Afsana
The Somaiya Storytelling Festival
15th & 16th January 2027
The element of the live connect with a storyteller who can deep dive the audience to a world woven with a web of ideas and enchantments is Afsana: The Somaiya Storytelling Festival. In its inaugural chapter, involving myths, folklore, inspirational tales, bardic traditions, corporate storytelling and so much more, the festival is home to stories galore. .
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SAMAGRATA: AN EMBRACE
The theme for 2027 is 'SAMAGRATA: AN EMBRACE' and the focus is on Northeast India. Diversity is often seen in the distance between people, yet it is equally found in the many worlds that exist side by side. The Northeast reminds us that identity is never singular. It is woven through languages, landscapes, communities, customs and stories, each distinct, yet each belonging to a larger whole. What does it mean to embrace difference without asking it to become the same? Can many voices together create harmony without losing their own rhythm? Through the storytelling traditions of Northeast India, Afsana celebrates inclusiveness not as an ideal to strive for, but as a way of life.
The Power of Stories
The closest association we have with words that have soothed us since childhood is, a story. Alphabets are learnt at a later stage, stories remain centerstage from pre-natal days to any age. Stories, narratives, expressions of varied forms have enthralled listeners and mesmerized them. From the beginning of laying the background and the setting to the introduction of characters, their dilemmas or surprises, stories effortlessly captivate. The dialogues are an exercise in understanding the human condition and how we have evolved as a civilization.
Meaning & Focus of Afsana
Afsana is Urdu and Persian for tale, fable or story. Each year the festival focusses on a state and its cultural traditions. Being regaled by regional and international tellers to two days of non-stop extravaganza is what Afsana is all about. From stories, performances to workshops, it is an exuberance of stories in multiple formats.
The focus in Afsana 2026 will be on the states of Northeast India.
