India’s unique storytelling festival, Kathakar, returns to Delhi with international guests and performances

Kathakar – International Storytellers Festival, India’s first and only oral storytelling festival, returns for its 18th edition in New Delhi from November 22 to 24 at Sunder Nursery Heritage Park.

This year, special guests include actor Sanjay Mishra, filmmaker Sajid Ali, and Bollywood singer Mohit Chauhan, who is also the festival’s patron.

Founded in 2010 under the UNESCO aegis by NGOs Nivesh and HHACH, Kathakar aims to preserve and celebrate the ancient art of storytelling, keeping this timeless tradition alive.

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Over the past 14 years and 17 editions, Kathakar has become synonymous with the celebration of both Indian and international storytelling, reaching audiences across India and around the world.

Kathakar remains India’s first and only annual oral storytelling festival, with special editions held in Mumbai and Bengaluru.

To date, the festival has engaged over 1,50,000 people—including adults, children, teachers, and parents—in the timeless tradition of storytelling.

The festival has been graced by numerous distinguished figures, including former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, noted actors Prem Chopra, Manoj Bajpayee, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Pankaj Tripathi, acclaimed lyricist Gulzar, celebrated filmmakers Vishal Bhardwaj, Imtiaz Ali, politicians–Shashi Tharoor, Kiren Rijiju, Giriraj Singh, Meenakshi Lekhi,  renowned music composer AR Rahman, Shantanu Moitra, Emily Hennessey, Dominic Kelly, and many others.

Each year, the festival showcases a diverse range of storytelling traditions from across India, including Pandvani, Dastangoi, Qissebazi, Powada, Allah-Udal, and Kesar-saga, as well as global storytelling traditions from countries such as Poland, the UK, Sweden, Australia, Japan, Mongolia, France, and many more.

This year, the festival will host storytellers from the UK, Australia, Sierra Leone, Mongolia, Switzerland, Estonia, Poland, and India. The folk music segment will feature Rajasthani storytelling by Kutle Khan and a Sufi Qawwali performance by the AR Rahman Music Conservatory. Additionally, special performances by Lucky Ali and Bhupinder Babbal, famous for the song “Arjan Valli,” will add to the cultural experience.

Kathakar offers storytelling sessions for children in the morning and for the general public in the evening. This year, the festival aims to engage an even larger audience, including schools, NGOs, and underprivileged communities, reaching over 15,000 people—including disadvantaged, disabled, and ailing children.

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The festival’s patron, Mohit Chauhan, is also the Cultural Envoy of Mongolia to India. The festival’s founders and curators are the Gahilote sisters—Rachna, Prarthana, and Shaguna—who are authors and storytellers. Kathakar was founded in memory of Thakur Vishwa Narain Singh, India’s first Braille editor.

When: November 22-24; 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Where: Sunder Nursery Heritage Park, New Delhi