Have you been to a library that breathes?
Have you ever read a book that changes its narrative as you read it?
Think this would only be possible in a work of fantasy?Well, we have made it a reality. In a world where we inhabit reality through multiple screens, where conversations are few and chats, emails, likes, and shares, are aplenty, we create a unique experience of finding the multitude of stories that makes each one of us. We are stories – each and every one of us. We are intricate stories that change and reshape as soon as it connects with any other story – our own or someone else’s.
In collaboration with Khoj we have facilitated किस्से connections 4 times over the last two months in Khirki. It is a space to get conversations going amongst the most unlikeliest of people. We reach out to people far and wide as well as within the community and seek madhatters who volunteers to be books. These volunteers pick an experience/memory from their lives and give it a title, record a short synopsis and send it our way. On the day of the event, readers throng our library, listen to synopses and pick the book they want to ‘read’. At their turn, they sit facing their ‘book’ and read the story by asking questions to the book. The depth of the story read is the responsibility of the reader. The right kinds of questions open up the doors to magical realisations.
We have created a collection of 22 books to date and more than 80 people have visited our breathing libraries. Intriguing conversations and deep realisations aside, किस्से Connection has begun creating a space for people to talk to ‘others’ – a space that allows for an emotional connection with those we never thought could share our own lived experiences.
We are hoping to spread these germs of connecting and even empathising with strangers far and wide.
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