How are Dastangoi performers keeping this traditional form alive in the digital age?

Atelier Theatre will present Dastan-e-Guru Nanak Dev on November 7 at Zorba, Ghitorni, using the centuries-old storytelling form of Dastangoi to bring the life and teachings of Guru Nanak Dev to the stage. Through productions such as this, theatre groups are expanding the scope of Dastangoi, bringing new stories into the centuries-old storytelling tradition. 

As stories increasingly move to screens and digital platforms, performers are finding new ways to keep the centuries-old art of Dastangoi alive

In a world where stories are increasingly consumed through screens, short videos and streaming platforms, Dastangoi, built around the spoken word, is finding ways to reach new audiences. 

Dastangoi — with ‘dastan’ meaning ‘story’ and ‘goi’ meaning ‘to tell’ in Persian — is a storytelling tradition that dates back to the 13th century and gained prominence in Delhi with the arrival of the Mughals in the 16th century. It focuses on the narration of dastans, or long tales, with performers using their voice and language to bring different stories to life. Over the years, its repertoire and language have evolved, allowing performers to take the form beyond its traditional narratives and introduce it to newer audiences.

Stories for our times 

For Syed Sahil Agha, who has practised the art form for long, keeping Dastangoi relevant means telling stories that reflect the times we live in. “The lesson for us is to speak about our own era in our own times,” he says, explaining why contemporary subjects have a place alongside classical stories. His repertoire includes narratives around figures such as APJ Abdul Kalam, Sahir Ludhianvi, Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa, as well as stories about Kabir, Lord Krishna and Ram.

For Agha, adapting the form does not mean moving away from its essence. Language, he says, must remain accessible to listeners. “Why should I narrate in a language that listeners cannot understand? They wouldn't return; they’d say it sounded nice, but made no sense.”

He points out that Urdu, like any living language, has continued to absorb new words and change with time. Using older forms of Persian or Urdu that contemporary audiences may not understand would defeat the purpose of storytelling. Hence, the idea, he says, is to speak in a language that people can follow while retaining the rhythm and character of the form.

The power of spoken stories 

The tradition is also being carried forward by performers who have come to it through theatre and other disciplines. Diksha Tiwari, an alumnus of the National School of Drama, has been learning Dastangoi for around eight to nine years, under Agha. Her interest grew from a desire to explore storytelling as a performance form that relies less on physical movement and more on voice and language.

“In theatre and other media, we are used to using broad gestures and physical postures when acting. But when you are bound to sit in one place without moving, and you are challenged to convince or entertain the audience purely through storytelling, you have to achieve more with less,” she explains.

Another challenge, she points out, is to hold an audience’s attention for 30 minutes, 45 minutes or even an hour through narration alone.

Tiwari believes the appeal of live storytelling lies in the experience. “You can record anything, but witnessing it right before your eyes has an entirely different charm,” she says. She also sees Dastangoi as an extension of the storytelling traditions many people grow up with. Recalling how grandparents once told children bedtime stories, she adds, “Dastangoi is simply an extended, evolved version of that tradition.”

Finding new ways 

The flexibility of the form has also encouraged theatre practitioners to experiment with its presentation. Kuljeet Singh, actor and creative director of Atelier Theatre — who has also worked in films such as Margarita with a Straw (2015) and Sardar Udham (2021) — began exploring Dastangoi during the Covid-19 pandemic, when his theatre group was looking for ways to continue working together while people were confined to their homes. He subsequently attended a workshop on the storytelling form.

Some of the group’s popular productions now include Dastan-e-Guru Nanak and Haman Hai Ishq Mastana (a performance exploring the life of Kabir Das).

Language is an area where the group has experimented extensively. Its performances use contemporary Hindi, Urdu, English and Punjabi, with scripts translated into English for international audiences. According to Singh, incorporating these changes into the performance makes it “accessible” to a wider audience and “encourages people to learn new languages”. For him, these adaptations allow audiences to engage with figures and traditions they may not otherwise encounter. 

Agha believes that preserving Dastangoi also means supporting the artists who keep it alive. Tiwari sees it as a practice that demands patience and sustained effort, while Singh views it as an accessible way of exploring indigenous storytelling traditions.

This article is written by Pankil Jhajhria

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