Udaipur Tales International Storytelling Festival Returns for Its 7th Edition in January 2026
The Udaipur Tales International Storytelling Festival is set to return for its 7th edition from January 9 to 11, 2026, bringing three days of live storytelling, cultural performances, and intimate artistic exchanges to the heart of Udaipur.
Announced this November, the festival continues to build on its reputation as one of India’s leading platforms dedicated to the art of oral storytelling. Founded by Sushmita Singha and Salil Bhandari, Udaipur Tales celebrates stories told the traditional way — without scripts, screens, or digital devices. Each session is designed to be personal and immersive, with only 350 to 400 listeners allowed per performance, ensuring that the connection between storyteller and audience remains uninterrupted.
The festival draws audiences from across India and abroad by showcasing a wide variety of storytelling genres. Visitors can expect contemporary narratives, romance, dastangoi, historical stories, mystery, horror, thriller, folklore and more. Every performance contributes to a larger celebration of human experiences and creative expression, making Udaipur Tales a sought-after cultural event in Rajasthan.
The 2026 edition will offer a diverse range of programming, including:
• Live storytelling by national and international performers
• Master Storyteller honours presented to two artists chosen by an experienced jury
• Folk and musical performances featuring regional traditions
• A special children’s segment designed to spark imagination and creativity
Speaking on the announcement, co-founder Sushmita Singha shared, “Storytelling is the purest form of human connection. Each edition of Udaipur Tales is about rediscovering that bond through voices, traditions, and experiences that move us. The 2026 edition brings together a diverse community of storytellers and listeners to celebrate narratives that unite, inspire, and transform.”
Performer and singer Meiyang Chang added, “The magic of stories and the spoken word will always bring people together, especially in a world full of distractions. Music, too, is a form of storytelling passed from soul to soul. I’m excited to perform at Udaipur Tales and share that connection.”
The lineup for Udaipur Tales 2026 includes Arif Zakaria, Divy Nidhi Sharma, Meiyang Chang, Danish Hussain, Mayur Kalbag, Tenny Wizard of Ra, Prithwiraj Choudhury, Geetika Lidder, Vilas Janve, Jyoti Pandey and several others. In a meaningful addition this year, inmates from Udaipur’s Central Jail will perform as storytellers and musicians, sharing narratives shaped by their own lived experiences.
Inclusivity remains at the heart of the festival. Sign-language interpreters, participation from blind school students, open-mic sessions under the Jamghat segment, and children’s storytelling contests ensure that voices of all kinds find a place at Udaipur Tales.
The festival continues to champion the oral storytelling tradition, offering a space where people of all ages gather to listen, reflect, and carry stories forward. For Udaipur Tales, storytelling is not just an art form — it is an exchange of emotion, memory, and human connection.
