Udaipur Tales 2026 to Host Over 3000 Participants Across Three Days of Global Storytelling

Oral Traditions, Genre Diversity, Music and Inclusive Participation at Udaipur Tales 2026

Udaipur Tales International Storytelling Festival will return for its seventh edition from January 9 to January 11, 2026, in Udaipur. Founded in 2017 by Sushmita Singha and Salil Bhandari, the festival aims to revive the practice of oral storytelling, performed without reading, scripts, or digital devices. The event is designed to encourage connection between storytellers and audiences, with adult sessions limited to three hundred and fifty to four hundred listeners to maintain intimacy.

Founded in 2017, Udaipur Tales highlights oral storytelling through contemporary performance and has hosted participants from multiple countries, aiming to connect people through shared human experience.

The festival features a range of narrative forms, including contemporary, romance, dastangoi, historical, mystery, horror, thriller and folk. Each genre provides a different lens through which stories are interpreted, presented and received.

Singha said, “Storytelling is the purest form of human connection. Each edition of Udaipur Tales is about rediscovering that bond — through voices, traditions, and experiences that move us. The 2026 edition will bring together a diverse community of storytellers and listeners to celebrate narratives that unite, inspire, and transform. Udaipur Tales is about stories that connect us — raw, real, and human.”

Artists, Performances and Recognition in 2026

The 2026 edition will include performances by a mix of national and international artists, as well as the Honouring of Master Storytellers, during which two storytellers selected by an eminent jury will be recognised for their contributions of more than 15 years to oral storytelling. The recognition will be followed by short narrations by the honoured artists.

Singer Meiyang Chang said, “The magic of stories and the spoken word, especially in a hyper distracted and splintered world, will always bring people together. And what is music if not stories set to a tune, passed on from soul to soul? For that very reason, I look forward to performing at Udaipur Tales, binding everyone together in soothing music, comforting words and infectious smiles.”

The lineup includes Arif Zakaria, Divy Nidhi Sharma, Danish Hussain, Mayur Kalbag, Prithwiraj Choudhury, Geetika Lidder, Vilas Janve, Jyoti Pandey and others. A notable initiative will see performers from Udaipur’s Central Jail participate as artists, presenting music and stories.

Vision, Genres and Themes Planned for 2026

Sharing the broader vision, Bhandari said, “Udaipur Tales 2026 continues its mission of preserving and popularising the world’s oldest oral tradition of storytelling while creating a contemporary space where stories, communities and cultures meet. As the festival enters its seventh edition (9–11 January 2026), the vision is to deepen its global footprint while celebrating India's rich cultural fabric.”

Stories from different genres will unfold, including Mysticism and spiritual narratives (Aghori by Mayur Kalbag), Kissagoi (Danish Hussain), World Folklore (Under the African Sky by Maia Ganatra, Tanzania), Romance (Arif Zakaria’s Rickshaw: A Love Story), Slice of life (Divya Nidhi Sharma and Prithviraj Choudhury), Patriotism and stories of valour (Geetika Lidder’s Life of a Soldier’s Wife featuring Col. Rajinder Kumar Sharma), Music-led storytelling (Sufi Independent Music, Chang and Aanchal Shrivastava) and Satire (Vijay Kumar’s Bihar Mai Chunav karenge).

The festival’s narrative approach highlights the historical role of storytelling in conveying values, insights, and experience.

Programme Schedule for 2026

The festival will be held over three days, with children’s sessions in the mornings and main-stage performances in the evenings.

Day One – Friday, January 9, 2026

Morning sessions will feature Vilas Janve, Gouri Nilakantan and Rajesh Shinde, along with a music performance. The evening will open with Untold Stories: Unveiling, followed by Aghori by Mayur Kalbag, Under the African Sky by Maia Ganatra, Rickshaw: A Love Story by Arif Zakaria, Slice of Life by Divy Nidhi Sharma, and a performance of Sufi Independent Music (artist to be announced).

Day Two – Saturday, January 10, 2026

The morning will see Shona Malhotra, Gouri Nilakantan, Rajesh Shinde and the Jail University Band. The evening includes the recognition of two master storytellers, who will also narrate work, followed by Col. Rajinder Kumar Sharma on War and peacekeeping, Kissagoi by Danish Hussain, and a Hindi/Urdu band performance by Chang.

Day Three – Sunday, January 11, 2026

The morning features Life of a Soldier’s Wife by Geetika Lidder, African Stories by Maia Ganatra, Urmila (wife of Lakshman) by Jyoti Pande, and Niraj ki Kahani by Ajay Kumar and Shashank. The evening will include Bihar Mai Chunav larenge by Vijay Kumar, Slice of Life by Prithwiraj Choudhury, Autobiographical performance by Divya Dutt, and Sufi qawwali by Aanchal Shrivastava.

Programming Does Not Follow Themes by Design

Singha explained that the festival is not built around themes. She said, “We have not designed the festival to follow any theme. Every story integrates and works towards our mission. This aligns with Udaipur Tales’ mission to hold space for both ancient traditions and modern storytelling forms.”

Inclusivity and Accessibility Initiatives

Inclusivity remains central to the festival’s identity. Programming includes the Jail University Band, reflecting an approach that engages rehabilitative and community-led art.
Performers such as Vilas Janve work with hearing-impaired and community groups, contributing to accessible formats.
Global representation will include performers from Tanzania and Israel. Programming spans satire, history, mysticism, tragedy, humour, mime, folklore, and autobiographical storytelling, allowing audiences of varied backgrounds to engage. Morning sessions engage school groups, while Jamghat provides an open-mic platform for college-goers and aspiring storytellers.

Audience Response and Programming Evolution

The 2026 programme reflects insights from previous editions. School participation reached almost 3,000 in two days, resulting in two full mornings of programming for children.
Demand for music-led storytelling has increased, as reflected in performances by Sufi Independent Music, Chang, and Aanchal Shrivastava. Interest in international performers continues through participation by Tanzania and Israel. The popularity of dastangoi and traditional formats has driven their inclusion again.

New Additions and Experiences for 2026

Attendees can expect a genre-diverse opening day, including African folktales and stories on Aghoris, followed by Kissagoi and romance, and later historical, autobiographical and slice-of-life formats. There will be an evening dedicated to Honouring Master Storytellers.
The festival will expand on music-led storytelling, including performances by Chang and Shrivastava, as well as contemporary dance set to the sounds of bells. Community-led initiatives include the Jail University Band and Jamghat, both with open mics for all participants. Programming has been structured to serve children, families, art-lovers and storytelling enthusiasts, and a bazaar of handmade products and food will be available.

The Tickets are available on BookMyShow.