Founded on this day in 2019 as a not-for-profit organisation, Mumbai Storytellers Society is all set to celebrate World Storytelling Day (Marc 20) through a fun line-up of events. This will be held in collaboration with Crossword, Kemps Corner. The team is also celebrating World Puppetry Day since puppetry has been an integral part of the oral storytelling traditions in India.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/mar/Usha-Venkatraman_e.jpg" alt="Usha Venkatraman" width="1280" height="720" /> Usha Venkatraman
&ldquo;The theme this year is &lsquo;light in the darkness&rsquo;. It&rsquo;s to reflect on what&rsquo;s happening around the world, without getting into it deeply. Hence, the inclusion of a shadow puppet play,&rdquo; shares Usha Venkatraman, a founding member of the Society.
Venkatraman has been a storyteller since 1996. &ldquo;I visited Sweden in 2010, and realised that there is a thriving storytelling profession across the world. It was a dream to set up something like that in India,&rdquo; she adds. Inspired by it, she began charging a fee for her work, which she hadn&rsquo;t done before, and took up storytelling as a profession. In 2019, she believed it was time to give back to society.
<h2>The Guide&rsquo;s picks</h2>
Shadow puppet show
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/mar/Nalini-Dinesh_e.jpg" alt="Nalini Dinesh" width="1280" height="720" /> Nalini Dinesh
Agni Pareeksha is an experimental shadow puppet play performed by children between the ages of 10 and 15. It&rsquo;s curated by Nalini Dinesh, and is about waste management.
Humorous folktales
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/mar/Nidhi-Bagaria_e.jpg" alt="Nidhi Bagaria" width="1280" height="720" /> Nidhi Bagaria
Nidhi Bagaria, a member of Mumbai Storytellers Society and founder of The Creative World, plans to share humorous folktales. She believes stories travel far and wide; they have the ability to pass their wisdom to their listeners.
Dramatic reading
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/mar/Zarine-Menon_e.jpg" alt="Zarine Jalil Menon" width="1280" height="720" /> Zarine Jalil Menon
Zarine Jalil Menon is the founder of Salad Stories, an initiative that encourages healthy eating habits in children through storytelling. She will conduct a dramatic reading of American comedian and screenwriter BJ Novak&rsquo;s funny read-aloud work, The Book with No Pictures.
Inspirational stories&nbsp;
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/mar/Asha-Girdhar_e.jpg" alt="Asha Girdhar " width="1280" height="720" /> Asha Girdhar
Asha Girdhar, a reputed storyteller from the city, has mentored over 15,000 children in the art of creative writing. She will narrate an inspiring story about the condor, the largest flying bird in the Western Hemisphere.
On March 21; 4.30 pm to 6 pm At Crossword Bookstore, Kemps Corner.

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