Storytrails

We’re delighted that a digital engagement designed by for has bagged a silver at the WAN-IFRA Digital Media Awards South Asia 2023. ‘Chennai-A-Maze’ was a virtual treasure hunt that led participants to lesser known stories of landmarks in . Adapted for the Hindu’s campaign, it ran for a month as part of the events. The associated reels posted collaboratively with have generated millions of views and a lot of positive engagement. You can watch the reels by scrolling down this handle.

Congratulations to for bagging gold for the wonderfully executed campaign.

https://wan-ifra.org/2024/01/digital-media-awards-south-asia-2023-unveils-top-honours-for-digital-media-excellence/

Thank you for this recognition

won the ‘Best Niche Tourism Operator Award’ at the . We are delighted at this recognition of our work showcasing stories of Tamil Nadu through our audio tours, videos and reels. Thanks to Tamil Nadu Tourism and to all of you for your support and patronage!

How did a Britishman come to be known as the ‘father of local self-government in India’?

Our latest blog is about Lord Ripon, a Viceroy of India whose liberal policies were way ahead of his times – a man who championed the cause of Indians even as his own compatriots plotted his downfall.

Read our latest blog for his story: https://storytrails.in/history/lord-ripon-the-father-of-self-government-in-india/

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If you haven’t had enough of Chennai-a-Maze, well, we’ve got some news for you! Because of the overwhelming response to the daily challenge, we’ve decided to keep it going for a few more days! So head over to www.crossword.thehindu.com to continue playing the challenge – and don’t forget to watch this space for more Chennai reels!
The Hindu The Hindu Made Of Chennai Tamil Nadu Tourism

Dr. U.V. Swaminatha Iyer was only 32 when he published an edition of the great Tamil epic, Jeevaka Chintamani, on paper for the first time. This was the culmination of a seven-year quest that had taken him to the remotest corners of Tamil Nadu.

Read our latest blog for his story: https://storytrails.in/people/uvesa-the-man-who-rediscovered-ancient-tamil-literature/

Are you a master of all things Madras?
Time to put your Chennai chops to the test!
The Hindu presents Chennai-a-Maze by Storytrails, a virtual hunt for stories of the city.
The contest is live now!
Visit www.crossword.thehindu.com to play the daily Storytrails challenge.
And follow Storytrails on Instagram and Facebook () to watch the related story-reels the next day.
Come, join the hunt for Chennai's greatest stories!
The Hindu Made Of Chennai

Different communities across the world celebrate New Year on different days, based on the calendars they follow. The Parsi community, however, celebrates their New Year's Day or Navroze twice a year!

Read our latest blog to find out why. https://storytrails.in/religions/the-parsi-new-year-a-story-of-two-calendars/

Have you signed up for our upcoming online session on the Buddhist relics of Amaravati? Join us as we explore the story of Buddhism in India through glorious works of art, folklore, archaeological evidence and conversations with our subject matter expert.

Our guest speaker for this session, Y.S. Alone is a professor at the School of Arts and Aesthetics, Jawaharlal Nehru University. An expert in Indian art history, Prof. Alone has written several research papers on Indian art, Ajanta and other Buddhist caves and popular neo-Buddhist visual culture. He has delivered lectures at prestigious institutions in India and abroad and has also served as a member of various Government of India committees including the Planning Commission, as an advisor for NCERT and a consultant for the Ministry of Culture.

Date and time: 13 August, 3 PM
Click the link below to register!
https://storytrails.in/event/the-relics-of-amaravati/

Travel back in time to explore events that transpired after the death of Buddha; events that were instrumental in the spread of Buddhism. Join us for an exciting online session where we trace the rise and spread of Buddhism through marvellous art, mighty patrons, catastrophic wars, and much more…

Click the link below to register!
https://storytrails.in/event/the-relics-of-amaravati/

Date and Time: 13 August 2023, 3 - 4:30 PM

The Mongols were infamous for their remarkable conquests that spanned a vast expanse of the world. Yet, they were never able to conquer Delhi, despite it being within striking distance. Why? The answer is most likely – Alauddin Khilji. The Mongols’ repeated attempts to capture Delhi were thwarted by Khilji’s resolute defence.

Click the link below to read more.
https://storytrails.in/people/the-mad-king-and-the-mongols/
Image credit - By Nvvchar. – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6832995

What happened when the remnants of a Buddhist stupa built by the mighty Satavahana kings were unearthed by chance in the city of Amaravati? Who were these Hindu kings who patronised Buddhist art?

This is the story of the discovery of the oldest Buddhist art in the world! Travel back in time with us to explore the events that transpired after the death of Buddha and were instrumental in the spread of Buddhism, and which eventually led to the building of grand stupas and the development of magnificent Buddhist art.

Click https://storytrails.in/event/the-relics-of-amaravati/ to register now!

Date and Time: 23 July 2023, 3.30 – 4.45 PM
On Zoom

One of the many ways in which the British East India Company gained control over various regions of India was by forging advantageous friendships with local rulers and getting involved in internal politics. And some conquests were made simply through financial wheeling and dealing…

Click the link below to read more.
https://storytrails.in/history/the-loan-sharks-of-the-carnatic/

His face can be seen on Portuguese bank notes. There are gardens in Lisbon and in Goa that are named after him. He wrote one of the first books printed in India. And yet, his body was actually dug up and burned in a posthumous public denouncement. This is the story of Garcia de Orta, a Portuguese physician who fled to India.

Click the link below to read more.
https://storytrails.in/history/the-portuguese-doctor-who-fled-to-india/

Scenes from a workshop at Sprouts Montessori, where our storyteller Lakshmi regaled a bright-eyed audience of over 50 children with stories of the Keeladi excavations in Tamil Nadu. There were tales of a world-travelling bead, skeletons with toothy smiles intact, mysterious scripts that nobody can read yet, and more!

Only 3 more days to go for our online session around astronomy and calendars!
Join us as we chart the history of timekeeping, demystify the Hindu calendar, and puzzle over the connection between astronomy and astrology.

Our subject matter expert is Dr. Bhasker Moorthy, a Professor of Astronomy at Harper College in the Chicago area. Dr. Bhasker has a PhD in Astronomy from New Mexico State University and a Bachelors in Physics and Astronomy from the University of Washington.

Click https://storytrails.in/event/astronomy-and-the-hindu-calendar/ to register now!

Once a thriving Dutch colony, Sadras is an obscure town lost in the annals of history. Today, the echoes of its captivating past linger amidst the scattered ruins of Sadras Fort, where the legends of a ghostly Dutchman abound.

Click the link below to read its story.
https://storytrails.in/history/the-forgotten-fort-of-sadras/

What is time? This is not a question that can be easily answered even today. Yet, many ancient cultures came up with their own ways of measuring time by turning to the celestial bodies they could see in the sky. How the modern world has reconciled these various timekeeping ways makes for a rather interesting story – and affects our daily lives even today.

Why do different communities in India celebrate New Year on a different day every year? Why do some festival dates change annually while some remain the same? What is the concept of ‘tithi’? How is the Hindu calendar different from the other calendars?

Join Storytrails on a one-of-a-kind online session, where we demystify the science behind the Hindu calendar as we tell the story of time. Our subject matter expert for this session is Dr. Bhasker Moorthy, Professor of Astronomy, Harper College.

This is an event you don’t want to miss! Click https://storytrails.in/event/astronomy-and-the-hindu-calendar/ to register.

Date and Time: 9 July 2023, 6.30 - 7.45 PM IST
On Zoom

The women of the Mughal Empire were not mere ornaments in the imperial court. They were educated, artistic and commercially and politically savvy, and significantly influenced government decisions even during Aurangzeb’s dictatorial reign. Click the link below to read more.
https://storytrails.in/history/the-women-behind-the-mughal-throne-the-story-of-jahanara-roshanara-and-gauhar-ara/


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Take a deep-dive into Indian history and culture with Storytrails every Sunday.
Join us on engaging sessions covering a wide range of topics and interact with our storytellers and subject matter experts…from any part of the world.

These events are free for Storytrails members. Visit www.youtube.com//join and click the ‘Join’ button to sign up today!

A riveting online session around the path-breaking Keeladi excavations

How do archaeologists know where to dig? How do they draw conclusions about ancient settlements from bits and pieces of archaeological evidence?

Our subject matter expert this time is Dr. D. Dayalan, former director of the Archaeological Survey of India and currently the Archaeological Advisor to the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology. A renowned archaeologist and art historian, he has discovered a number of ancient sites and partici­pated in more than 12 excavations in various parts of India.

Date and Time: 25 June, 3 - 4.15 PM
On Zoom

Click the link to book your spot now: https://storytrails.in/event/the-keeladi-excavations/

The Cholas were known to be passionate patrons of art and culture - and a number of grand temples in Tamil Nadu stand testament to that. But did you know that they also invested heavily in water resource projects? Some of those waterbodies still exist today. Click the link to read more https://storytrails.in/history/the-cholas-as-hydraulic-engineers/

How old are the oldest settlements in south India? What was life like in these settlements? What do we know about their languages, scripts, trade, and burial practices?

Our upcoming live session will take you through the highlights of one of the most significant archaeological excavations in recent times: the Keeladi excavations, which have pushed the known timelines of south Indian civilisation to at least the 6th century BCE!

And joining us for this session is a very special guest – Dr Dayalan Duraiswamy, former director of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), a renowned archaeologist and art historian.

Limited spots. Click the link below to register for the event now!

Date and time: 25 June, 3-4.15 PM IST
On Zoom

Click the link to register now - https://storytrails.in/event/the-keeladi-excavations/

The 63 Nayanmars – poet-saints devoted to Shiva – were among the earliest ambassadors of the Bhakti movement. Karaikal Ammaiyar was one of the three women who were part of the group. Once a great beauty, she is usually depicted as a ‘ghoul’, apparently a form she begged to be blessed with! This is her story. Read the full story on our website https://storytrails.in/religions/the-story-of-karaikal-ammaiyar/




Image credit: By Ssriram mt - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37542405

Calling all young history lovers!

Join Storytrails on a special walk through Egmore Museum as we explore fascinating remnants of ancient Indian history.

Click the link below to register now!
https://storytrails.in/event/an-adventure-at-egmore-musuem-kids-special/

Date & Time: 18 June, 10.30 AM - 12 PM
Ages 7-12

Inviting young history lovers for a special children’s trail at Egmore Museum – conducted by Storytrails!

The second oldest museum in India, the Egmore Museum in Chennai, is home to a dazzling array of exhibits that tell sparkling stories. There are ancient artefacts that tell us how people in different parts of India lived thousands of years ago. There are intricate sculptures made of bronze that spark awe and wonder. There are tales carved into stone, weapons used in wars of yore, and objects that are simply…mysteries. All of these offer clues to unlocking India’s curious and colourful history.

Discover the stories behind the most fascinating sights of Egmore Museum, and explore Indian history like never before!

Date and time: 18 June, 10.30 AM - 12 PM
Age group: 7 - 12 years
Limited seats. Register now!

To register, visit https://storytrails.in/event/an-adventure-at-egmore-musuem-kids-special/

Last Sunday, our storytellers had the pleasure of hosting over 30 bright, curious and enthusiastic children (and their families) on a romp through Indian history at Chennai’s Egmore Museum. The idea behind the walk was to take history beyond the classroom, build observation skills and set the stage for further explorations.

We are delighted to announce that we will be conducting the walk again this coming Sunday, on the 18th of June, 10.30 AM - 12 PM.

If you missed the walk last time, here’s your chance!

Click the link to register for the walk: https://storytrails.in/event/an-adventure-at-egmore-musuem-kids-special/



The New Indian Express

A few snapshots of our children's walk at Egmore Museum on Sunday, where our storytellers regaled more than 30 young history buffs (and their parents!) with stories behind the museum's many intriguing artefacts.

Our latest blog is about the extraordinary life of Begum Samru, who started out as a courtesan and went on to become the queen of Sardhana in Uttar Pradesh. Click the link below to read her story
https://storytrails.in/history/begum-samru-the-story-of-indias-only-christian-queen/

Only 2 days to go for our children’s special walk at Egmore Museum! Register now at https://storytrails.in/.../an-adventure-at-egmore-musuem.../

The walk is free for Storytrails members. Click the YouTube link below to sign up for a Storytrails membership.
https://www.youtube.com//join