CHENNAI:Remember the days when you used to sit on the porch and your grandparents would read you favourite story? And, not to miss the discussion after! While, you’re thinking that it has become a thing of the past, ‘Kadhai Kelu’, a new Tamil storytelling series curated by playwright-director Gowri Ramanaraayan at Wandering Artist brings some good news to the story buffs, writers and readers in the city.
“We have all grown up listening to ‘Patti Kadhais’ and the passion for literature and memories of stories are imprinted in us forever. I remember how my mother used to say that she’ll read a story to me, if I complete a few household chores. Even today when my son comes home from abroad, and asks me what I want…I ask him to choose a book of his choice and read it aloud to me. That’s how the art of storytelling gets passed on down generations,” she shares.
While storytelling is an art, the joy of listening to it, creates a bond between two individuals, she opines. In the first inaugural session of the series, writer-journalist and public speaker Thiruppur Krishnan took the audience into the story world of Sujatha and Ashoka Mithran — two prolific writers, who brimmed with innovative ideas and radical story lines that were ahead of their time. “As contemporaries, they had different ideas, styles, and audience…but, there was one thing in common. Their radical thinking,” says Krishnan.
From writing stories that reflected on gender equality to stories that didn’t have any caste-religion-community disparity, the writers have hooked audience to their stories till date. As the room was filled with story enthusiasts, professional and amateur writers, Krishnan began narrating the short story ‘Thimala’, by Sujatha. The story is set in 2080 and talks of life in the ‘fast-paced’ era and how humans don’t get time with each other.
But, what is Thimala? Only the end will tell! “Short stories are crisp and the readers will understand the title only in the end, most of the times. One such story is Thimala and it hooks the reader to it. Sujatha’s stories are racy, and makes one want to find what’s next…on the other hand, Ashoka Mithran’s story takes us deep into it,” he says as he narrates ‘Adi’ by Ashokamithran. “This story was written in a time where reports of students being beaten by teachers in school started making headlines in news. The way the story is treated, with a touch of humour is notable.”
While the works of these two authors took Tamil writings across different audiences, there are more, says Gowri. “With a plethora of authors who have produced great work, we are planning to conduct the Kadhai Kelu session every second Sunday of every month. Writer ERA Murugan will be part of the second session,” she added.