Storytime With Silambam

Through the Storytime With Silambam project, we aim to bring to you a treasure trove of stories from Indian mythology and folk culture, presented in a unique narrative style that incorporates facial and gestural storytelling (abhinaya), the hallmark of Indian classical dance tradition. We hope you enjoy learning about these stories and cultural traditions as much as we enjoy bringing them to you!

Silambam programming is supported by grants from Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, Dance Source Houston, and the National Endowment for the Arts

Naughty child, playful teen, dashing hero, or wise mentor? Krishna, said to be an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, is all of these things at once. Of the innumerable stories and anecdotes about this beloved Indian deity, this Storytime video describes the events that lead to Krishna’s slaying of the evil demon, Narakasura. The echoes of that victory are heard today, every year, when the world celebrates Deepavali, or Diwali - The Festival of Lights.

The mastermind of the epic war, the Kurukshetra, Shakuni is widely regarded as a twisted, cunning schemer driven by hatred and revenge. This Storytime video explores Shakuni’s motives and discovers another side to this important character of the Mahabharata.

The crown prince of Hastinapura, Duryodhana is known for his jealous hatred of his cousins, the Pandavas, which sparked the Kurukshetra war. But his deep love and abiding loyalty to his friend, Karna, is another side of his character. In this Storytime video, we delve into the lasting bond of friendship between these two men, which went well beyond the limitations of wealth, birth, and family ties.

The inspiring story of Abhimanyu in the Mahabharata is held up as the ideal of principled valor in the face of adversity. The son of Arjuna, and nephew and protegé of Krishna, Abhimanyu showed a level of skill and strategy that was unparalleled in one so young. We delve into his childhood, and explore the influences that shaped his early life.

Subhadra is variously referred to, in the classic Indian epic Mahabharata, as the wife of the peerless warrior Arjuna, mother of the brave young Abhimanyu, sister of Krishna, and grandmother of Parikshit. In her own right, she was a feisty princess of the city of Dwaraka, who took her destiny into her own hands, falling in love with, and eloping with, her beloved Arjuna.