Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A large number of story lovers of different age groups gathered at Bhojpur Club in the city to attend Bhopal International Storytelling Festival on Sunday. They included adults, youths and children. Noted storyteller Jyoti Pandey presented Japanese art of storytelling Kamishibai, engaging the audience with its artistic nuances. Kamishibai is a traditional form of Japanese street theatre in the form of picture card storytelling.
Storytellers Aastha Tongia Barjatya, Chahak Chugh Srivastava, Karnika Singh Sharma and Yasmin Anwar captivated the audience with their fascinating tales. The session featured Jayant Gaur, who spoke on Raja Bhoj: The Picasso of Medieval India, highlighting the architectural brilliance of Paramar King Raja Bhoj.
The Bharat Storytellers hosted the event for the first time to make storytelling accessible to the public and to preserve the ancient art form. The event was divided into three auditoriums, the Main, Youth, and Kids’ Auditorium, where eight parallel sessions were conducted. Abhishek Jain Abodh’s session on, Weaving Poetry into Stories, was held in Youth Auditorium.
A storytelling workshop by Bhaskar Indrakanti and a public speaking workshop by Akshat Srivastava were held. The event also featured an open mic session and a storytelling competition. The Children’s Auditorium hosted sessions on kids and their parents. Association of All Industries, Mandideep, president Rajiv Agarwal spoke on, How Storytelling Can Make You Successful, at the event, which featured over 20 engaging sessions.
