The world of storytelling! - Kathanika Reviewed

This post comes a little late to make it a Mother's Day post but for me, storytelling and my mother are two very closely linked memories of childhood. My mother was a great storyteller. I have beautiful memories of her telling me bedtime stories, which eventually metamorphosed into her telling me real life experiences at bed time, as I grew older. 

She introduced me to the world of books by subscribing to a local library when I was just a preschooler. I remember the very first book that I could actually read on my own was Thumbelina.

I have always loved to listen to stories, and my favourite pastime on those lazy afternoons of my Summer holidays was to lose myself in the fantastic world of stories.

So when my own little babies came along, I always wanted them to grow up in a similar book-loving manner. And I also wanted to see them grow into good listeners. I slowly inculcated the love for bedtime stories in them, but my only grievance was not having access to a great library around, for me to borrow new books to read out to them.

Thus, meeting Ms. Sherline Pimenta at their school was like seeing an angel. Enrolling in her Storytelling Club at their school came as a turn around point, especially for my younger one. It was like she opened up a pandora's box of stories for them, through Kathanika!

(You can connect with Kathanika on Facebook )

What amazes me the most is that her storytelling skills are not only exquisite but her hand-picked selection of stories are extremely thought- inspiring. She trigger's the children's imagination like no other. Ms. Sherline has a way of telling stories that are always steeped in culture and tradition. And she has incredible talent for telling moral stories in the most entertaining way. Never a drab moment! Sometimes there's a folk song attached and sometimes its an exotic folk tale that puts my sons so much in awe that they are scrambling to find out more about new animals from a foreign land.    

Sharing a link to one of the newest stories posted on Kathanika's YouTube channel for you all to listen in and experience what I mean. 

And I am also sharing drawings by my boys, which is the result of last night's bedtime story.

Raja Bada Moochi Dildar by U. B. - 11 yo

 They couldn't wait to get up in the morning, and start drawing how they'd imagined Raja Bada Moochi Dildar would look like. This turned out to be an excellent exercise in drawing out of memory to illustrate a story. A skill that I only acquired when I was given the task in my art college days.

Sigh! Such are the wonders of technology.

Subscribing to your channel- Kathanika has solved the problem for my younger one. He was sorely missing your storytelling club.

Raja Bada Moochi DIldar by S.B. - 8 Yo

During this extended lock-down, it would have been very difficult to get the boys into bed because of all the pent up energy. I could only lure them in only because of Kathanika. Even though they don't get sleepy by the end of the story, they giggle so much all through out that they go to bed with a smile at the end of the story. Their imagination triggered so much that they are transported to a very unique dreamland. 

Ms. Sherline you are the best, storytelling mommy any child could have ever wished for! 

A very happy mother's day to you!
May Kathanika always have more glorious tales to tell....