Learn Curve for Girls

Tag: fiction

  • Rare music for rarer narration – Interview with Deepa Kiran, International Storyteller

    About your background?

    My background in education is a Masters in English Literature. Before that I did a Bachelors in Nutrition. Since 2000, I have been in the field of English Language Teaching. I have been teaching English in different schools. And I started using stories and storytelling for English Language Teaching. My background to storytelling is that I am trained in Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi and in Rabinder Sangeet. I have worked in the All India Radio. I was a part of an oration club in Secunderabad. I learnt the flute and the violin. My parents put me in Chinmaya Mission at an early age and here I learnt to chant the Bhagvat Geeta. There was an environment and culture of stories, music and dance here. Formally I started telling stories to my students in 2000.

    I grew up living in 13 states in the country. Everyone in my family speaks 4 to 5 languages, extended family included. I have had a multilingual and multicultural upbringing.

    On your journey as a storyteller?

    I loved telling stories. In 2000, as an English teacher I realised that narrating stories was very useful for schools and children. I had done stories before in the All India Radio. I had recorded Alice in Wonderland as a series there. But this was chosen by my boss. But in 2000, I chose to tell stories in the classroom because I thought it was beneficial. Children could relate to the stories better, be more enthusiastic about the language, talk in English and turn in homework. In 2005, I studied teaching English in the English and Foreign Languages University. I could connect the dots back. I could see what I was doing with storytelling in the classroom was working. And I could connect the dots forward. What I did at EFLU I could use as a teller and in the classroom.

    Another milestone was, in 2010 I started singing songs in my stories. In 2011, I got a project for Dasaavatram for children of NRI. I sat with my Kuchipudi teacher and composed the story in English and also with Sanskrit and in other Indian languages. The performance included narrating the story with music and dance – a style I continued since then.

    In 2017, I founded the Story Arts Foundation as a trust to work with the Government and NGOs. Starting 2016, I started travelling internationally for my work to do stories from the Indian culture and perform them for a global audience. My focus has been on stories found in the Indian culture.

    Your favourite story?

    This was one that my father told me. He was my first storyteller at home. He would often narrate the story of Yellaam Nanmaikku. There was King and he had a trusted minister and he would keep saying Yellaam Nanmaikku Yellaam Nanmaikku. The king would find this irritating some times to hear Yellaam Nanmaikku – everything was good. One day the King ate a lot of Brinjal and got a little ill. Physicians were called in. And still all the Minister could say was ‘Yellaam Nanmaikku’. The King was furious and threw the Minster in jail. Still all the Minister could say was ‘Yellaam Nanmaikku’. The next day the King and his troop went on a trip to the jungle. A thorn pierced the King’s hand and he ended up with a bandage. Meanwhile, without the minister, the King and his band got lost in the jungle. They reach a place where there are jungle dwellers who are going to make a sacrifice. The King realised he was going to be sacrificed. The drum rolls started for the sacrificial ceremony. But the sacrificers soon realised that the King was an imperfect sacrifice as his hand was bandaged. The king was released and he and his troop reach the palace safely and realised that Yellaam Nanmaikku, all was good. The King had his minster released. The Minster was still in a cheerful state of mind. The King asked how come the Minister said Yellaam Nanmaikku to being thrown in jail. The minster said, ‘They didn’t sacrifice you because your hand was bandaged but if I had joint the troop and they would seen I have no bandage and sacrificed me. The King agreed – Yellaam Nanmaikku.

    I had heard this story from my father and narrated it frequently to my children. Once when I was disappointed with something my younger son said Yellaam Nanmaikku. So, the story came back to me. My father, me, my children and from my child to me – that’s how the story travelled.

    Your favourite Indian story collection?

    Stories from the folklore of India and our Itihasa Puranas. I feel deeply connected to stories of our land. It has something to do with my style of narration – which is very Indian. I like narrating stories from the Ramayana for children. For myself, i like reading the Upanishadic stories.

    Any world geographies, whose stories you enjoy?

    I enjoy listening to all narratives – Norwegian stories, African Stories, Australian Aboriginal stories. I find that stories from Africa have a lot of music and are extremely lyrical. They have a special quality of language and orality in them. When I had been invited by the University of South Africa to visit six schools in the municipality I realised that reciting African poetry was a part of the African culture and tradition. This was apparent as child after child recited African poetry in a particular manner. They have a tradition of oral poetry recitation. Even if you don’t understand the language, you will feel the power of the cadence.

    How would describe your connection to storytelling?

    Just like some people like cooking and specifically cooking for others. Storytelling for me is like that. I like to cook a story and share it with others. With storytelling, we sit down, share a story and listen to it together.

    You use a lot of rare musical instruments in your narrations, could you talk about these?

    I look for instruments whenever I travel. They are not new in my life. I started playing a palm sized piano when I was 10 years old. I learnt the flute for one year. I learnt musical instruments at Bal Vihar and Bal Vikas, the majeeram, harmonium, cynabal are all used in Indian bhajans. I have a very interesting musical collection. Many of my musical instruments are from distant and far off places. This bird made from clay is hollow inside. You have to fill this water inside. With the water, the bird will make a chirping sound. I got the Xutuli from Assam.

    From the Haridasus, who are Harikatha performers in the state of Andra Pradesh, i got this musical instrument the Alandu. My friend came from Australia and was attending a Haridasu performance and got this for me from them. These are not available commercially in shops.

    I got the Dapu from Malayasia, it is made from monitor lizard skin. I soundscape my stories. I am a storyteller and not a musician. While narrating stories my focus is on the storytelling not a musical or dance performance.

    I used a rattle in the Banyan and the Sparrow story. Rattles are common for children and are available everywhere. My focus is in getting the right music for the storytelling. I have the damaru. It is played with the rope, not the hand or the stick. I got this Shaker from Pondicherry. It is made of dried seeds. All cultures have such musical instruments. I got cymbals from Dharmashala with typical Tibetan patterns embossed on them. From Bengal, I got the Duitara – which has two strings. Baul storytellers use this instrument. I got this from Baul singers when I was attending a children’s writing residency in Bholpur, Shantineketan. In Nepal I got a meditation bowl that has a nice resonance. In Kolkata, I got the ocean drum, which creates sounds of water. From Northeast Thailand, I got the flute. I was visiting a music department of University where I had been invited. The flute has to be rotated to create the sound – a sense of sadness or happiness depending on what you want for the story.

  • Storytelling Video Review  – How a young poor girl became a snake-doctor! Folklore from Kerala by Deepa Kiran

    Of some of the treasures Youtube has to offer, there is the storytelling channel of Deepa Kiran. And within this channel you can find this gem of a story – How a young poor girl became a snake doctor. Deepa Kiran starts us on the storytelling journey with a musical introduction. A custodian of the rare folk instruments of India, Deepa Kiran plays them with ease and finesse. Starting the story by inviting the musical storytelling spirits Deepa Kiran slowly leads our way into the story. Deepa’s storytelling style is filled with musical notes and pauses. She doesn’t rush us into the story as if she is in a speeding hurry to narrate the story and be done with it. Instead, she takes her time. She welcomes us in with a song and hasta mudras. There is a slowing down of time in Deepa Kiran’s narration. As if the space time continuum itself bends to hear her words. Time is an attribute of causation (and what are folktales if not causation). Space is created and expanded in this folktale through the use of an exquisite setting, music from rare instrument collected no doubt with difficulty and a spontaneity of telling. As Deepa Kiran starts you know you listening to teller with unique voice and a uniquer story. Deepa Kiran narrates a story that is so Indian in its ethos and motifs – use of mantras for healing snake bites, the well revered snakebite vaidyan and then makes us reflect on power and hierarchies within the folds, the encasement of a very powerful and positive story that encompasses the triumph of the young nayika Kamala. A story about perseverance and enthusiasm, a story of triumphs. What the story teaches us is that mantra Kamala uses may be useless but powers accrue to her because of her sincere belief in the act of what she is doing. This story about mantras, a fake one that becomes a real source of healing and power, makes thing about the logic of mantras and how they work. Are they a string of sounds in a particular order and of an particular inference or are they invested with the enthusiasm of the sadhaka alone and therein lies their power. This storytelling video is on the whole a meditation on sound and meaning making. Meaning making because this is a story about who makes most meaning of a particular wish – healing and curing others of snake bites. Is it Nambodari Vaidyan who as the guardian of the sacred mantra, and the revered snake doctor, bearer of a tradition that can save from venom, or is it the young girl Kamala who turns a venomous string of sounds into healing source for herself and the whole kingdom?

  • Arundhati visits her aunt  

    Suhani Dewra

    Arundhati undertook a sudden flight to her aunt’s house. Her uncle had passed away a natural death of cardiac arrest. He was 75 and was being treated at the hospital for some days before he breathed his last. Arundhati wanted to be near her aunt. While on her flight, memories of younger days when her aunt used to look after Arundhati conjured up in her mind. She made and packed her lunch for school, checked on her college admission itinerary, and in general her well-being.

    When Arundhati reached the house, her aunt who was in the mourning period was delighted to see her niece. A little shedding of tears happened, of course.

    The house was full of relatives and visitors. The mourning period was scheduled for ten days. Every day, a new set of visitors came to meet Arundhati’s aunt and her children who were now parents themselves. Arundhati’s aunt in general was a woman made of sterner stuff. Never in her life has she been inactive. Whether it was her health issues or any emotions set back, this was a woman who never stopped caring for others. So remained she, even after the loss of her beloved husband.

    “Take my bottle,” she said Arundhati when Arundhati woke up at midnight feeling thirsty. “Do you want to sleep in the room your cousins are?” suggested her aunt feeling Arundhati may want to share the room with people her age. “That’s alright, I will go out to meet Preeti. She must be tired after a long journey,” she murmured when somebody commented that how her daughter-in-law was outside in the living room when she should have directly stepped into the aunt’s room the first thing she arrived. “Tell the cook to pack the night’s dinner for you. You may not want to cook after you reach home,” she suggested a visiting relative who was now returning home.

    Towards the end of ten days, the aunt’s daughter got upset with her mother’s behavior. “Mother, stop this behavior. Just stay in the room and mourn. What are people going to think? That you are not sad about the loss?” she said.

    Arundhati overheard her cousin say this. She wondered, do we have to mourn for the sake of people? Do we have to display suffering to validate suffering?

    These thoughts consumed her for some days.

    On the other side, every day the menu comprised food that the deceased liked eating. Most of them were gourmet food. Women dressed in embellished clothing. “Carry some bright and bling clothes. This is how people dress up in any gathering, be it mourning or wedding. Else people think that you don’t have good clothes,” had said Arundhati’s mother while she was packing her luggage.  At night, a lot of members of the house gathered to chit chat, some about the worldly affairs, others about what was on in somebody’s else’s life.  

    It wasn’t a lifestyle that raised eyebrows. The other family members could carry on with their lives. Only Arundhati’s aunt, being the widowed wife, was expected a certain conduct. Not sure if those around her expected her to be so, or it were only her children and daughter in laws who feared gossip in the colony.  

    While such thoughts were floating in Arundhati’s mind, it occurred to her that when a famous movie actor’s ailing father had died, the son threw a lavish party to celebrate his deceased father’s full life. There was orchestra, there were drinks, and there were lots of guests. Just like a celebration. And that actor’s mother was alive who Arundhati assumed had also participated in the celebration of a life well lived.

    “There are various systems of living. One system of living chooses for the woman to mourn the dead, while another system allows her to celebrate the life that lived,” thought she.

    Back home, Arundhati discussed the details of her stay in her aunt’s house with her once colleague and now friend Surela.

    “But one can’t always grieve. Even if one is mourning, there are moments when light shines through. That is human nature,” Surela reasoned.

    “True, but much is expected of women. A man’s calmness is considered his strength, a women’s is taken as her nonchalance. Can the display of grief measure the amount of love one felt and feels for another person?”

    Neither of them had an answer to this question.

  • The Pachyderm Tales Writing Roundtable – 2

    Usha: We were just scribbling on social media. Once Uma Aparna asked us, “if we would like to write?” Today she is saying, “you have gone ahead.”

    Vanaja: I have written on facebook. Now, I have got an award for a story I published with Pachyderm tales. I have got the friendship of Uma Aparna – it is a great friendship.

    Usha: Writing has been a great help to us.

    Vanaja: I, Ruckmani and Usha, we are publishing some books together. We will release 8 books in the next 2-3 months.

    Usha : We want to read to children. We want them to read the Thirukural. We are presenting the Thirukural in story format.

    Vanaja: We want to get together stories for children. We are doing it as a friendship also. We are writing about friendship also.

    Usha: We used the Thirukural couplets to create easy content for children. We are creating nondetailed texts. We are also writing stories about elephants. Children like elephants a lot. How do elephants live? What does an elephant eat? Elephants are harmless and loved by children. To make children sleep all parents in Tamil Nadu will sing, ‘Annai Annai Ayaghar Annai.’

    Usha: One of our stories goes – a small elephant saved and becomes a temple elephant. The stories of the child and the elephant as they grow up is parallelly traced.

    We are documenting the stories of those who do good in society – celebrities, social workers, including Uma Aparna. We are covering stories of people in social service, education and healthcare.

    People want these books. Parents want to read these books to children. Nondetailed books help children read.

    Vanaja: These books are easy to carry and can be read in school. It reaches many people – school libraries, book fairs, reading for book fairs.

    Usha: We are doing a book which contains writing from every continent. I wrote on Europe.

    Usha: We are moving away from fiction towards children’s writing. Writing is very useful in making us feel productive.

    We research and check google to ensure we no one has brought out books and content on the people we are writing about.

    Rukmani: We are writing to take books to children. We want the Thirukural stories to reach small children.

    Ruckmani: We want to write about how girls have come up and how they help society. We have written about their stories. We have written about Uma Aparna.

  • A Pachyderm Tales writing roundtable

    Bhanumati:

    Since I wasa small child I used to read story books a lot. Because of my love for books I got the inspiration to write.

    Alamelu :

    As a small child, I used to read a lot of storybooks – Sujatha, Lakshmi, Indumati, Sandilyan. Uma Aparna encouraged me to write.

    Kamala :

    I like Tamil a lot.Kumudham, Ananda Vigadan etc. I did Katha kalashetram and was a storytelling expert. So I decided to write stories. I read Sujatha, Shree Venugopal – a spiritual writer, Tangadurai – a contemporary writer.

    Bhanumati:

    I have written for Bhagvada Kathaigal. Herein, I have explored the stories of Yashoda and Kannan. How, everyone likes Krishna. I have written in Nadodi kathaigal. In this collection of folktales, grama kathas, I have written on a story on Akbar and Birbal. I have contributed to the anthology – Avvaiyar Amdudha Muyvigel – narratives on the memorable and precious quotes of Tamil Poetess. Then I worked on the anthology Thukadagal which is a lot of small stories strung together. My story Odiporavan is on how a girl will suffer if her husband disappears.

    Kamala:

    I have written for the anthology Dasaavatar. I picked the Parasuraman avataram. This avatarn of Vishnu is an avesham avataran, where the Seer/Sage is short tempered. He serves his father Jamadagni and severs the head of his mother Renuka Devi. Then with the permission of his father  he puts the head back creating two goddesses now Renuka Devi and Marimman.

    Vanaja:

    Our mother tongue is Tamil.

    Jayanti:

    The reading habit in Tamil must be inculcated. When we buy a dress for a child’s birthday. We must buy a book for the child as well.

    Jayanti:

    I did a PhD when I was in my 60s and teaching in a college. I am very proud of a song I wrote which was recorded with Carnatic music by a 10 year old girl and she had included my song among other songs by luminaries. My song was on teachers day and its message was –

    Teachers taught us alphabets and letters

    They are the ladder

    They take us up in life

    Brinda:

    I was always interested in study. I used to read a lot of Tamil magazines. Elders in those days used to say they spoil the children’s mind, but my parents would encourage me to read.  I have studied Tamil in school. My child studied in English. We must help children understand Tamil. That’s why I think its important to write, create literature and spread Tamil.

    Vanaja:

    I had a lot of love for Tamil. My children are in America and my great grand children want to learn Tamil. It is very important to know Tamil. All our children must know Tamil. All our stories in the anthologies are in Tamil.

    Brinda:

    I did BSc in mathematics. After marriage, I did an MA and Mphil. I studied the works of Vallallar the poet and Ramalingayal Adigelall, who believed in the spiritual path of bhakti.

    Ruckmani:

    We started learning English in the 6th standard. Tamil was from 1st standard. We think in Tamil, it comes naturally to us. I used to read a lot of books and my father also used to buy a lot of books. Kumudham, Vigadan, writing by Balakumaran, Sujatha, and Kalki’s classic Ponniyan Selyan. I used to keep writing poetry. I liked writing. Then Uma Aparna became a friend. Through the Pachyderm Tales project, we all joined the writing community. Lakshmi Priya is a great leader and thinks differently. We were all stunned by seeing what she was doing. We don’t just write the story. We would just get together as a group and decide what to write. Some of the books I have written for are Athichudi stories, Temple stories, etc. We all liked contributing to the anthologies, and I got a lot of feedback from people. My favourite contribution was for Velar Nachiyar. I took the angle of how girls were a part of the independence movement. I wrote a story about Kuili, who was the leader of the squad that helped Velan Nachiyar.

    I wanted to write about girls and women who are making an outstanding contribution. I wrote about Lakshmi Priya, about Dr. Renuka helping leprosy patients.

    In Tamil Nadu, the reading habits have reduced. Everybody has a story. There is often more than one story.

    Brinda:

    I did BSc in mathematics. Then I did my MPhil on Vallallr, Tamil saint and poet who wrote on the spiritual path or bhakti. I have published in 6 books and 4 more are on the way.

    Brinda:

    6 books published. 4 more on the way. I write to ensure my stories have a message on values. People must read our stories and know something.

    Vanaja:

    I was always intent on reading and writing as a child. I started writing 4-5 years ago. 16 books will be published.

    Jayanthi:

    We don’t give enough preference to Tamil. I did my PhD in Tamil. If you want to be a Tamil writer, you must study Tamil. I used to write in different types of genres. I went to Sita Lakshmi College and wanted to educate children. As a writer, my intent was to take Tamil to the schools.

    Jayanthi:

    My father was a writer. So, I liked writing a lot. My mother used to run a school. I used to write for Vigadan, Kalki, Kumudhan, when I was in school. I have interviewed many people in cine field. My mother started a school. When I taught children I used to teach Alzh Villiappa’s songs. His children’ s songs were very good. He was superstar of children’s literature. We liked the songs. I wanted songs for my school children. I write poems. I have written more than 80 books – biographies of  many people including JK Rowling.

    Brinda:

    I can’t write is what I thought. I had written with Mangelmallar. I have been writing for 30 years. My name is well known among those who read Tamil Magazine – Brinda Ramani. I have written really popular articles – 30 types of rasam, 30 types of dosa etc. Being a well known writer, I was on facebook. I blog. I did these projects for Uma Aparna.

    Kamala:

    I like Tamil a lot. Kumudham, Ananda Vigadan, Katha kalakshetram. I am a storytelling expert. So, I decided to write stories. Kalki, Sujata, I like a lot. Shree Venugopal is spiritual writer and Pushpa Tangedurai is a contemporary writer.

    Kamala:

    I contributed to the anthology Dasavataram. I wrote about the Parashuraman avatar. This is an aveshan avatara, because he is short tempered. Due to bhakti to his father Jamadagni – he severs the head of his mother. This devi, whose head is then replaced is known as Mariamman, Renuka Devi, Yellamma etc.

    Vanaja:

    Our mother tongue is Tamil we must encourage it. Reading habit should be inculcated rigorously. Just as buy dresses for children during their birthday we must buy books too.

    Jayanthi:

    I have done my PhD. My happiest memory is when a 10 year old creates this song with Carnatic music base –

    Flower bud

    Teachers teach us alphabets and letters.

    They are the ladder

    They take us up

    Revathi:

    Working on these anthologies we learn so much about culture. Through writing literature, we are able to experience culture. We should not let go of our culture and heritage.

    Praveena:

    It is very important to write about culture.

    Revathi:

    Every mother must ensure that the child knows Tamil. We must all make an effort to learn Tamil.

    Praveena:

    Culture is disappearing.

    Revathi:  

    We should get children to learn all languages. English, Hindi and Tamil. We should teach children Tamil. We should not forget Tamil.

    Praveena:

    I am Tamilian and proud to say this to the world. We must take the Thirukural and understands the basics there – how to lead a happy life, be content etc.

    Hema :

    Children today don’t know Tamil. It is to help children learn reading and writing in Tamil that I started writing. I have just started. My mission has just started.

    Prabha:

    We were featured in the Guinness book of records. We brought out 52 books by 62 writers.

    Hema:

    I got a lot of support from my daughter.

    Mythali:  

    Tamil is disappearing. English is today the main subject. In the Tamil we speak there is a lot of English mixture. In our daily speech we use 80% English and 20% Tamil. It is important we introduce children to the Tamil world.

    Revathi:

    Tamil is the language of our state. It is easy to destroy but difficult to preserve your heritage, your mother tongue. I am also fluent in Hindi and do, Tamil and Hindi translations.

    Prabha:

    I produce a youtube channel.

    Hema:

    I have wanted to write a lot. I am also a storyteller.

    Prabha:

    I have a good team and a good publisher. I would like to thank them for supporting me with my writing.

    Mythali:

    I was recently introduced to Uma Aparna. I was running a Montessori school. I have lot of experience in telling stories. Uma Aparna motivated me.

    Hema:

     I have written stories online, infact both stories and poems online. Through this project I got a chance to write for publication.

    Praveena:

      I used to write poems in both English and Tamil. When I was a teacher in school I used to tell stories to students. I used to teach English through stories. I have a youtube channel where I tell stories. Uma Aparna motivated me to write stories. I have written the story of Mimmini and Kinkini – the story of two friends.