Once upon a time

A storyteller brings a tale each from a different state every week for both, children and adults

Performer and dancer Ulka Mayur has experimented with storytelling over the years — first with her son six years ago and later, professionally. While performing at city museums and libraries like Dr Bhau Daji Lad and Chhatrapati Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS), Mayur always felt she wanted to reach out to more people with her art. "I was toying with putting the information out on a digital platform. Then, I got a call from an orphanage in Surat who told me they had no way to access my work," she says. With the coronavirus outbreak, it was the last straw and Mayur decided to take her work online.

Starting today on World Storytelling Day, she will be releasing a story a week from each of the 28 states in the country in a series called Explore India with Folktales. The first such comes from Maharashtra. "The idea is to give the audience a slice of the culture from each state through a story," she says.

Ulka Mayur

While some are fresh recordings, others are drawn from previous performances. Mayur uses an instrument and makes the story come alive for both children and adults. "I don't want to make it boring and it has to be free and available for all, so I picked YouTube to put them up for now," she explains.

Based on the response, Mayur may increase the frequency of her uploads, a plan that hasn't been finalised yet. So, if you are looking to celebrate the day with a story for your child or the entire family, log in and listen in.

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