
The Shum and Vi Show performed by Ishara Puppet Theatre was so intriguing for the children that the youngsters ran onto to the stage and tried to peak behind the curtain where the puppets were performing.
Nathoo Lal Solanki, a master of the Nagada (Indian Kettle Drums), provided music and workshops on the drums.
Stories are an important part of our collected history and shared human experience. And bringing them to light through music and theater captivated the audience. Creating and responding to such forms of art helps to develop an understanding of ourselves and the world around us.