Storytelling sessions go the online way during lockdown in Bengaluru

Ever since the lockdown began, entertainers across the world have been going online to ensure you have regular doses of live music, stand-up comedy and more. Fitness coaches and yoga gurus soon followed suit and now, the latest to join the bandwagon, are storytellers, with engaging sessions for both children and adults. Offering folktales, stories about hope and humour, they seem or be doing their bit to uplift moods amidst the global pandemic.
Bengaluru-based performing storyteller and theatre professional Vikram Sridhar says that the lockdown is an opportunity for many storytellers to showcase their work. “There are two kinds of storytelling events that are taking place right now. One, where storytellers put out their work for any audience to consume, and the second that caters to a specific audience. Given the current situation, the number of these sessions is on the rise.”
Stories about hope and humour in demand
Adithi Rao, a writer from the city, says, “At a time like this, when children are in a restricted space, we are careful about what kind of stories we choose.” Vikram points out that even humour can be a source of hope. “I try to make children and adults laugh through my art and that itself is hope. Humour gives hope to many people,” he says.
Actor Vasishta N Simha, who recently did an online storytelling session for kids, says, “It was a short story from the Panchatantra with a moral at the end. The aim is to include stories from the previous generation. The stories that our grandparents told us were eye-openers and we learnt so much from those.”

There are sessions for adults, too
Vikram adds, that in the present scenario, several adults too are enjoying storytelling sessions. “I have people telling me that after watching the session they got a good night’s sleep after many days. It’s like a lullaby for so many adults. Over the past few weeks, storytelling as an art itself, has become important,” he shares.

Daycare centres pitch in
Ramya N, mother of a three-year-old, says that it is not just storytellers, but even daycare centres who are
organising these sessions. “These events are ablessing, especially for those in a nuclear family, because they can rely on these sessions to keep their little ones engaged. My kid’s daycare has been conducting simple storytelling sessions online during the lockdown and it is definitely a big help,” she says.

Kids like narration with props and costumes
Singer-actor MD Pallavi, who recently performed The Elephant’s Nose as part of Ranga Shankara AHA!’s ‘Little Cloud’ online storytelling programme, says, “Whether it is an online performance or a face-to-face session, it is the art of narrating a story that matters the most. To be able to tell the story to children in an engaging manner is pertinent here. To give it a more realistic touch, props such as puppets, drawings and costumes are important. And, if you can, change your voice for different characters.”



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