Stories are an inseparable part of festivals in India. October was a month of festivals, and the celebrations would have been incomplete without stories. Every corner of the city was brought alive with storytellers regaling listeners with mythological and folk tales of Dusshera, Karwachauth and Diwali.
Dastango Ankit Chadha’s performance ‘Dastan Jai Ram Ji Ki’, held at The Humming Tree Bangalore, directed by Mahmood Farooqui, gave an unconventional twist to the epic Ramayana. The narrative is loosely based on A K Ramanujan’s essay – ‘300 Ramayanas’ and written in the Dastangoi style by Ankit Chadha.
At Dashamukha – by Darwesh group
Another unconventional performance was ‘Dashamukha’ by the Darwesh group; a Navratri Special story-walk, that explores the various dying storytelling traditions like beherupiyas as well as stories associated with Navratri celebrations. Primarily touring the Chawri Bazaar area of Old Delhi, 
Many storytellers around the country also picked up alternate stories of Dusshera and Diwali for their sessions. The thunderous laughter of Narakasura and Mahishasura ruled at sessions by Storipur in Bangalore. The Chennai Storytellers told stories of Amba – the mother and goddess.
These storytellers are bringing back the tradition of storytelling at festivals with a bang, in the process reviving an age-old practice.
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