Bhubaneswar: The Bakul Library in Odisha Capital came alive with imagination and applause today as the Bakul Foundation successfully hosted its 3rd Children’s Storytelling Festival.
This unique event followed on the heels of the May 24 festival, pivoting the spotlight from the city’s well-known adult narrators directly onto the younger generation.
Widely believed to be a first-of-its-kind initiative in India, the festival exclusively featured young storytellers. A talented group of 15 children, aged 10 to 16, took the stage to captivate the audience. While the performers represented various prominent institutions across the city—including SAI International School, Loyola School, Unit 9 Girls High School, and DAV Schools from Unit 8 and Chandrasekharpur—the contingent from Mother’s Public School, Unit 1, formed the majority of the lineup.
A Vision Realised
Reflecting on the journey, Sujit Mahapatra, the founder of Bakul Foundation, expressed immense pride in the event’s evolution.
“When we first introduced the concept to the city with the Bhubaneswar Festival of Storytelling (BhuFeSto) during the 2018 Dot Fest, the idea was met with widespread skepticism. Storytelling events were unheard of locally, and finding capable tellers was a massive challenge,” Mahapatra recalled.
“To now successfully curate a festival entirely driven by children for three consecutive years—where the quality matches that of mature adults—is a massive milestone for us,” he added.
Moving Beyond Screens and Finding Purpose
For the young participants, the platform has offered a refreshing alternative to modern digital distractions. Harshita Mishra, a Class 6 student from Mother’s Public School and a three-year veteran of the festival, highlighted the psychological benefits of the art form.
“Children my age are constantly glued to mobile phones and interacting with AI. An initiative like this builds our confidence and stretches our mental horizons,” Mishra shared. She added that sharing the same stage as the international storytellers she was exposed to through BAKUL felt like a monumental achievement.
Her school senior, Sharanya Pati, noted how the foundation has shifted cultural perceptions. “Initially, storytelling wasn’t viewed with the same prestige as singing or dancing. BAKUL has changed that narrative, elevating the art form and making it something aspirational for youth,” Pati explained.
For Class 5 student Ayaanshi Dora, the initiative was transformative. “I didn’t really have any hobbies or interests. But when I stumbled upon Bakul’s online storytelling sessions during the COVID-19 lockdowns, I fell in love with it,” Dora said. In a full-circle moment, Ayaanshi performed a story today that she had originally heard performed by Nupur Agarwal during the 2020 online series.
Nurturing New Voices
The festival balanced experience with fresh talent. Alongside Harshita, Ayaanshi, Amritayashree, Shivika, Sharanya, and Krishnanjali Sahoo, who has been part of BAKUL’s digital initiatives since their inception, the event welcomed new faces. Thanks to an annual talent hunt and regular skill-building workshops, 5 of the 15 children on stage made their public storytelling debuts.
