Every time we welcome someone, we do it by clapping our hands at a regular pace. But the children at Deepalaya, Girl Child Education Project, Noida, joyously welcomed stories with “kahaani taali”, introduced to them by Rosy Katyal. Her stories were performed not just in words, but play-acting the roles and grabbing the children’s attention. When she introduced the protagonist of her story, Gita, some kids in the audience nodded in relatability. When the second storyteller from the duo, Ankita Ranotra, took the stage, she created an ambience of merry-making with her singing. The children mimicked the actions of the elephant from her story, be it eating like one or flapping its ears to fly to heaven. The assembly of 90 kids focused on the storytellers unhinged. This focus continued as they did a snake-and-ladder activity, introspecting their good and bad habits and writing them on paper. The session overall was a mixed bag of stories, songs, reflection, drawing and uninterrupted fun.
