###A World of Stories Is to Be Begun with “Chhora Mewadi, Sabse Agadi”

Udaipur.Can stories truly inspire and transform lives? The 7th edition of the Udaipur Tales Storytelling Festival is to be begun with this belief at its core. To be held at Park Exotica Resort, Shilpgram Road, the three-day festival will unfold a vibrant world of unheard, untold, imaginary, and real-life stories—woven with emotion, mystery, music, humour, and imagination.

Marking the opening of this storytelling journey will be the engaging and meaningful story “Chhora Mewadi, Sabse Agadi”, to be presented by Vilas Janve and Kiran Janve. Through the character of a nimble, versatile, playful, and witty young boy, the story highlights timeless values such as courage, humanity, healthy living, freedom from mobile addiction, cleanliness, and environmental sensitivity. Enriched with mystery, suspense, music, adventure, and humour, the story is designed to captivate children while gently touching the hearts of adults who enjoy reconnecting with their inner child.

Vilas Janve and Kiran Janve, senior theatre artists, have been associated with Udaipur Tales since its inception. Accomplished in both theatre and mime (silent acting), the duo has performed at several national mime festivals across India. In recognition of his outstanding contribution to theatre and mime, Vilas Janve was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2021, presented by the Hon’ble President of India. United by their deep love for children, the artists will begin their performance with the auspicious sound of the conch (Shankh Naad), symbolising the beginning of a sacred and meaningful journey.

Sushmita Singha, Founder of Maa My Anchor Foundation, stated that the foundation has created this platform to bring together renowned storytellers from India and abroad, who will present imaginary and real stories never heard before. The presentations are designed in such an immersive manner that the audience will feel as though the events are unfolding in real time. Such storytelling, she believes, has the power to transform lives.

According to Salil Bhandari, Co-founder of Udaipur Tales, the three-day festival is to be held from January 9 to January 11. The audience will get the opportunity to experience engaging, mysterious, inspiring, and adventurous stories narrated by acclaimed national and international storytellers and Bollywood artists.

On January 9 at 10:00 am, the festival is to be begun with a special children’s session featuring “Chhora Mewadi, Sabse Agadi” by Vilas Janve and Kiran Janve. This will be followed by Gauri Neelakantan’s imaginary story The Magical Illness and Rajesh Shinde’s musical folk tale The Shy Demon and the Lioness of Ullal.
The evening session, starting at 5:30 pm, is to feature Mayur Kalbag’s mysterious story Aghori, African folk music Under the Sky, Bollywood artist Divya Nidhi Sharma’s contemporary story Life, Rajit Kapoor’s satirical plays Protecting the Garbage and Majnu, and a classical fusion dance performance Changing Sands by the *Sanjukta Sinha Dance Company.

With the resonant sound of the conch, a captivating world of stories is to be begun—where words will not merely be heard, but felt, experienced, and carried forward as inspiration. Udaipur Tales is once again set to celebrate the timeless power of storytelling to touch hearts and transform lives.