Transported to a mystical world

That was the exact mood of the audience who had gathered at the Chowdaiah Memorial Hall for the charity show Dastangoi, Revival of a Lost Art of Storytelling by Mahmood Farooqui and Danish Husain.

Like little children, the audience immediately slipped into the world of adventure, magic and spectacle.

Dressed in traditional white kurtas, the storytellers went into the illusionary world and then only words came alive. The exploits of Amir Hamza, the warrior-paternal uncle of Prophet Mohammed, were unravelled.

Through their jugalbandi form of narration, they narrated the first tale which revolved around how Afrasiyab, the Emperor of Sorceress rules over a huge realm called Tilism-e-Hoshruba, which had sixty thousand countries and powerful sorceress.

The second tale was far more dramatic as it revolved around an encounter between another of Afrasiyab's sorceress, Mahtab Jadoo and Aiyyar.

Since the narration was completely in Urdu, it was rather difficult for most of the audience to understand many of the words.

Nonetheless, the recital was enjoyed by one-and-all. And the wah-wahs filled the hall as the curtains came down on one of the most traditional arts of storytelling.