tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85473274921824400322012-02-02T06:33:25.561-08:00my space to blah... my space to share tales... my space to tell stories...ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.comBlogger1981100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-56051747364703774472012-01-30T09:36:00.000-08:002012-01-30T19:20:00.086-08:00

Why do I have Rupa here? Good question. Its just that I did a story last Saturday "Little Vinayak" of Karadi Tales at another Library I love to go to, and once again I found that Elephants are such versatile creatures. Are they actually so, or do they transform into this magical creature in the hands of authors who can make them dance to any tune? They are so lovable, so emotional and so

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-66510467259474880272012-01-25T02:46:00.000-08:002012-01-25T04:47:32.148-08:00

Ever since I got a mail asking me to review Katha’s latest contribution to the world of stories, I was doing a jig of anticipation in my own mental world as I am always ready to receive a book!  ....And the book arrived at my door step pretty fast! This book is a collection of 29 short stories written by children from schools across the country as part of the Katha-HP

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-82033410526068419532012-01-19T09:50:00.000-08:002012-01-25T02:47:02.992-08:00

While planning any group activity it is important to remember the following: Theme: It is necessary to think of your theme for the workshop. But it is not mandatory. I say this because from a child’s point of view, all he/she wants is something to do, to explore, to create and to take home! So even if you don’t have a theme for your 3/4/5 days together that’s ok. In all probability, it will

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-25800587900431024142012-01-12T20:14:00.000-08:002012-01-25T02:47:35.773-08:00

My first post for NewYear. Happy 2012 to you all! May it grow and help us in its Growing and Learning!! I believe the greatest death of a soul is when it stops learning and wanting to learn! The greatest gift we can give ourselves is the joy of discovery, starting from the self and going beyond! Do you agree with me ?! Well I finished 2011 with a flourish... 3 Days of puppet making

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-4952628274665781692011-12-17T20:07:00.000-08:002012-01-04T09:16:37.553-08:00

I started a new journey in 2011 A journey that I planned With books, stories and creativity And all that that made me spark! Snapshots of all the activities that I did in the library , fun, creativity and loads of hard work...good happy times...

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-24228867556277547132011-12-15T09:45:00.000-08:002012-01-25T02:48:04.736-08:00

I found another interesting tool to use with children, especially when we are struggling to understand them and be understood as well... Ask for your child to rate your understanding of them on a scale of 1 to 10. I did Daughter is so used to me this way; she gives me a look (after I explain that she needs to give me a score on a scale of 1 to10, based on how much she believes I understand

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-52274957227898436412011-12-09T09:25:00.001-08:002012-01-25T02:48:43.664-08:00

Pouring over some storytelling sites and activities, I veered off to look at how Stories and Telling impact learning, creativity and development. It does and Indian history is choc-o-block with stories of how stories were used as tools for learning!! I don't have to delve too much there, that's stuff we already know. What most people dont know is how far it can impact learning.... Stories

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-2820993323922014032011-12-01T02:28:00.001-08:002011-12-07T01:55:56.470-08:00

Early morning rhythm; husband up by 4;30 am, (yes he is one person who utilizes the "Brahma muhurtham" very well!)  Up at that time, he reads and reflects and plans his work day, as I snuggle cosily into my blanket, trying to squeeze in some extra hours of blissful sleep. Yet today as I stood there in front of the stove, stirring and chopping, getting those meal plans ready and done, a word

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-80046652790772765672011-11-26T09:12:00.001-08:002011-12-09T09:25:27.870-08:00

So I finally got down to putting together these pictures, taken from our trip to Gerry Martin Farm. Saturday is a working day as children  go to school, and of course I go to the Library. So when we did get off on a weekday (being Diwali), I packed ourselves off to a farm. Yes I did get the "what a crazy way to spend Diwali" undercurrents from family...but not in as many words. Plus "why are

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-13181409433697940802011-11-23T08:51:00.000-08:002012-01-25T02:49:25.239-08:00

Children's day Story at Brainvilla library, amidst dragons, tigers, dancing lions and a gigantic Garuda. Iliana's Quest ( Audio story) that I got from the net. The props got more affection than the story of course! It always makes me wonder how we as adults appreciate that age of innocence (not any more), only much later. One child who couldnt make it for the story, dropped by the library

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-90889634584539042522011-10-28T03:45:00.000-07:002011-10-28T03:45:06.125-07:00

The place we are born in, the people we are born with, the bed, the linen, the food. The size of things, the manner of doing things, who we do it with, how we do things...nothing is permanent, everything is transient. Just climb into your own personal glider, fly high, right there above those pointy trees, towards that clearing and look down...at yourself. Are you where you want to be, how

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-74269234814734310482011-10-26T20:07:00.000-07:002012-01-25T02:52:05.730-08:00

  Couldn't resist just snapping some pics of Rangoli's outside the door. This was sneakily done, I should have done it more boldly, walked up and down the apartment, but I got shy, and then I was worried I would be asked to come in. Somehow, though I have lived in the Airforce for so many years, I am not used to this walking in and "bouncing" people

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-20462535617664237692011-10-10T19:45:00.000-07:002011-10-10T19:48:23.156-07:00

September30th created a meeting I will not forget. When you meet someone after 15 odd years and then continue the conversation like there was no interim, then you really understand the meaning behind the words; Life's ebbs and flows. So smoothly did we hit it off, like we have kept in touch for all this time. We dwelled on the past, our journey, our shared tales

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-90140862889027363712011-10-02T11:22:00.000-07:002011-10-10T19:47:58.210-07:00

Driving back home one evening, after a long day at work; a deep breath to inhale the wonderful earthy smell of Bangalore. Sometimes the beauty of this place makes me send up a silent prayer for all that we have and have been given. It takes me back to other places and other smells, fragrances, feelings, thoughts and oh so seemingly tangible memories. My throat swells with emotion as I write

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-11007468062066400712011-09-13T20:33:00.000-07:002011-10-10T19:47:39.826-07:00

I was reading Robin Sharma yesterday, and every page is a gem. This one is called "Who will cry when you die". The way in which it landed in my hands is a short story!. There is a store-in-charge cum assistant in the library I work for. Smart, diligent girl, but lack of exposure has given her a language handicap. Dusting the shelves she chanced upon this book and the title was irresistible for

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-4547847447155411182011-09-10T10:57:00.000-07:002011-10-10T19:47:15.876-07:00

This post may seem weird to some and may need some PG rating ( flicked that from a friend!!). Well I hesitate to even talk about it as it is a part of me that I keep as a well guarded secret. Well...taking into consideration that I have a spouse who condemns all such irrational nonsense and a best friend who would in all probability make the hooting fun of me....I have to keep it to myself...

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-46572473162823738022011-08-31T10:37:00.000-07:002011-10-10T19:46:47.140-07:00

Telling stories from mythology to small children is a bit tricky. Do we need to discuss the gore and brutality that is sometimes included in these stories? Do we need to actually speak about the heavy romantic sentiments which gets included in these stories? Or do we really need to tell children about cheating and deception, betrayal and loss of faith? Now Myths are a part of every society.

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-30084445275096908452011-08-18T20:44:00.000-07:002012-01-25T02:53:21.397-08:00

We are born with some traits and then we acquire some through interactions, experiences and habits. I can't say I have a brilliant analytical mind, I wish I did,because that is the skill required in today's world. Analytics runs Google System analysts run the systems that run Google and...brilliant Analytical minds run the system in the analysts.... Just having some fun with words!! Anyway...

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-50957462868725129642011-08-05T10:24:00.000-07:002011-08-05T10:24:54.539-07:00

   A Pot-Pouri of distorted images. Sorry that's all my Nokia cell camera could do.But the main players of the second day are all here. Geeta, Ola and Ulaf ( I hope I got that right). Geeta needs no introduction, she is a master storyteller, and barely uses props. Her voice is her greatest prop! She modulates and mimics with no inhibition and carries us all through one and half hours

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-34921967986760786432011-08-04T21:09:00.000-07:002011-08-04T21:09:31.001-07:00

A festival is a time to celebrate! And when we have a festival of stories, hosted by Kathalaya (the place where my journey in Storytelling began), it is really an experience I do not want to miss. In the mundane, humdrum of routine and schedules, chores to be met, a space was created for people like me to rejuvenate and refresh our committment to this art of Storytelling. A two day

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-77389161355675687232011-07-30T20:04:00.000-07:002011-07-31T00:38:43.113-07:00

Youth is in your thinking... Or so I would like to think! I know some very old people who are extremely energetic and youthful in their thinking (my Dad for one!). While I huff and puff over mundane issues, he looks at any challenge and every crisis with glee! He has come a long way from being the eldest of a family with four siblings living in a one room “chawl” in Mumbai and

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-65018965066517975902011-07-26T20:56:00.000-07:002011-07-26T20:57:05.498-07:00

Oops Baba Yaga badly held! engrossed and that's wonderful I tell stories and when I have the space and audience to tell every weekend; regularly...what more can I ask?! Baba Yaga; a Russian Folk tale is full of fun and adventure, and loads of creativity too. Just like we have many Indian stories that get loaded and presented in different ways,so also Baby Yaga is a character who

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-82161353806706003912011-07-10T10:08:00.000-07:002011-07-10T10:23:07.273-07:00

Stories for some are just play and fun, for sure that's true, and thats how it should be too Yet there is some serious thought involved  as what we say is what we hear  and what we hear is what we have experienced... so Teachers and all be aware of what you say  for little minds are creative and the experience that you give  is deeply etched in their hearing and  greatly

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-5202360952121585102011-06-26T19:56:00.000-07:002011-07-10T10:10:31.491-07:00

How does one add value to another life? Is it only through being with them physically? But then I can be physically with the person but add no emotional or intellectual value to their living.... For me the greatest value we add to another living is being available to them when they seek you... Being Present to their concerns... A keen observer Willing to bring to notice that which we cannot

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-74631811755653522792011-06-25T04:55:00.000-07:002011-06-25T04:55:06.107-07:00

I feel I could write about this on million rolls of paper....and still feel I have just started, skimmed the creamy layer ...so to say! lifeunderthesky said that our kids will find it on their own...Oh How true. To tell you how it goes at my home... I decided to have a chat with my son on this topic. Why him, you could ask. Well... simply said ...I am frustrated that I cannot enroll him into

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-13271265515016726342011-06-20T19:27:00.000-07:002011-06-20T19:27:33.998-07:00

I've been pretty blank these days. Sometimes I jump up, run to the computer, only to stare blankly at the screen. What do I write? What thought? What feeling to share? blank............. I feel like the the blip on the Heart and Lung Machine. That cliched visual we see so often in any of our classic tamil or hindi movies. blip blip blank................. Yet so many things are happening

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-50878885335126459372011-05-17T03:39:00.000-07:002011-05-17T03:44:31.955-07:00

Pure storytelling is not performance... As we sit or cuddle cozily into bed, or mayhaps, cuddle near mum or grand mum; old forgotten stories, or new ones are told. There are no frills, no dramatics (maybe, if you have a person who loves to be theatrical!). Just the teller and the audience, transported into a world of words. Living and feeling the nature of the story. Sometimes pensive, sometimes

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-63721634778894089132011-05-15T20:13:00.000-07:002011-05-15T20:23:45.535-07:00

  Sometimes we realise that people are indeed the most unique in the world. Whatever said and done for every Evil that happens....(yet that need not happen)...the Good that happens is also manifold. Meet Mrs.Beulah of The Refuge Foundation, she had a calling (she says), from early childhood to take care of children. The children we take pity on but rarely step forward to do anything about. Yet

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-49844422364730063872011-05-10T00:05:00.000-07:002011-05-10T00:05:38.949-07:00

Children are the future of our country. Watching CNN-IBN hero Anuradha and her fight for girls in Nepal from trafficking, moved me beyond words. She asks a simple question "Can you see your daughter in my girls?" I do, but for this I can only cry. Narayana Murthy says that we must provide Real heroes to our children, to live values that they can emulate. I want to, so for this I can only try

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-16929944369557775102011-04-25T11:03:00.000-07:002011-04-25T11:03:37.626-07:00

My son came back from school and as usual the auto chap had ditched them and they had to come back in the hot sun. (Unusually hot this summer Bangalore is fast losing its green cover, I see wonderful avenues denuded in the name of expansion. Yet this topic is a double-edged sword as the roads are pretty narrow and one can find heavy, heavy traffic lumbering through snaky picturesque narrow lanes

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-71796166769336580212011-04-21T09:12:00.000-07:002011-04-21T09:17:30.047-07:00

  (please click on image for larger view) The story of Shambala, from the Kalapa valley told by Waltar Fordham was the story for my telling today. We flew to Tibet and the cold valley mountains along with Iliana the brave and courageous girl who travels afar to face many challenges, meet some fantastic creatures and ultimately to find the Sun of Human Dignity within her. Every time I tell this

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-36089861006789548012011-04-15T11:08:00.000-07:002011-04-15T11:13:04.274-07:00

Around the world in 5 stories is the theme for my summer workshop this year. Though the response has been limited, we had a blast...the children loved the story of Perseus and the Gorgon Medusa...and they loved the mask which we made along with it. Tomorrow we complete this session which ran through the week. I took them to Africa, then Russia, then introduced them to a Greek Hero, flew on

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-82219738799423090672011-04-12T21:08:00.000-07:002011-04-12T21:11:31.221-07:00

I feel a little embarrassed, a little sheepish, a lot of pain and sheer squeamish to say this. But I have to: My maid came to me this morning and asked for leave. That's not new. She is brand new though. After 6 months of maid come-maid go,and walk in rate of 3, I got some one to do the sweeping and mopping...that's a job I could not take on myself. I have to draw the line somewhere.... Well

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-88110040011486109202011-04-04T20:58:00.000-07:002011-04-05T10:18:51.077-07:00

There is something about animals and creatures that live on this planet with us... I am no great animal lover, more like...don't disturb me and I wont disturb you....or vice-versa. Yet these absolutely adorable Carps at Wonder La near Bangalore were a delight!! My kids couldn't get enough of them...as the fishes were clamoring and crowding for the food they were holding. My son tells me it

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-64151384053441572182011-03-14T10:30:00.000-07:002011-03-14T19:01:46.304-07:00

I have a sense of relief tinged with a little guilt now as I say this. My mother's mother is no more. I remember all that my sister and I have shared with this grandmother. Vivid memories of summer holidays spent in a small one room kitchen in Mylapore, where she stayed with my Uncle. Somehow the size of the house was not at all significant in my mind, and we spent many summers whiling away

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-4797273514708799402011-02-13T09:01:00.000-08:002011-02-13T09:01:18.667-08:00

time flies on wings of responsibility as love cocoons us, in its warm folds of unconditional acceptance. Romantic? For sure, Love is in the air. Valentine's Day: February 14th, and much hoo haa. Moral Police play politics and beat the Indian public for aping Western culture. Sure are we not aping in every way? We wear clothes that is by far more western than eastern, we eat food, play games

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-87845238731165072312011-02-11T08:37:00.000-08:002011-02-11T08:37:05.280-08:00

fire and freeze calm and chaos still and turbid all in one one in all together it blends into a solution of emotions an amalgam of nature a being of immense dichotomy a human. The fire within me belies the freeze without. The chaos within me contradicts the calm without. The turbidity and murkiness inside me is deeper than the stillness outside. I am real and unreal at the same time. all and

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-62994543253757506112011-01-30T20:04:00.000-08:002011-01-30T21:11:22.121-08:00

This one is for you sowms!! You gave her wings Wings of understanding, she took flight soaring high above, feeling the rush of happiness the touch of love. beyond words above reason moments of ecstasy a glimpse of paradise. within her she feels that presence she is he and they are one. higher wider deeper they travel nothing holds them together nothing can tear them

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-30917519260282945372011-01-28T08:36:00.000-08:002011-01-28T08:36:37.163-08:00

It’s only when our thoughts translate into actions that we reach out of ourselves and impact the life of another. (courtesy: The Art of Non Conformity) How many times have you thought, you would contact a friend, and then never did it...or shall I say, postponed it...till date? How many of us have wanted to buy a gift for someone close( a friend, a neighbour..why even our spouse?), and then

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-59238689715117846212011-01-27T06:56:00.000-08:002011-01-27T07:06:22.225-08:00

she falls.... into that chasm heads down screaming no sound can you hear she spirals... into that shaft eyes open tearing images flash by she spins... into that void pores tingling numb too fast to feel she crashes. pieces of her scatter her body lies here but her soul is over there and her heart is elsewhere can she be this way? a shatter a scatter non-pieces

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-7870375463385933942011-01-24T20:28:00.000-08:002011-01-24T20:39:22.678-08:00

This is a small childhood incident, but its impact is felt by me even today. The purpose of this incident is served today as I choose to tell my daughter the same anecdote when she faces a similar situation...hoping that the learning I did not gain, she does get... I was in 7th standard, and my language skills were average and nothing very significant. B grade student. In my mind I was being

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-35602235246715120652011-01-21T22:08:00.000-08:002011-01-21T22:09:03.198-08:00

Childhood memories apart; the city that I have lived in as a child, a teen, and an adult....Chennai...is always the quintessential Madras to me... Last week a friend of mine returned from Chennai to Bangalore, and I asked her toddlers in a voice loaded with interest... "So how was Madras?" pat came the reply from my friend, "They dont know Madras, they know only Chennai" I took a double take.

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-72986502247513929072011-01-20T21:31:00.000-08:002011-01-20T21:31:24.729-08:00

Are you on that train? Rushing by. Moving so fast I can scarcely see. The sounds and sights Wooshing by I look on A silent spectator. I strain and stretch To catch glimpses Of you As it flashes by. I wave, I smile I sigh, I cry I am here but you go there. I know my thoughts But know not yours Where is the time? to stop and share I too move on On wheels That seem so slow Almost surreal.

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-78249367902523602502011-01-10T20:48:00.000-08:002011-01-10T20:48:16.582-08:00

I must thank Anu for putting me on to this blog.... http://bookslinksandmore.blogspot.com/ It is fascinating as a mother to read another mother's journey. While my children were very small, I felt disconnected and so lost from the outside world. It is only in the past 5 years that blogging and internet has opened up such wonderful sharing. At the click of a mouse I am in someone's head, actually

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-38242947115536582032011-01-08T19:58:00.000-08:002011-01-08T19:59:30.141-08:00

A very disturbing thing to watch.... A minuscule event in the microcosm I live in...no doubt But its impact reverberates around me...remember how those shock waves are shown lapping out, surging out from an atomic bomb? Something similar. Cut.. The scene Three of us in the car. I am driving, one Pattani next to me, always. That seat is reserved for him...kind of bossy, I know, but the other

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-54241389615188211682011-01-04T21:11:00.000-08:002011-01-04T21:13:58.953-08:00

I feel so yuppy....my children have joined Tennis classes... It went this way: I've been looking for some activity that would inspire them and kick them off their respective posteriors parked in front of the idiot box. We tried drawing classes, but that's a skill you can actually develop while cosily lounging on your own bed, in your own house and at your own leisure...unless the drawing teacher

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-81477594349327910402011-01-03T09:13:00.000-08:002011-01-03T09:15:59.077-08:00

As an endeavour to clear the upper storey and all other storeys between I have compiled a list of things that get my goat around the house. Feel free to add to it... I don't have any idea what I plan to do with it, just keep it I guess... Or I may use it to rethink and rework what I need to do with it....! I was a pretty mild woman growing up, but then something called "M" happened and things

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-83544242879446888562010-12-31T20:31:00.000-08:002010-12-31T20:31:14.289-08:00

New year is in! You know I am this nostalgia freak, so here I go again! New year eve, was a blast when growing up. We either went to someone's house, or we had people home, or if my father could not get people home because they were doing things at their home, then the family gathered together and that crowd is enough to fill a mini bus, I assure you. He would catch all cousins and relatives

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-23273306202902273072010-12-30T10:26:00.000-08:002010-12-30T10:30:01.007-08:00

"Amma, he is putting his foot in my mouth!" "Amma, he is not letting me into the bathroom"! "Amma, he is kicking me" "Amma he has taken my pencil" "Amma he is trying to remove my panties!!!!!" "Amma she is calling me cheeky( as in chubby cheeks!!)!" "Amma she is staring at me" "Amma she is teasing me" "Amma she is irritating me" "Amma he is an idiot, pig, I hate him" "Amma ask her to

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-46898561011037813402010-12-29T19:18:00.000-08:002010-12-29T19:18:57.059-08:00

The pathos and anguish in his voice will wring your heart. The depth of the loss is so deep...so heartfelt... How can a man show so much emotion...is it natural? I am touched and moved.. Nothing has moved him so...ateast I have not seen such deep set emotion in the man I am bewildered... "Is it real?" I ask him. "Are you capable of such emotion, can anything move you so?" "Oh, yes" came the

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-41471594435606090352010-12-27T11:01:00.000-08:002010-12-30T10:30:28.412-08:00

I am on the other side of 35 now. Past 36 as well.... Darn, and I don't know what happened the past 15 years!! So here I go looking back, the very thing many, many people tell you Not to do. Don't live in the past. Be in the present...Now! Is what they say. But hold on...memories are sweet to savour. Take me to those sweet moments with my Thatha and Paati. Paati (grandmum) who would tell me

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-81180876494933212412010-12-25T04:21:00.000-08:002010-12-25T04:25:08.249-08:00

  (click on collage for enlarged view) Yes, finally got to put this post up!! It was carnival time at SSK, and I have been canvassing Pratham books for some time here. So decided to get a stall and sell the books!! I was so excited; so much so that when I sold 5 sets of books at one go, I got the addition all wrong! ( typical if I say so myself!!) The folks at Pratham Books were very sweet,

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-16877011540416899202010-12-24T19:41:00.000-08:002010-12-24T19:41:44.581-08:00

where do i belong? a soulless heart hanging in between i am neither here nor there the illusion around creates my reality a soul in search of dreams and destinies paralleling streams flowing somewhere they dare not meet except nowhere thoughts reach anywhere swirling spirals of self, eddies from the past cascade into the future time's fool un-determine your self

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-41202499624987623022010-12-09T00:05:00.000-08:002010-12-09T00:05:59.776-08:00

We play games. Thanks to the path breaking book authored by Dr.Eric Berne by the same name “Games People Play”, all of us, or at least most of us have some awareness of this. The blame game is one The victim game another. The martyr game is another. The high judge is another. So now that you have started thinking on these lines. I am sure you are telling yourself, “No way, I don’t play any

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-34113674545736290282010-11-23T19:47:00.000-08:002010-12-30T10:31:01.166-08:00

His favourite place is by my side. Peeping over my shoulders, peering from a gap betwixt my arms. How much? What next? What do I add now? Amma, Amma, Amma… Questions and queries are fired at me. Yes. He is my little helper! The kitchen is where he likes to be… with me. Giving me a helping hand whether I want it or not! He pulls up a stool and places it right where I need to stand near the stove!

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-61351108196788593852010-11-22T20:02:00.000-08:002010-12-30T10:31:38.364-08:00

I was browsing for some stories about Karthigai, and found a very nice blog. Unfortunately I cant seem to leave comments on blogs which have disabled author verification. Can anyone tell me why and what I must do for that? Here is the link Here is another blog, that shares the story of Karthigai So to my understanding the general consensus is that Shiva took the form of a fire column, in order

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-89022154014484018252010-11-21T19:40:00.000-08:002010-11-21T19:40:23.786-08:00

Weekends are my favouritest!! 1) Most Saturday's Husband is at home;). Though children go to school, I love to have that extra person at home...told you I am a people's person. 2) I schedule most of my story telling on weekends...that's when most children are free you see 3) We eat out at least once, its become a norm now. 4) Its the time I plan all creative, fun, out of the house things. 5)

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-24658483852770478422010-11-19T10:26:00.000-08:002010-12-30T10:32:06.734-08:00

Here are some more words that I carry with me... Very few thoughts spring from self produced data, much less self produced preferences. The mind is filled with reactive thought- thoughts that spring from the experience of others. For example ( he says, and I love this) is our root thought about money. That it is bad ( it's great to have money, how can you not benefit from it?!). So we run

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-87299717222509749052010-11-18T20:04:00.000-08:002010-12-30T10:32:26.068-08:00

Conversations.... Never do anything in a relationship out of a sense of obligation. Do whatever you do out of a sense of the glorious opportunity your relationship affords you to decide, and to be, Who You really Are. Can you feel the impact of these words? When we don a martyr role, or for that matter victim role, we are constantly telling ourselves we have no choice. But we do. We have a

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-30196175965776394662010-11-18T09:17:00.000-08:002010-12-30T10:32:48.826-08:00

Ok, I've never done a book review before. Only shared my stories and thoughts. A book review you would or could point out is also a story, but, with the undiluted author in it. I am a questioner and most of my learning happens when I question, discuss, argue, express, debate, discuss. Yet I can clam up if I find my co-debater is not interested, has no opinion or is just not that type. That's when

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-14861340842891729562010-11-15T19:50:00.000-08:002010-11-16T02:49:49.252-08:00

Children's Day The best time for storytellers! I got super busy doing back to back telling sessions for kids. Sunday and Monday were packed with 3 story sessions and a workshop! Telling a story where there is no defined space is a little tough. I feel a little vulnerable as I cannot guess or get a feel of who is watching me. Other wise it was great telling at the Bangalore Book Fair for Pratham

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-4015239331955954852010-11-05T21:27:00.000-07:002010-12-30T10:33:46.034-08:00

It was PTA time and my daughter had prepared me well. I know that Spellings and Handwriting are her nemesis. I keep telling myself, I need to work on her spellings. ...well...not done anything about that actively yet! I land up at school and march into her class. All the parents too are seated at the desks waiting like school children for their report card! I take my seat like a good Mom and

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-25698404977064596492010-10-29T20:53:00.000-07:002010-10-29T20:53:31.115-07:00

Have you ever been there? When your mind is in panic and your thoughts are washing over you in one negative wave after another, when it seems as if the world is suffocating you, when every breathe is like a coiled snake around your chest, and that very chest will burst, explode with grief and pain? If you have, then I understand you and so read on... If you have not, then to understand read

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-59515945883633696502010-10-23T21:55:00.000-07:002010-11-19T10:28:02.559-08:00

* Storytelling is a human universal, and common themes appear in tales throughout history and all over the the world. * These characteristics of stories, and our natural affinity toward them, reveal clues about our evolutionary history and the roots of emotion and empathy in the mind. * By studying narrative’s power to influence beliefs, researchers are discovering how we analyze information and

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-69515156696274398622010-10-19T19:33:00.000-07:002010-10-19T19:35:05.417-07:00

Thich Nhat Hahn A beautiful book called A pebble for my Pocket by Thich Nhat Hahn. It holds some valuable thoughts and stories that we can share with our children. In fact it is meant to be read by kids. As it explores mindfulness and meditation. It also helps children observe the world around them and experience the gift that nature bestows on us. I picked out a story from this book, for our

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-24365158438469099262010-10-18T10:55:00.000-07:002010-10-18T10:59:27.823-07:00

    Went to meet this very warm and prolific story teller at a library called Hippocampus. What was memorable for me was the way she shared her involvement with story telling. Most tellers are passionate about what they do. Yet developing a unique technique and style is also the toughest part. This French Storyteller spoke with such ease in a language that she does Not use for story telling;

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-51866052167976668652010-10-17T11:10:00.000-07:002010-10-17T11:13:15.515-07:00

            Here is my reason for not bringing you stories of my Navarathri. I was telling them!! Got to do both the stories this Navarathri at the same activity centre. Mahishasuramardini, this time was accompanied by some music and a cute introduction with my friend and favourite puppet; Sukhi. You know that makes me wonder why I have never told you about my pal Sukhi...I will surely

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-25314445185132933672010-10-10T10:23:00.000-07:002010-10-10T10:23:29.339-07:00

        Here is my sequel. 3 steps as usual, with a small display on the side. The story U selected was so spontaneously done that I was quite impressed with her. It is the story of Narada, and his little pride! Narada asks Lord Vishnu to point out the most truthful devotee, expecting the Lord to acknowledge him as one. But Lord Vishnu points out a hard working and poor farmer, who takes the

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-39830621804384522672010-10-09T11:16:00.000-07:002010-10-09T11:20:05.235-07:00

    Ok! folks! Its on! I know. Its time for Golu, Sundal, Sweets, Vethilai, Paaku, Gifts, Kumkum, Girls in pretty Pavadais, Maami's in Kanjeevaram silks,Diamonds and gold, Heaven on earth Jasmine, Agarbathis and Dhoop, Dolls and Stories, Creativity and Kolams, Carnatic music and Gossip, and not to miss out Wry faced husbands who find their pockets emptying fast!! I wonder how my mother and

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-7794453796678173942010-10-05T11:00:00.000-07:002010-10-05T11:00:49.027-07:00

  Sunday Morning: Imagine lazing in bed...time just rolls by...breakfast merges into lunch..... Cut... Sunday Morning: Alarm blasts into your ears. You spring up with a smile on your face, brush and bathe. Not to beat your pace, even the kids are all excited. Brushed and bathed, jackets,walking shoes and water bottles ready. Yes, I decided to go on the Bangalore Walk with the family last Sunday

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-56581027638502669812010-10-01T08:37:00.000-07:002010-10-03T03:55:21.774-07:00

Vaguely having heard of this word, Dastangoi, and with a faint idea that it was related to story telling and oral tradition, I booked myself for the show at Chowdiah Memorial Hall. For those who have not lived in Bangalore, this hall at Malleswaram, Bangalore was and is the cultural hub of traditional art forms. Shaped like a violin, it is named after the erstwhile doyen of violin music,

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-30759076786837377152010-09-29T10:52:00.000-07:002010-09-29T18:16:37.555-07:00

It is interesting that after a long hiatus, I choose this topic to start my second spell. Well it is none other than the ubiquitous maid/ paid help scenario…. Boring…C’mon…Don’t you have better things to write about? In Tamil we have a phrase; aracha maavu…to indicate a topic that has gone through the wet grinder of thought processes and has been pulverized infinitesimally!! I don’t intend to

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-88112638533820581432010-08-16T11:06:00.000-07:002010-08-16T11:21:05.437-07:00

Every episode leaves an impression in our lives. Some of these we cherish as they are, while some we wish we could reach back and change that moment. Kanpur leaves some memories with me The hot sultry summer when we landed here from a cooler clime was an unbearable ordeal in my mind...I remember sleeping, sleeping and sleeping and wondering what's wrong with me...Its the same this summer as far

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-18650032768746590752010-08-10T10:10:00.000-07:002010-08-10T10:15:52.313-07:00

This post like an entree, short and crisp. Another pet peeve of mine is regarding food. I love my rajma, chole, paratha, paneer, and peas pulao. I can unabashedly partake of such a meal, especially one that is the home cooked version. Yet...my crib is why is this the only menu on the table when one is invited for dinner? Menu planning in my house, I mean in the house I grew up, was done by my

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-56432024827589598932010-08-08T21:28:00.000-07:002010-08-09T04:55:26.066-07:00

It's that time again, to move on.... Having a partner whose job entails a migratory shift every 2 or 3 years, sounds fun, especially if you like me, enjoy traveling...but I can assure you fun is something I have stopped associating with this any more. Yes, its time for us to move again...we have been recalled back by the same unit where my spouse was, one year and 3 months back, whose location

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-23700802004797160042010-07-27T21:03:00.000-07:002010-07-27T21:14:21.518-07:00

My Mother is 60....so what does that make me.... Yep...thats right...you got it...OLD!!! Now this is not about me, it's about her all the way. As I flash back, I remember many incidents...some funny, some sad, some thrilling, some mundane, and mostly that she was always there.... Most of my memories of my mother is of her diligently working at something or the other, either at the kitchen, or

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-34508908619211001082010-07-21T02:52:00.000-07:002010-07-21T02:53:31.537-07:00

Elif Shafak What a powerful speaker, sensuous, inspiring, and so rooted. The message she gives us is that of breaking barriers within our minds. Please do watch the entire presentation. It is mind blowing.

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-82020074635164834212010-07-12T12:01:00.000-07:002010-07-12T12:01:38.696-07:00

A few words spoken in consolation, a reassuring hand is all that I can extend. A stranger facing an extraneous situation. I observe the reddened eyes, misty with tears that refuse to fall. Head bowed down, a tremulous smile.... A smile on the face...I look closer. How does one smile through what she has borne? She left with Him on a holiday, but returned with only memories of Him. Like in a

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-83105662802479442522010-07-11T10:32:00.000-07:002010-07-11T10:38:59.744-07:00

Women... We must look good. We need to stand out. We need to be seen. We need to be different. Our clothes must be unique for the occasion, matching accessories. This doesn't "suit me", that outfit is not to "my taste". Stripes or vertical lines...("Oh, stripes make me look fat, vertical are so out of fashion...") I cant possibly wear "studs", I can only wear danglers. Colours.... Shades.

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-61450243699051078142010-07-08T11:10:00.000-07:002010-07-08T11:15:53.138-07:00

I realised today how much I miss dancing. Flash back: Five years old...or six, I don't remember exactly but that's the time we, my sister (who is a year and a half older to me) and I started our formal training in dance. I have vague memories of this time. But I remember going to class, sometimes dad would drop us with mom in tow. Yet mostly we would walk to class that was a good 2/3km walk

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-70334294601374099432010-07-01T19:20:00.000-07:002010-07-01T19:20:22.824-07:00

The unexpected happens unexpectedly!! We go through some parts of life thinking that some things are quite impossible or improbable, and then life goes right ahead and proves that anything can happen at any time, and we are not as much in control as we think. Mind waves or thought waves have immense power to change or alter the process of life. I may appear to be saying two completely

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-60615959290328770912010-06-07T11:43:00.000-07:002010-06-07T11:43:26.108-07:00

This is surely an eye catching Blog theme, Tulika is looking for rhymes/songs in other languages for its 4th blogathon. Its interesting that I do things only when pushed... Yes..this galvanised me to ask my Father-in-law for some songs and rhymes that he has been chanting to the children from when they were small. This is one of his favourites...and the obvious reason for this partiality is the

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-27182239638082172062010-05-31T19:35:00.000-07:002010-06-01T02:39:41.873-07:00

(So if you did not catch the previous post, do check it out as this is the sequel!) Going on a vacation was not defined the way it is nowadays. My dad being a business man, taking off was a rarity. He kept travelling, so all he (probably!) wanted to do was pack us all off so that my mum would get some respite!. Packing us off meant that we headed either to Bombay ( yes i'd rather say that, as I

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-79679251091918924802010-05-31T10:16:00.000-07:002010-06-01T02:31:48.239-07:00

Our vacation is coming to an end. Lazy mornings spent rolling in bed with cousins. Half the day is done for the other members. Fathers have gone to work (poor dears, have no vacation like we do, isnt it?). Mothers insisting that it is time to wake up. "C'mon, holidays doesn't mean you can sleep forever.Get up and brush your teeth. When will you have breakfast? At 11.00 O'clock? "Please ma/

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-19122843261654109062010-05-27T19:51:00.000-07:002010-05-27T19:51:42.340-07:00

Catching up with old friends is like drinking wine. Not that I am a connoisseur of any sort, nor do I know even know the ABCD of it (literally translated from Tamil!!). Merely based on heresay and the little I watch of cookery programmes and of course books. To me catching up with old friends is like drinking wine! The timing needs to be perfect. School friends, are of course easier to catch up

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-46569029383860218552010-05-23T20:06:00.000-07:002010-05-23T20:06:08.925-07:00

Thats why I feel every morning I wake upto paradise. Hey, that sounds wonderful for the opening lines of a song! That's the view from my sister's apartment balcony. I cherish the morning sunrise, a view that I will not get when I leave here. To wake up with the sun in its full glory reflected on pristine waters, with man and his machines dotting the seashore. An amalgamation of all that

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-87366942221353662152010-05-19T00:01:00.000-07:002010-05-19T05:27:06.518-07:00

Childhood spent in fantasy, Filling tiny cups of memories. Of early mornings and agarbathi, And jasmine plucked from the bushes. Strung by deft fingers into garlands, For the lord and the servant. Kindly neighbours adored the lass, Feeding and clothing The little princess as if their own. They grew her in a world of their own. Crisp starched sarees ironed to perfection Training school

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-70753133294778283692010-05-15T10:04:00.000-07:002010-05-15T10:07:47.541-07:00

  I have made many comments on Roles we play. Every individual in his lifetime plays many roles... and so on and so forth.... But have you ever heard the Scripts? Have you heard yourself at any time? Actually Heard yourself as you repeat statements that have been fed to you over time. Stuffed inside your head, forcing you to say them at the appropriate time. "do your duty" "try and satisfy

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-26956509794337756552010-05-12T11:36:00.000-07:002010-05-12T11:59:09.704-07:00

'Finally, what matters is the story, not the teller." A storyteller feels the pang!! How can Devdutt Pattanaik finish the story with such a disputable statement is what I thought? Is he justified in saying this? I am biased when I say this, but every story is in the tellers skill as he weaves his magic around the warp and the weft of his story. Truly magic has been created in this book by

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-44684729230451413602010-04-15T03:15:00.000-07:002010-04-17T03:02:29.097-07:00

Thanks A Wandering Mind Lav's Corner My first Award and many thanks to Anu for nominating me. Any Award makes One beam with Joy and Pride, and the First is always special...Thanks Anu Then hey I spotted that Lav  has also given me an award..thanks once again. I am happy and here's the award right back at you!! Well the only problem is I could not figure out how to locate and paste the logo

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-24623521077756233672010-04-13T03:56:00.000-07:002010-04-15T03:15:38.686-07:00

I look at myself and this journey and I really amaze at how things change, convolute, contort and yet remain, funnily, the same! I grew up in a suburban Chennai, and went to one of the most elitist schools that the city could boast of. We were an exclusive group, "privileged' is what we were called. While growing up the difference in lifestyle between school and home was not something we really

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-2583987693006421472010-04-09T20:24:00.000-07:002010-04-15T03:16:13.893-07:00

In this concrete world, if we get a chance to just get out and see some water, trees, and birds then we have to grab that opportunity. Between Kanpur and Lucknow lies Nawabgunj Bird sanctuary and the best time to visit is between November and March. We were a wee bit late having gone there in April. Yet we got to see around 24 different types of birds. Having Not packed the Bird Book (we have

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-52695233009345324232010-03-31T21:38:00.000-07:002010-03-31T21:38:33.809-07:00

  Just took the children to the Kanpur Zoo. As for them and me, just roaming around is great fun. The maintenance of the Zoo is to write about, but I still felt some of the animals were in good health. The pelicans, and the flamingo for one, the rhinoceros for another. The tiger looked bored, while the other animals, sambar deer and bear were looking unhealthy. It was a hot day, yet the kids

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-37603246792061084002010-03-30T20:24:00.000-07:002010-03-30T20:24:28.973-07:00

well i have been tagged! Though I have noticed it on many blogs, this is the first time I have been tagged. So thanks Mom of V . Well this means I reveal 7 things about myself and tag 3 more: * I got wet in the rain one day returning from school( yes way back then..but still, this is in high school)...took a bus, removed my glasses to wipe them ( yes I wear them)...and plonked myself on a seat.

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-18421095329670351272010-03-24T06:30:00.000-07:002010-03-31T21:26:45.931-07:00

  March 20th: World StoryTelling Day So did you tell a story? Did you hear one? Did you share one? World Story telling Day is celebrated on March 20th to coincide with the summer/spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. Reading a Katha or sharing a story from the Ramayan/ Bagavatham is part of our Indian Culture. This was usually done in the temples to the accompaniment of some music. Even

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-38364423945280226432010-03-20T12:20:00.000-07:002010-03-20T21:08:22.562-07:00

  Well?? Is that enough water for Tulika? No, that is not a belligerent tone. In fact I am a tad disappointed at this point as I have one collage less in my collection. The Sea/Ocean I have the rain at Kanpur, the river and its wondrous fall at Khajuraho, the river- sea (Ganges) at its serene best. Yet I am sad I have not captured my beloved Bay of Bengal (Elliots Beach, Chennai). I have

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-75334115855126185132010-03-16T19:52:00.000-07:002010-03-16T19:59:18.617-07:00

http://devdutt.com/everybody-tells-a-story Devdutt Patnaik...catch his take on Story telling   http://www.ted.com/talks/devdutt_pattanaik.html Or catch his Story telling skills as he demystifies Myths..and talks about East and West perspectives... Fantastic... I am further convinced that Stories and Story telling and Storytellers  rule the world!

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-7510798544801741442010-03-14T20:05:00.000-07:002010-03-14T20:43:11.110-07:00

I have been mulling over this for some time How tolerant are we towards those who have greater difficulty grasping concepts and understanding facts? Yes, I do mean those who We Perceive as "not as smart".  Are there stupid people or only stupid questions? I dont believe either exists. Any one with children will know that they can ask a zillion questions, each one logically/illogically

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-46723538413094976412010-03-12T19:24:00.000-08:002010-03-20T12:23:47.226-07:00

How different are the written and spoken forms of your first language? If you want children to become familiar with their first language, which form would you look for in children's books - formal or informal? Why? "Uh OH " is my first reaction.  I am the last person to even comment on mother tongue/first language. But then I read the second question and I embraced the word "familiar". Oh yes,

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8547327492182440032.post-16034623430085530302010-03-08T09:26:00.000-08:002010-03-08T09:28:54.610-08:00

Here is a montage ( for a change!), of a friends garden. February and March is spring time her in the North and the entire station is blossoming.   I confess my garden too has some Dahlias, some meagre Pansies and Zinnias.  But after seeing this garden I don't want to spoil the visual treat for you all by showing a comparatively arid garden (mine), as against this veritable Mughal Gardens! My

ssstorytellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11919528093576625477noreply@blogger.com2