KathaPod - Once Upon a Story: Recent Episodes

Meenu Sivaramakrishnan

KathaPod - Once upon a Story is a storytelling podcast brought to you by KATHA GALATTA, an initiative of Storyteller Meenu Sivaramakrishnan. This features stories of different genres from different parts of the world. Meenu believes while stories are entertaining, stories are enriching too!Stories are universal, conveying meaning and we experience rich emotions and feelings through it. So, what better way to connect with people than through stories, Right? Come!Listen in and experience the magic of STORIES!

Connect @ kathagalatta.bang@gmail.com FB @ KathaGalatta Insta @ kathagalatta.meenu

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It's the winter season - Have you observed that most trees in the cold regions shed their leaves except for one? Which one is that? Did something special happen?

And yes ofcourse, it's the season of joy and gifting … And what better way to unleash your joy than stories?

So, we are happy to gift you this beautiful story, a Cherokee folktale .

Happy Listening :)

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year 2023!

Do write in to us your feedback or any story requests to kathagalatta.bang@gmail.com. 

Are you looking to organize interactive story sessions at your place or organization? Story-based workshops?  Well, then do reach out to us. We do offline as well as online sessions for children and adults.

You can follow us on FB : Katha Galatta

Instagram : kathagalatta.meenu

Credits :

Sound Effects : Pixabay

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It's the season of joy, love and gifting!

So, here we give you all the gift of this beautiful story  that will be releasing soon...

Watch out this space... 

Enjoy the trailor :)

Write to us at kathagalatta.bang@gmail.com for any story requests and feedback/comments.

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The Goats were dancing! And so was the goat herd! They felt super energetic! It was indeed magical!!! It started like that on a day , far-far away and is today enjoyed everywhere in the world! So, what was it?  Go on, listen in to this story about the origins of COFFEE and also about how it reached India!  Oh yes! The special story of the month - that also marks the International Coffee Day observed on Oct 1st. Happy Listening! Do write in to us your feedback or any story requests to kathagalatta.bang@gmail.com. Are you looking to organize interactive story sessions at your place or organization? Story-based workshops?  Well, then do reach out to us. We do offline as well as online sessions for children and adults. 

You can follow us on FB : Katha Galatta 

Instagram : kathagalatta.meenu

Credits :

Sound Effects : Pixabay

Song in Amharic : mamalisa.com

Coffee Song : Traditional Folksong by Choristers Guild

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Don't forget to tune in to our story of the month - that also marks the International Coffee Day!

This story traces the origins of Coffee in the World and also how it reached India!

Releasing soon... Don't miss!!!

Happy Listening!

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It's the time of Onam festivities in the Malayali households and ofcourse Kerala in India!

But can we ever imagine a Onam Sadhya or a Kerala cuisine without coconut?

Well... how did coconut come to be in Kerala?

To know more, listen to this folktale from God's own country, Kerala!

Happy Listening!

Follow us on our FB page : https://www.facebook.com/KathaGalatta

Insta Handle : kathagalatta.meenu

Do write in to us your comments or story requests to kathagalatta.bang@gmail.com

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It's the season of Onam!

Oh yes! Onam Sadhya - the multi-course traditional meal that is served during this time.  But can we ever imagine a Kerala cuisine or the land of Keralam without coconut or the coconut trees?

Have you ever thought about how did coconut trees come into existence here?

Well... then listen in to this popular folktale that is coming all the way from the God's own country - Kerala about the origins of the coconut tree...

2nd September is also the World Coconut Tree!

So, don't miss out our story for this month - releasing this weekend!!!

Happy Listening!!!

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"Things are never quite as scary when you are with your friends" - goes a quote.

And the hero was lucky to have his friends around too, on his adventure!

So, who was he? What was his adventure? What happened?

To find out, listen in to this folktale that comes from France - our special story for Friendship Day!

Happy Listening!

Write in your comments/story suggestions at kathagalatta.bang@gmail.com. Follow us at https://www.facebook.com/KathaGalatta/

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7th August 2022 - O yes! The First Sunday of August it is!

Celebrate this Friendship Day with us with the special story on Friendship for this month, coming to you all the way from France!

Don't miss out...

Happy Listening!

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Can we even imagine a world without chocolates? 

We don't even want to, right? :)

But it is believed there was a time when people on Earth were not even aware of something called as Chocolate until we received it as a Gift.

A Gift? From where? Who gave us such a wonderful Gift?

Am sure these are the questions in your mind now.

But to know the answers, and to celebrate the World Chocolate Day which is observed on the 7th of July, listen in to this folktale that comes from the Mayan Culture all the way from Mexico.

Happy Listening!

Write to us your story requests and comments at kathagalatta.bang@gmail.com.

Follow us on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/KathaGalatta/

Instagram : kathagalatta.meenu

Credits: Pixabay for sound effects , DariaMusic for Chocolate Folksong, allaroundthisworld.com for Mayan Song and Music.

Wikipedia, Brittanica, The Chocolate Tree by Linda Lowry and Richard Keep, goodreads.com, thriveglobal.com - For Folktale Research and adaptation.

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It is the World Chocolate Day today!!!

Oh yes! July 7th it is :)

And do you know that once upon a time, people were not even aware of the existence of Chocolates?  

So how did it come to Earth?

Do you know that Chocolate is believed to be God's favourite ?

Curious???

Then, don't miss to listen our story for this month!

Releasing shortly...  :)

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“Give me back my grain of corn or I will kill you”, screamed the lady seizing him.

He was so terrified that he promised to return her grain of corn. But then ,

Oh ho!

It had rolled so far into the crack that he could just not reach it at all – however he tried!

And so began his journey to get the grain of corn!

Hmmm... So my dear listener, you must be wondering what is this journey for a grain of corn? And who is he who is going on this journey? What happened? Did he get help to finally get the grain of corn?

Well… to know all this and more… Go on and listen to this folktale that comes from the state of Punjab in India.

Happy Listening!

For any story requests/ feedback, do write in to us at kathagalatta.bang@gmail.com.

Do like our FB page : https://www.facebook.com/KathaGalatta and follow us to know more about our events.

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A Grain of Corn leads to a journey...

Many Conversations...

Many Requests...

From someone as powerful as a King to something as small as a box! But sadly, no one listens ...

Until finally, he came in...

Just a simple request and he was bang on...

Who? What? Why?

To get your answers... listen to our story for this month...!

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Sweet and Delicious!

Juicy and Plump!

Slurp!Slurp!

Oooooo… they were so yummy….

But Sshhh… not many knew about the existence of such a fruit especially mankind!

But Kapi knew that he cannot let the ripe fruit fall into the river because if it happens, he knew disaster will befall.

…….

Disaster? What disaster? And what was this fruit that was not known to mankind?

To know more, listen on to this folktale from India.

Happy Listening!

Do check out our FB page : https://www.facebook.com/KathaGalatta/ to know more about our Story Sessions and Story-based workshops. Reach out to us @ kathagalatta.bang@gmail.com if you want to organize a story session or workshop for children or adults.

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First it was the Plum Tree, then the banana tree and then the honey tree…

But Alas! That was it… Not to the orange tree…

“Help! Please help me! I am sorry! Please help… I want to get out!”, he screamed.

“Hmm-Hmm Not this time. You got what you have to”, came the reply.

So, who was screaming for help? What happened? Do you think he did something wrong?

Well... to find out more…listen in to this “Trick the Trickster” folktale that comes all the way from Africa specially for this month of April!

Happy Listening!

Do check out my FB Page : https://www.facebook.com/KathaGalatta/

Do you create audio books? Need a Voice Over artist? 

Do you want to organize/host a storytelling event at your place? Or do you want to do a story-based workshop for children/adults? 

Then, pls do reach out at kathagalatta.bang@gmail.com.

Also do write in to me for story requests and feedback.

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Today, the 14th of January, the entire India celebrates the harvest festival - Makar Sankaranti/Pongal/Uttarayan/Lohri etc. But do you know that in one hilly region up in the north of India, people offer sweet preparations to Crows?

Isn't this so unique?

But how did it all start?

Go on...listen to this story that comes from Kumaon in the hilly state of Uttarakhand to find out more...

Happy Listening!

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Dooby felt all alone especially tonight. And then he heard a sound... Then a voice spoke, "Hello old fellow!". He turned and looked at the old man. Dooby thought he knew him yet he was nervous... And then...

Ahaa! If you want to know more, then go on and listen to this heartwarming tale brought to you specially for the festive season of Christmas and New Year!

Wishing all my dear listeners a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Happy Listening!

Do write in to us your feedback/comments and any story requests to kathagalatta.bang@gmail.com

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He moaned and groaned. He was not happy the way he was and so he wished. And it happened. But was he happy?

Listen in to this folktale from Japan, to find out more.

Happy Listening!

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This Children's Day, listen to this special story, a beautiful folktale from China in which an old King is on the lookout for the next King/Queen. And so, he does an interesting proclamation for all the children of his kingdom giving them a task. What is that task? Do the children do it? Does the King identify the next successor?

To know more, do listen to the story.

Happy Listening!

Do write in to us at kathagalatta.bang@gmail.com. If you like our stories, pls write your reviews on your FB page tagging KATHA GALATTA and if instagram, it is kathagalatta.meenu. Thank you!

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A Queen loses her favorite necklace gifted by the King on Diwali morning. This necklace lands at the doorstep of Manjula, a washerwoman. Does she keep it to herself? It's the Diwali night and something interesting happens. Listen to know more.

Music Credits : https://www.fesliyanstudios.com/royalty-free-sound-effects-download/

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A folktale from India which has a wicked character trying to bully and dominate the weaker one. So, does the wicked one succeed? 

Can you guess which state this folktale is from? Do write in your answers to us.

Happy Listening!

Story Credits:

Kaka and Munni by Pratham Books

Written by Natasha Sharma.

Released under CC BY 4.0 License.

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Today, the 1st of April is known as April Fool's Day when we play harmless tricks on others. So, go on and listen to this traditional trickster tale to know who tricked whom...

Credits:

Mrs Chicken and Hungry Crocodile

by Won-Ldy Paye, Margaret H. Lippert

Illustrated by Julie Paschkis

Published May 1st 2003 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

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It was a long time back, very long time back, one day or was it night? It was dark everywhere and freezing cold! And NO SUN IN THE SKY!

WHY? WHAT HAPPENED?

Listen to the story to know what happened?

Credits:

The Seventh Sun: A Tribal Tale From Odisha, India

Author - Indian Folktale

Illustration - Pratham Books

Language - English

Level - First paragraphs

© Pratham Books 2014

Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0

Source www.africanstorybook.org

Original source www.prathambooks.org

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While challenges come to Tenali Raman every time, for once it was Tenali Raman who took up a challenge on his own!  And of course, he again proves he is the best in town! So what happened? What was the challenge this time?

To know more, listen to this funny story...

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Have you ever tried finding someone else's mother tongue, without directly asking them? 

Listen to this story to know how Tenali Raman did that.

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The ministers in the Kingdom of Vijayanagara are given a challenge. Days go by and the ministers are not able to solve it. Now it is the turn of Tenali Rama who too struggles. Does he solve it?

Listen to this interesting story to know what happened.

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Listen to yet another interesting tale where Tenali Raman helps King resolve a tricky problem!

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In this yet another witty and wise tale Tenali Raman proves how foolish it is to keep superstitious beliefs.

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Listen to this beautiful tale of how Tenali Raman uses his wit to help the royal parrot get back his freedom.

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Can a reward also be a punishment? 

Then listen to this story to know how.

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This is another witty tale of Tenali Raman where he uses his wit and wisdom to outwit a proud scholar.

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Another witty tale of Tenali Raman where he outwits thieves who try to rob his house.

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This is the story of how Raman of Tenali met the King Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara empire for the first time and became the court jester.

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Having grown up listening to stories, one of the first stories that I remember listening to, as a child are the stories of Tenali Raman! Who doesn’t enjoy stories of Tenali Raman! Right? And so, I decided to start off this pod series with the one-and-only Tenali Raman Tales!

We know his stories are popular for his wit and humour. But this name and fame did not happen so easily but with the blessings of Goddess Kali. But how? Let's listen...