I recall late nights, pleading with my dad to let me stay up just an hour longer to hear another story. These weren’t tales that put me to sleep out of boredom, but rather out of a contented calm. Even miles away from India, I grew up with snippets of the Ramayana, whimsical fables from the Panchatantra, and an original fiction piece my dad concocted about a boy named Nobody, whose companions included an ensemble of Somebodys and Everybodys.
Beyond fables, my dad spun tales of his own childhood mischief—stories that, to his relief, didn’t inspire similar behaviour in me. But everything else did, shaping the reader and writer within me who now craves a good story. This, I realise, all stems from the art of Indian storytelling.
Indian storytelling has a rich legacy, layered with moral teachings. As a child, I found these morals a little nonsensical, but looking back, I see how they shaped the person I am today. Traditional storytelling in India often goes beyond spoken words, weaving itself into song, dance, and rituals, yet the spoken word has a timeless reach. Many stories connect to the concept of karma—that what goes around comes around—reflecting the cultural values and life lessons Indian families seek to pass on, even today, through their bedtime tales.
Family and community are at the heart of Indian storytelling. My dad told me stories that his parents told him, passed down from their parents before them. Though storytelling forms and anecdotes vary across communities, the heart of Indian bedtime stories remains rooted in scriptures—whether in the tale itself or in the values it embodies. Family and community serve as the stewards of these values, passing them down through whispered bedtime stories or under the spotlight at community gatherings.
This art of storytelling through spoken word shaped me as a reader and writer. It instilled an early love for language and a hunger for meaningful stories. As a reader, I gravitate toward books; as a writer, I lean into conversations. Both are extensions of the spoken word that first sparked my curiosity and taught me lessons that might otherwise have been lost. From an impressionable age, I learned to appreciate stories of all kinds, even those that challenge or discomfort, knowing that every story has something to say—much like those age-old tales of karma and consequence.
These stories did more than entertain—they laid the foundation for my love of reading. As I grew up, I found myself seeking out books that held the same richness and layered wisdom as those bedtime tales. Indian storytelling taught me to savour the intricacies of character, plot, and theme, helping me understand that every story has a deeper meaning waiting to be uncovered. This early exposure to the layers within stories gave me a hunger for narratives that challenge, engage, and ultimately enrich my understanding of the world.
Indian stories also trained me to read with empathy and patience. From fables of wise animals to epics of valour and virtue, these tales required me to slow down, to listen carefully, and to appreciate every detail—qualities that became crucial as I ventured into more complex literature. They encouraged me to see beyond the surface, to consider each character’s motivations, and to relish the process of piecing together a story’s many facets. This patience became a gift, allowing me to approach every book with a sense of openness and curiosity.
Perhaps most importantly, these stories nurtured my appreciation for diverse perspectives, something my dad instilled in me early on. Through his storytelling, I was introduced to a vast world of heroism, trickery, and the quiet teachings of karma. His tales opened my mind to the idea that stories come in countless forms, each with its own unique beauty. This variety left me craving different genres, themes, and perspectives as I grew older. It’s why, today, I feel equally at home reading literary classics, magical realism, or contemporary fiction. The art of Indian storytelling was the spark, and every new book since then has been a way to carry that magic forward.
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