The World in a Story

“Every end is a beginning.”

Phase one
In 2014, Gyaan Adab held six enthralling performances in various parts of the city of Pune, which marked the path of The Story Tour. Through it, a whole new world of story-telling possibilities have been revealed. The Centre collaborated with The Loft, Shisha Café, British Council Library, Pune, Pagdandi Café and The Culture Centre. These stories were brought alive in different parts on the city like Kalyani Nagar, Mundhwa, Koregaon Park, Camp, Fergusson College road and Baner, in the process creating a travelling space of entertainment that celebrates the magical art of storytelling.

Phase two
On the 23^rd of May, 2015, we premiered our first film ‘The World in a Story’. Both myths and legends have a common base somewhere. Stories of yore that have been passed on from generation to generation have to have an origin. The film attempted to rediscover the common heritage through which these tales have found their voices.

The collection came from far-flung places on Earth- the Native Americans, Mayans, the Bhils and the Inuits, among others. Also, it included live footage from last year’s Story Tour which had stories like ‘How the Crow brought light to the Inuits’ and ‘The Quest for Cleverness’. The accompanying music composed and performed by Deepak Bhanuse added to the charm that was the evening. These stories were drawn from ‘Folk Ways’- the archives of Randhir Khare, who has for the last four decades travelled extensively, collecting stories and song-poems from traditional communities. Though these stories come from diverse sources, one could easily find the fascination to know more, to realize one’s roots and be immersed in one’s culture. After the screening, Mr. Merchant launched the film. In the end, the message was wide-spread and clear, as Mr. Khare states in the film: “We belong to the same heritage and due to time and circumstance, have fallen away from each other.”

Phase three
Following the success of the release of the film, the Centre’s intention to take the film to screen at schools paid fruit and on the 20^th of July, Monday, Gyaan Adab screened the film at the Lexicon International School, Kalyani Nagar. Four stories of the lot were presented in front of the 260 kids present on the day. This was followed by a live performance of a story by Randhir Khare himself. At the end of the screening, the children were given a fun assignment where they had to give their response to the stories shown- either by writing a story of their own or through a painting. The deadline for the same is 15^th August.

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