Indu Divya, founder of The Narrative in Chennai, hosts adult storytelling events focused on personal experiences at Sortd Cafe in Chennai on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: RAGHUNATHAN SR
There were notes written by story coach Indu Divya which sat in a basket asking questions such as, “When was the last time you felt seen?” And a group of people aged between 20 to 50 years, complete strangers, picked up these prompts and started narrating their stories at a storytelling event called ‘The Narrative’ in the city this month.
When we think of storytelling, it is mostly the children’s territory where storytellers perform stories with voice modulation and expression to hold their attention. What happened here was a reversal of that assumption, however. It was a storytelling event solely for the adults.
Ms. Divya told a story of her own, of ageing, of acceptance, starting with the silver strands of her hair. “The idea is to move beyond small talk, to connect with people, and to come to know them through their stories because loneliness is getting real,” she says.
“I did not come in with anything fully prepared, but the theme for today ‘Break the mold’ caught my attention. I am also here to listen and see what stories others arrive with,” said a participant Srikanth Gopalakrishnan. A long-time storyteller Kadambari who was fascinated about stories since childhood, narrated a personal anecdote which was tied to perseverance. She says storytelling is where she goes to meet her emotions. “I have always been asked to keep my words short everywhere else, but here I could slow down and take the audience inside a moment. Storytelling for adults doesn’t always impact you on the spot, it sits with you and hits you later. You may forget their names but their stories stick with you,” added she.
When people step into a space like this, they might instinctively feel intimidated, wondering whether they will be judged for their stories or their ability to tell them, comments Ms Divya, touching on the inherent vulnerability of personal storytelling. “But the truth is all of us are storytellers, and some of us have a stronger command over articulation,” she says. “What goes unspoken is our struggle to make new friendships as adults. Our social circle is limited to friends from school, college, workplaces, gym, or familiar community spaces. But a storytelling event cuts through that, where you’ll be able to identify potential friendships and grow those connections,” says she.
Published – February 03, 2026 05:30 am IST
