In a unique attempt to revive traditional stories and folklore, Sowmya Srinivasan and Vikram Sridhar collaborate for a series called Stories from the Soil. They both share a common interest in unearthing forgotten stories that have been passed on through generations and work towards bringing back the culture of storytelling through their performances.
Sowmya tells us how she uses storytelling, theatre and craft techniques to develop creative thinking in children. “I ventured into storytelling while working with children in a special school. I told a story to a group of children and realised that a story like Lion and Rabbit could introduce a concept like reflection to the children who could connect with it, as it was told through a story. Storytelling came naturally to me thanks to my background in classical music and dance.”
Vikram Sridhar, an oral storyteller shares what inspires him, “Oral storytelling connects three interests of mine since childhood, which is theatre, wildlife conservation and social communities, and it helps me take it to different spaces. Sowmya believes in the transformative power of stories and storytelling and I would like to gather stories from around the world, and use them for healing and recovery. “I am inspired by the oral stories and folktales that are collected and lie forgotten in texts and books. A folktale must be shared orally to an audience and as storytellers, it is our duty to unearth gems like these!”
Sowmya tells us how Stories from the Soil came into being. “This is a unique attempt by Vikram and me to create a space for adults to listen to oral tales, collected by great folklorist masters like AK Ramanujam and Ki Ramanarayan.” Vikram feels that folklore contains our roots in culture and languages, “We have other influences today so we tend to forget stories that have been passed down generations and centuries. I want my audience to connect with our essential identity through local stories.”
Ahead of their performance, Vikram tells us how he prepares to narrate stories, “I collect oral stories from across regions, and research to understand the landscape, emotion and cultural space it comes from. I build my narrative style through performing techniques.” Sowmya listens to her heart and picks stories that she truly connects with, and have a universal appeal, after a through reading.
Vikram dreams of bringing oral literature back into conversation, performance and other spaces. “This country is built on stories like Ramayana and Mahabharata. We love fantasies and folklore, a reason why a film like Baahubali is a huge sensation.” He emphasises on the importance of traditional storytelling. “With the varied mediums of communication that are available today, we are distancing ourselves as human beings, from each other. I would like to bring oral storytelling as a performing art, in the modern context,” he adds. He signs off saying, “I hope people come to listen to stories with an open mind that start with, ‘Once upon a time,’ and will take them on a journey.”
— Stories from the Soil takes place this Sunday at Lahe Lahe, a creative space for performers.
