It is quite strange how such an evident characteristic of storytelling never struck me before. But then, I did not have an experience with dastangoi. During a workshop conducted by Mahmood Farooqui and Danish Hussain, one of the fundamental truths was realized – what you believe is what you see.
What is Dastangoi?
The word ‘Dastangoi’ is the amalgamation of the Persian words for epic (Dastan) and telling (goi). These dastans, coming from an oral tradition, were medieval romantic tales full of magic, adventure and warfare that were recited aloud for an audience.
Dastangoi: Don’t Stop Believing
“Yahaan wahi hai jo aitbaar kiya,” says Mahmood. If a dastango (the storyteller) can make the audience believe in everything that he creates, then all of it is happening. When his performance makes things/events look plausible, the storyteller is no longer questioned on the basis of facts.
Dastangoi: Because there is no end
Recently, I was telling one of the episodes from Dastan-e-Amir Hamza to a six year old girl. She held on to every word so carefully. As the episode ended, I told her how that part of the story was over. She asked, “So, does the story end?” “No,” I replied, “stories never end.” She smiled and said, “Yes, that’s the way it should be. Stories are not supposed to have an ending. Continue.” And then, I moved on to the next episode. Here is hoping that the story of dastangoi continues.
Mark Twain said
Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot.
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Author’s Notice.
I loved reading this. There are many reasons for that. All my life I believed that what you see is what you believe. And you, Ankit, put a different perspective out there… what you believe is what you see. How true! Often we choose to hear or see only what we believe. The second reason for which I loved this was how simple the post was… almost like a story itself. Moreover, it took me back to sitting at Barista listening to one of the dastans. In this post you referred to narrating a story to a child. What I believe is that stories well told bring out the child in us… a child who is ready to believe in magicians and laugh at the antics of children. And yes, such a journey… a journey towards learning to being childlike… should never end.