WHO ARE WE?
Mumbai Storytellers Society – MSS, a registered not for profit organisation, was established in 2019. It was founded by seven storytellers who wanted to encourage the revival and preservation of the oral tradition of storytelling in the modern metropolis of Mumbai.
The very first program was a storytelling concert to celebrate World Storytelling Day in March 2019 with the theme being Myths, Legends and Epics.
And ever since the organisation – MSS, has continued to explore and celebrate the traditional art of oral storytelling in the community.
MISSION
Our aim and mission is to nurture this ancient art form in the community and promote education. Towards this endeavour, the society holds monthly meetups (online and in person), that provide a platform to tell, share and listen to stories. MSS celebrates the art of oral storytelling throughout the year with workshops and events ( both children and adults), including the monthly story events, story fusion events, story concerts, and the Mumbai International Storytelling Festival, wherein experienced international and domestic storytellers enthrall the audience with their spoken narrative.
NOTE FROM OUR FOUNDER
Storytelling is an innately human quality; one that crosses cultures and languages. Just as my sisters and I huddled together as children while our grandmother told us stories each night, so too did our forebears. It was the hearth where ancient humans gathered to keep warm, and as they did they talked, sang and laughed. In other words, they told stories.
I discovered the spellbinding power of narrative, when I began telling stories and rediscovered this magic in November 2010 in Sweden, when I was a visiting storyteller. Fell in love with the idea of a storytelling community and wanted this to happen in India.
As I have been a professional storyteller since 1996, I strongly believed in community service and what better way than to tell stories and enable social change!
Mumbai Storytellers Society was thus conceived and founded in early 2019.
It was the right time to form a society of like minded storytellers. Our common interest was to revive the ancient oral tradition of storytelling in the community.
And ever since, we have continued to explore the oral tradition in the community to bring Social Awareness on topics ranging from Education, Environment, Art and Culture, Women’s Rights, Child Welfare and Diversity Appreciation.
Stories resonate the culture and beliefs of a tribe or a community and passing them down to the next generation preserves this culture and tradition. This is the significance of the oral tradition of storytelling.
And, we at Mumbai Storytellers Society – MSS are the gatekeepers of this ancient art in this thriving metropolis of Mumbai.
“Through the art of storytelling, we can preserve our heritage, educate future generations, and inspire change.”
― Philipp Humm
Usha Venkatraman
Founder, MSS
Core Team
Hema Subramanian is an educator and a professional storyteller.
Co-Founder and Treasurer, MSS
Shalini Bajaj Surve is a storyteller and a torchbearer for creative newness.
Core Member, MSS
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