The ParrotHouse Podcast
A Centre for Contemporary Folklore X Parwana Theatre Production
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WELCOME TO THE PARROTHOUSE PODCAST
Catch a glimpse of the podcast that dives into India’s rich landscapes of folklore, unravelling a fascinating journey through India’s cultural past. We invite you to embark on crisp, fascinating journeys. Make your way through India’s cultural past, designed to entertain, educate, and inspire a deeper appreciation for India’s intangible heritage! Each episode features a unique folk tale from different regions of India.
Season 1 (Episode 01- 05) of the ParrotHouse Podcast was produced with support from the Hyundai Art for Hope Grant.
We now bring you Season 2 (Episodes 06- 10) that has been independently produced by The Centre for Contemporary Folklore in collaboration with Parwana Theatre.
This folk story is the timeless Punjabi folktale of Sohni and Mahiwal — a tale of forbidden love, longing, and fate is revived to life.
Let this folktale from Tamil Nadu carry you across the veil of time, from murmurs of the living to the wispy whispers of the dead.
In this story, the King’s hidden truth divulges and finds itself a voice, questioning the dynamics between power and silence.
Would you love your soulmate if it were a dung-rolling, stink collecting, beetle? But more importantly, would it love you back, human?
The tale is one of true altruism, of finding unanticipated eternity in the grandest of places by the smallest of creatures.
A story from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands about a community’s forgotten bond with nature.
Set in the forests of Manipur, this tale follows a jackal whose discovery of a coin stirs ambition and deception.
A folk story from Punjab that challenges traditional ideas of strength and leadership.
A mysterious folktale from South India that questions our understanding of the ocean.
This folk story follows an housewife whose unsung song takes on a life of its own, reminding us that some stories refuse to stay silent.
OUR JOURNEY
This Podcast is a labour of love. We collaborated with illustrators and visual artists to transform the stories into engaging visuals.
Our team has spent hours of extensive experimentation with soundscapes, voice performances, and music to build an immersive world for our ourselves and our community.
AIM
Preserve and Revitalize Indian Folklore – ParrotHouse aims to celebrate and secure India’s rich folklore traditions by making them accessible and engaging for a contemporary audience across the country and beyond.
Amplify Underrepresented Narratives – The podcast will bring forward diverse oral traditions and overlooked stories, ensuring a more inclusive representation of India’s cultural heritage.
IMPACT
Cultural Awareness & Education – By highlighting the historical and cultural context of each tale, the podcast hopes to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of folklore as something more significant than entertainment.
Bridging Generations & Audiences – Unlike existing folklore podcasts primarily aimed at children, ParrotHouse is crafted and molded for a broader audience, making traditional stories relevant and insightful for all ages.
THE PROCESS
HYUNDAI’S ART FOR HOPE GRANT 2025 (For Season 1)
The Hyundai Art for Hope exhibition (February 27 – March 2, 2025): The Hyundai Art for Hope grant has been a transformative force for both CCF and Parwana Theatre. This grant allowed and encouraged us to think beyond conventional retellings, integrating elements of theater, sound, and cultural research into our work.
This grant gave us the incredible opportunity to present our labor of love to an audience, officially showcasing our podcast to the world. The experience was both exhilarating and deeply fulfilling as we watched people engage with, and appreciate the stories we have carefully curated and brought to life.
INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE TRANSLATIONS
We also took up the task of creating Indian Sign Language (ISL) translations for our podcast episodes after having met enthusiastic audiences who wished to access these narrations in a visual medium. Our display in the Hyundai Exhibition allowed us to realize the need to cater to diverse audiences with diverse needs. The ISL translations are a first step towards this endeavour to engage wider audiences.
We give our thanks to the HYUNDAI ART FOR HOPE EXHIBITION
