Udaipur, December, 2025: The Udaipur Tales International Storytelling Festival organised a unique Jail Storytelling Competition at Udaipur Central Jail on December 23, 2025, as part of its outreach initiatives ahead of the festival’s seventh edition. The initiative brought together inmates within the prison to participate in a structured storytelling programme aimed at fostering creative expression, emotional reflection and confidence-building through the oral storytelling tradition.
Designed as a humane and meaningful cultural intervention, the programme encouraged inmates to share personal narratives shaped by resilience, transformation, hope and lived experience. The session witnessed enthusiastic participation, reflecting Udaipur Tales’ inclusive ethos of taking storytelling beyond conventional spaces and amplifying voices from marginalised communities, including those within the prison system.
Speaking on the initiative, Salil Bhandari, Founder of Udaipur Tales International Storytelling Festival, said,“As the main edition of the festival approaches, this storytelling competition at Udaipur Central Jail stands as a testament to Udaipur Tales’ commitment to inclusivity, social impact, and the transformative power of stories, reaffirming the belief that every individual—regardless of circumstance—has a story worth telling”.
The jail-based storytelling competition formed part of the festival’s broader pre-event outreach initiatives, which focus on nurturing storytelling talent across diverse and unconventional settings. For many participants, the platform offered a rare opportunity for self-expression, emotional release and meaningful connection with fellow inmates and facilitators.
The programme began with a yoga and grounding session conducted by Ashutosh Pandey, creating a calm and reflective atmosphere. This was followed by storytelling performances where inmates—some hesitant, some confident—shared narratives rich in humour, strength, unity and hope. A notable aspect of the session was the encouragement and support participants extended to one another, reinforcing a strong sense of community and empathy within the group.
Advisors and associates of Udaipur Tales, including CharulChoyal, Shibli Khan and Ashutosh Pandey, highlighted storytelling as a powerful tool for rehabilitation, emotional well-being and personal growth, emphasising its role in fostering introspection, human connection and mutual understanding. Jail officials also appreciated the initiative, noting that such creative engagements play a positive role in boosting inmate morale and offering constructive avenues for self-reflection.
The programme concluded on an uplifting note with a musical jamming session, where participants came together through rhythm and song, further strengthening bonds of camaraderie and shared expression.