The power of storytelling

There was a time when children would be put to bed with a session of storytelling. This routine not only ensured that the children would fall asleep, but also help them comprehend and envision new aspects of life. Psychologists and sociologists confirm that this age-old method introduced in the formative years of a child’s life reflected on their empathetic personalities later in life.  Long before these studies were carried out, our history bears testimony to the power of story telling.

There once lived a king called Dhavala Raja in Vanga Desham. He had four sons. They were not inclined to learning. The king became desperate as his sons entered their teens. He announced that he would give a handsome reward to the teacher who could educate his sons. Many teachers, scholars, and amateurs failed in the mission. Time flit past. One day, a Brahmin called Vishnu Sharman said he was ready to take up the challenge. He took the princes out of their comfort zone to the outskirts of the kingdom. He was aware that conventional learning would not work for the princes. Therefore, he decided to use story telling as a tool to edify them. The characters in his stories comprised of humans, birds, animals, insects, plants and trees. Each story had a multidimensional message that was conveyed humorously and subtly. 

The princes were encouraged to reflect on these stories and not only would a person learn life lessons, but also develop the panache for thinking out of the box and acquire soft skills. These stories were riddled with hypothetical problems and solutions that were innovative. The tales were aimed at serving as case studies that could be referred to when faced with similar problems in real life. The princes who could not learn in traditional methods benefitted greatly from this novel method. Entertainment and holistic education ensconced their very being without their own knowledge. Needless to say, they turned out to be wise young men, thoroughly qualified to handle the administrative duties of their royal legacy.

These stories collectively came to be known as Hitopadesha or Advice for Well Being. These tales were narrated under four sections by Vishnu Sharman. Mitralaabha -Acquiring Friends, Mitra Bheda- Separation of Friends, Vigraha- War and Sandhi-Peace. To this day, these stories with a universal ring serve as go-to anecdotes to help us understand and resolve the predicaments posed by life.