Chandigarh26.10.25-: Today, under the guidance of Dr. Manmohan Singh, Chairman of the Chandigarh Sahitya Academy alongwith Dr. Anish Garg, Vice Chairman, Subhash Bhaskar, Secretary a successful session of “Kahani Darbar” (Story Court) was organized. The program was presided over by the renowned writer and storyteller Gulzar Singh Sandhu.

Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurated the event by extending a warm welcome to all the storytellers. He said that a storyteller possesses a rare gift -the ability to observe the characters and incidents around him with insight, and to blend imagination and creativity to craft a compelling story.

The session began with Delhi-based author Kesra Ram, who vividly depicted the experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic in his story. Senior storyteller Gyan Prakash Vivek from Bahadurgarh narrated a moving tale portraying the emotions and pain of a character compelled to leave his city. This was followed by Dr. Rajendra Kumar Kanojia, who brought the main door of a house to life through his sensitive expression and dialogue.

Writer Sunaina Jain presented her English story “The Patience Stone”, highlighting how the protagonist’s ideal “Aunty Ji” stands firm like a rock and calm, confident, and composed even in the face of adversity. Poet and storyteller Jitender Parwaz shared the touching story of a poor boy, Deepu, who feels disheartened when he is not chosen to play Lakshman in the Ramlila, as preference is always given to children from affluent families. However, fate takes a turn when the chosen actor declines, and Deepu finally gets the role.

In his vote of thanks, Vice Chairman Dr. Anish Garg said that today’s Kahani Darbar felt like a festival of words and emotions. The stories presented were not just narratives of events but reflections of lived experiences and deep sensitivity.

The event was graced by eminent literary figures including Jang Bahadur Goyal, Prof. Ashok Sabharwal, Dr. Parveen Kumar, Gul Chauhan, Baljeet, Santosh Dhiman, Prem Vij, Dr. Harbans Kaur, Deepak Chinarthal, Amandeep Saini, and Ashok Bhandari Nadir.