Known for its rich history, architectural marvels, and vibrant culture, Udaipur provides an enchanting backdrop for a festival dedicated to the art of storytelling. Among its many cultural extravaganzas, Udaipur Tales, the International Storytelling Festival, now in its 5th edition, illuminates the age-old tradition of storytelling.
Find A Tapestry Of Stories Here
What sets the Udaipur Tales International Storytelling Festival apart is its eclectic mix of stories. From folk tales passed down through generations to contemporary stories that address pressing global issues, the festival offers a kaleidoscopic view of storytelling traditions. The festival celebrates diversity in storytelling, featuring tales from different cultures, languages, and genres. It’s previous editions included children’s section exclusively and a variety of themes, such as mystery, romance, mystique, history, and romance. Moreover, a varied blend of fusion musical forms and folk art acts enhances this event.
The fifth edition would be exciting with more spoken words, music, and storytelling. While storytelling forms the core of the festival, Udaipur Tales is much more than a series of performances. It is a melting pot of ideas, a confluence of cultures, and a celebration of creativity.
This immersive 3-day event, which begins on January 12, includes a variety of storytelling genres, including contemporary, romance, dastangoi, historical, mystery, thriller, kavad (ancient Rajasthani storytelling), and folk. The Udaipur Tales International Storytelling Festival has left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape of India and beyond. Moreover, it has revitalised interest in the age-old tradition of storytelling, inspiring a new generation of storytellers to carry forward this legacy.
The Udaipur Tales International Storytelling Festival continues to evolve, it remains committed to its core mission of celebrating stories and storytellers. With each passing year, it seeks to expand its reach, engage a broader audience, and push the boundaries of storytelling.
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What To Look Forward For This Event?
This year the festival will feature renowned storytellers including –
- Mita Vashisht, a prolific theatre artist, and Film & TV actor;
- Rebecca Lemaire, a British-Belgian storyteller from Spain;
- Gautam Agarwal, a director & film actor, is famous for spinning tales based on his research on mystical, geographical and historical findings;
- Syed Sahil Agha, who specialises in performing Dastangoi, a 13th-century Urdu art of oral Storytelling;
- Ulka Mayur, presenting folklore, myths, sufi tradition stories, contemporary tales and original stories using elements of theatre, music, and dance;
- Akshay Gandhi, one of the few Kavad storytellers in the country and more.
Additionally, the festival will have some of the most celebrated artists like Rahgir, an independent artist from Rajasthan who is known for his soulful folk music. He became nationwide famous for his songs “Kya Jaipur Kya Dilli”, and “Mere Gaon Aoge”. He has performed at various noteworthy platforms like Sahitya Aaj Tak Festival, Jashne Rekhta, Anjas Festival, etc. Zia Nath will be an international performer of sacred dance whirling Mandala. She performs and teaches Sufi & Gurdjieff dances. Others include YUGAM, a folk fusion band; Naya Savera, a unique band comprising former inmates of Udaipur Central Jail; Out of the box, a fantastic Sufi music group comprising of inmates of Udaipur Jail, will mesmerise the audience with their performances.
As attendees, storytellers, and enthusiasts come together year after year, the festival reminds us of the power of narratives to inspire and educate us with the traditional arts. So, are you heading for the Udaipur Tales festival?
When: 12th-14th January 2024
Where: Park Exotica Resort, Udaipur
Please check here for more details
Cover image credits: Instagram/Udaipur Tales