This weekend, city-based storyteller Harsh Shah will perform his new solo show, Stories on Stage. This will be his valediction to the city, before he leaves for Bengaluru. Shah has been instrumental in building vibrant creative communities at The Habitat. Three years ago, when he pitched the idea for a regular show for poets and storytellers to Balraj Singh Ghai, founder of the venue, he recalls, “[Ghai] graciously told me: Don’t overthink; just do it.” Since then, Shah has helped several artistes share their work every Wednesday at the performance venue in Khar.

He has worked as a videographer and editor at the space for the last eight years. In 2019, when he noticed some empty slots, Shah started hosting poetry shows, each featuring seven-eight performers. After the pandemic, he felt the need to create something more consistent. This led him to start Creative Bloc Party, a platform for performers to test the waters at the monthly mushaira nights, poetry line-ups, storytellers’ nights, and kavi sammelans, spread over four Wednesdays.