There exists a profound adage that underscores the significance of allowing one's work to resonate on its own merits: "Let your work do the talking," as the saying goes. Syed Sahil Agha exemplifies this notion with unparalleled finesse, to the extent that his name has become synonymous, particularly within certain circles, with the art form he passionately engages in: Dastangoi. This mediaeval Urdu oral storytelling tradition, once dormant, has experienced a remarkable resurgence, and Agha's dedication and skill have played a pivotal role in its revival.
Syed Sahil Agha, aka Dastangoi, is a distinguished writer, author, and storyteller from New Delhi, renowned for his expertise in verbal storytelling preserved from the courts, katras and qissas of mediaeval India. Agha's literary contributions include the acclaimed book "Dastan-e-Hind," and he has showcased his talents in biographical storytelling and "QissaGoi." A master in dastangoi, Agha prefers solo performances and has left an indelible mark on India's cultural landscape as a revered figure in oral storytelling.
Agha now performs at various places, including the Udaipur Tales, a first of a kind cultural festival that aims at bringing to the forefront, preserving and archiving verbal forms of storytelling found in abundance in India. He spoke to Outlook Traveller about his initial interests, influences, style, current cultural climate and much more.
Please tell us about yourself and how you got interested in the Dastangoi form of storytelling.
I am a Dastangoi artist, born in Delhi in 1982. My father worked as a journalist, so I grew up surrounded by newspapers, magazines, and writing tools, playing with them before I could even walk. My mother used to sing me rhymes, poems, and folk stories to help me sleep.
I started my artistic career in theatre and stumbled upon Dastangoi (storytelling) by chance while at Jamia Millia Islamia as a BA student. During a cultural event, I told a story in Dastan form from a book I had read. The audience's loud applause gave me the confidence to pursue reading historical stories of cultural interest. I began reading about Khawaja Nizamuddin Aulia, a popular Sufi saint from the 14th century, and his disciples such as Ameer Khusrau, Rajkumar Hadev of Deulgaon, Khizer Khan Deval Rani's love story, Mirza Ghalib, and others. This is still my passion, and I must acknowledge my mother's help. She would recite stories from books to me late at night.
I have performed at several events since 2010 in different cities, but my big break came when Muzaffar Ali invited me to perform the story of Amir Khusrau in 2017-19 at his cultural event "Jahan-e-Khusrau." Since then, I have had numerous performances in India and abroad. I believe it is a God-given talent, and our sincere efforts always pay off. Passion has no limits.
Do you remember reading things or listening to tales during childhood that have stayed with you and even driven you to this storytelling?
It's unfortunate how the tradition of storytelling to children has dwindled over time. When I was growing up, my maternal grandmother and mother occasionally shared stories that contained valuable moral lessons. These stories have stayed with me throughout my life. Children often enjoy and remember such stories, and perhaps they sparked a love of storytelling in me.
How has being in Delhi and its environs helped or assisted your repository of stories? Has Delhi played any significant role?
Delhi has a rich and diverse history spanning many centuries. I have observed that people in Delhi are keenly interested in the stories of their surroundings. Adding a bit of politics and poetry to these stories makes them even more captivating. The cultural environment of Delhi is very conducive to the growth of various cultural activities, including Dastangoi, which is why the city sees so many colourful events...
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Moreover, many traditions in Delhi date back to even before the Sultanate period. However, it was during the Mughal era, when India was known as a "golden bird," that these traditions blossomed due to political stability and economic prosperity. In those days, entertainment included poetry recitals (Mushaira), storytelling, playing cards, chess, wrestling and much more.
What historical epoch captivates your storytelling passions the most? What draws you to this period in particular?
It's crucial to pick good stories and discard evil ones, regardless of their origin. Nowadays, we need to be aware of many myths surrounding the mediaeval era. As a nation, we shouldn't become slaves to the evils of the past but instead, pick the good things from that era. We must try to avoid feeling ill towards people but rather focus on condemning their bad deeds. Sometimes things are presented in a bad sense, but we must not forget our heritage of cultural harmony and tolerance. The wounds of the country's partition are still fresh, affecting every community and causing injuries due to population displacement. We should work towards healing these wounds rather than aggravating them. Our strength lies in our unity, so we must defeat any efforts that aim to undermine it. It is our moral duty as public performers to uphold this.
How do you prepare for a storytelling session? What sources do you subscribe to?
I work mostly alone when it comes to creating my performances, from choosing costumes and scripts to actually performing. To prepare my stories, I spend a lot of time reading both books and online resources to find authentic material to share with my audience. My goal is to spread messages of humility, humanity, love and tolerance through my performances. While the way I narrate is distinctly my style, the content of my stories comes from historical sources.
Amidst the emergence of contemporary heritage walkers crafting certain historical narratives, have you observed any shifts or burgeoning enthusiasm towards Dastangoi, the traditional art of storytelling from the past?
Nobody can admire misleading the people about our historical places or events. Barring a few, the “heritage walkers” are not students of history. Most of them are unemployed youth who find it as a way of earning. They are not concerned about facts and effects. I find the masses interested in truthful stories; otherwise, so many people will not be attracted to our Dastangoi shows.
Can Dastangoi transcend its traditional bounds to be incorporated into guided heritage tours, or is it confined solely to static storytelling? Considering the decline of art forms like Qawwali, what prospects lie ahead for these traditions in today's world, and how do they navigate contemporary relevance?
Both fields are distinct from each other, but there are no restrictions if one chooses to switch from one to the other. Most Qawwalis, a form of Sufi devotional music, rely on classical poetry. However, in this day and age, people seem to have lost touch with classical poetry and prose. Generally, folk or traditional artists often fail to understand the message conveyed in the short couplets. Nevertheless, Qawwalis sung in movies of the golden era are still popular.
Qawwalis are also frequently performed at the mausoleums of Sufi mystics in the evening and during the annual Urs festival. Unfortunately, other art forms are also quickly fading, and many are on the brink of extinction. In earlier times, landlords and state activists used to support such arts, but now, it is up to the government to provide the necessary support and protection to such artists. Protecting such art forms means preserving and saving our cultural heritage, providing livelihood opportunities, and creating engaging events for tourists.
Is the version of histories circulated these days and the forms in which they are circulated authentic to the past?
I believe it is the role of impartial historians to determine historical events. I have already opined my view that certain myths with political motives are being circulated. My interest in political events was sparked by listening to the experiences of my father's maternal uncle, Allama Akhlaq Husain Dehlvi, who shared his firsthand account of the partition with me when I was very young. His narration piqued my interest in historical events.
What do you think of your future as a storyteller? How do you plan to carry in the future?
The effort we put in today leads to a better tomorrow. The art of storytelling has evolved over time and is more impressive than it was in the past. We can only hope that it will continue to improve in the future. The progress we make today would have been unimaginable in the past. It's difficult to predict what the future holds, but festivals like Udaipur Tales are paving the way for the future of storytelling. Participating in this festival feels like I am contributing to the revival of the lost art of storytelling.
