We are so excited to welcome you to Austin and be a part of the fourth Varta – storytelling festival. It will come to Austin for the second time! This festival has been created with support from the Elevate Grant from the City of Austin and the Millennium India Education Foundation. Here is what you can expect!
We are grateful to our partners Austin Public Library, Birdhouse Books, Dosa Shack, and Lotus Creamery for helping us put together the event. Students from several schools across Austin are participating in the event, and we are grateful to parents and kids who are sharing their time.
The South Asian storytelling festival will be held at the Austin Public Library’s Hampton branch (Convict Hill) from 10:30am to 3pm. RSVP is free.
RSVP FOR VARTA
FREE South-Asia-inspired storytelling festival for the second time in Austin
Performances and stories
1. Puppet Performance
Honey Goodenough is a world-traveled local Austin puppeteer, educator, and children’s entertainer. Her company, Good Hearted Entertainment is touring a new show called Stewie’s Magic Hat, which was generously funded by a Jim Henson Foundation Family Grant. Word Play, a literacy-based puppet show, and her solo show, Sock Monkey Circus! She is looking forward to creating an original piece for the festival based on the children’s book, Runaway Dosa (by Suma Subramaniam).
2. Bento – The Invisible String
This year’s Varta theme is Intergenerational Storytelling. We will launch the second season of Zubaani podcast. We will also be sharing our latest Bento that focuses on folk stories, connection, and technology. This issue will be available from April online and at the event as well.
3. Dastangoi – Zohra Khatoon x Kathak
Students Arohi Kotasthane (7th grade, Walsh middle school), Esha Desai (7th grade, Canyon Vista Middle school), Shria Shenoy (7th grade, Canyon Vista Middle School), and Alisha Kamath (8th grade, Leander ISD) along with Upasna Kakroo from Peerbagh will share a folk love story from Kashmir. The Kathak dancers in the story are bringing their art with the help of Sunaina Rao from Kathak Rythyms. The story will be retold in English but inspired from the oral storytelling tradition of Dastangoi.
Meet the Creatives and find books!
South-Asian creatives will be present at Varta and many of them are able to sign books. Austin-based Birdhouse Books and Gifts will be at Varta with books. So, come along and immerse yourself in stories and creative spotlights.
1. Jyoti Gopal, Meera Sriram, Reem Faruqi in conversation with Neha Shah: Meet award-winning authors, as they talk about their writing journeys. The session will be facilitated by Austin author and Peerbagh’s city captain, Neha Shah.
2. Redactive Poetry and art workshop: Write a poem and draw some art along with poet Neha Rayamajhi and author-illustrator, Natasha B. Padhiar. Even if you don’t think you’re a poet, you can join the session and create something new together!
3. Books for signing and purchase: Birdhouse books will be at Varta through the day for books and signings. Please come and enjoy!
4. Paper quilting workshop: Local artist Akanksha Jain with lead an art workshop.
Music and Dance
1. A local Austin artist will be performing a Bharatnatyam dance.
2. Kathak dance performance in the event is facilitated by Kathak Rythyms, Dallas.
Storytelling Festival Exhibit, Podcast, and South-Asian Heritage
1. Peerbagh will launch an illustrated digital archive of South-Asian folk storytelling during the event.
2. Dr. Dalpat Rajpurohit: From UT Austin, Dr. Rajpurohit will talk about his book on South Asian folk music, Sants of Rajasthan with Peerbagh’s student reporter, Aditi Karvekar.
3. Zubaani, Season 2: Writers Salma Hussain and Upasna Kakroo will launch the Zubaani podcast on the day of the event! It is themed, “intergenerational storytelling” and will talk about South Asian children’s literature and parenting tips.
Who is attending?
Jyoti Rajan Gopal is the writer of award-winning books for children including the Desert Queen, American Desi, and more from NYC.
Reem Faruqi is an award-winning author of children’s books including Lailah’s Lunchbox, Unsettled,
and more from Atlanta.
Meera Sriram is an award-winning children’s book author of books including the Spicebox, a Gift for Amma, and more from San Francisco.
Neha Shah, children’s book writer and author of Meet Buckley, a bilingual Hindi-English book from Austin. Neha is also the founder of the app, Kaboo.
Dr. Dalpat Rajpurohit is the assistant professor of Hindi language and literature at UT-Austin.
Neha Rayamajhi is a multidisciplinary artist, poet and cultural worker from Boston (and Nepal).
Upasna Kakroo leads Peerbagh and is the author of Loal, a book of Kashmiri folk.
Sivakami Sreenivasan Founder and Creative Director of Temple of Fine Arts Texas, Dancer.
Natasha B. Padhiar— the artist behind Bright & Blue Studio—is an author, illustrator, crafter, and children’s book author of Quiet Kush.
Honey Goodenough is an Austin-based puppet artist and children’s educator.
Akanksha Jain works in Healthcare Tech and is an artist from Austin producing customized art.
Sunaina Rao, born in Mumbai and raised in Texas. She has been a Kathak dancer for over 20 years and leads Kathak Rhythyms.
Prizes and FOOD!
1. We are celebrating the AAPI month and will offer some free gifts to kids and families (after activities).
2. FREE South-Asia inspired Ice creams from Lotus Creamery will be made available between 12-2pm.
3. We will also have food catered from Dosa Shack.
The photography during the event will be produced by Majed Josephi, a Houston based artist. DJ Solanki will be hosting the event as its emcee. The artwork for the event is created by Chandrima Chatterjee and Aishwarya Deopujari. The research assistants for the project include Imtiaz Ali and Diksha Sharma. Writer Krupa Gedia will be at the Peerbagh activities and guest table offering prizes after activities.
Please share, connect, and meet with us on May 10th from 10:30 am to 3:00pm. We can’t wait to bring this storytelling experience to you!
This South Asian storytelling festival has been created with the support of City of Austin’s Economic Development Department’s Elevate Grant and the Austin Public Library’s Hampton Branch.
