Storytellers told stories on unsung heroes and martyrs
Our Constitution, now 75 years old, was the theme of the Open Mic held on the eve of Republic Day. Regular visitors to Open Mic, held on the last Sunday every month, narrated stories and facts about our Constitution. Some notes were compiled and drafted by Pramod Mishra, resident of Sector 72, and retired as additional secretary, Lok Sabha Secretariat. Topics covered were Artwork in the original Constitution, the inviolable basic structure of the Constitution, and the duty of responsible citizens to identify and endeavour to protect the basic pillars of our Constitution.
Two children also participated in Open Mic. One recited a patriotic poem, and the other recited an ode to the Constitution, narrating its history and role in shaping our democratic institutions.
Storytelling in Kahaani Square: Two storytellers from Delhi Storytellers’ Tribe, Astha Chadha and Swati Goyal, presented stories on unsung heroes and martyrs, one from during our freedom struggle and the other from the Air Force. The stories were preceded by a quiz centered around the Constitution and our Republic.
Astha Chadha narrated the story of Flying Officer Nirmaljeet Singh Sekhon, the only officer from Indian Air Force who has been awarded with Param Veer Chakra. The audience was captivated by how this 26-year-old martyr sacrificed his life in action during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. Later she narrated a hilarious folk tale of Bihar.
Swati Goyal narrated a lovely folk tale of Bundelkhand and then introduced us to Gulab Kaur, a member of the Gaddar Party who did not betray her comrades to the British despite being tortured during her two-year imprisonment.)
Look out for Sunday, 23 February, when we hold the next Daryaganj session, another exciting day for free giveaway and take away of books, Open Mic and Kahaani Square, with new stories.
