Passionately crafted by three grandmothers, Chulbuli Tales is a podcast that aims to revive the art of storytelling for children
Sunita Malpani, Anupama Sabnis and Asha with creator Astha Malu
By now, many parents have aced the art of keeping their little ones engaged and, if the recent guidelines are any indication, children will be bound at home for another summer. To offer an alternative to excessive screen-time and to revive the art of old-fashioned story-telling, Mumbai-based Astha Malu created Chulbuli Tales last May, an audio podcast where three grandmothers re-tell their favourite fables against the backdrop of soft folk instrumentals.
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The podcast revives traditional storytelling. Representation pic
“My niece lived with me when her parents were abroad, and back then, to keep her entertained, my mother Asha and I narrated small interactive stories. During the lockdown, I had the idea of recreating this experience with her, my mother-in-law and my sister’s mother-in-law for all kids, especially for those whose parents are working and who don’t live with their grandparents.” These short podcasts, narrated in Hindi and Marathi, explore familiar anecdotes from the Mahabharata, Puranas, and tales of Akbar and Birbal, amongst newer stories. Released twice a week in Hindi, and once in Marathi, the podcast aims to be expressive, with the gentle musical notes in the background creating a calm environment for listeners.
The idea behind the podcast is to allow kids to creatively imagine the tales. “When children listen to oral stories, they’re forced to picture them in their heads. This way, every child imagines the story differently, and that’s what we’re trying to stimulate”, says host 57-year-old Sunita Malpani. Co-hosts Astha Malu (57) and Anupama Sabnis (58) believe that these stories create interactions between children and parents, whilst keeping the art of story-telling alive. “Over the years story-telling has changed. We’ve adapted by telling stories in a way that keeps children entertained”, reveals Sabnis. This ensures that children eagerly await the weekly podcasts and with many recognising the voices of all three hosts. “Whenever I interact with kids around my home in the Apollo DB township in Indore, they ask about the next episode. It’s been fun to see their reactions,” Asha signs off.
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>> StoryNory Podcast: A free audio story every week
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