Avatavva is a Prakrit word that means inexpressible and indescribable. This word can be used as in the Sanskrit words Neti Neti, not this not this like situations. When something can’t be described it is called Avatavva in Prakrit. The nature of cosmic reality which Sanskrit tells us can’t be described is a typical Avatavva instance.

Prakrit is a language at once fluid and classical. It has the strength of Sanskrit with the flexibility of modern languages. It is considered a middle Indic language. If we make an effort to learn Prakrit, we will swim in the sea of Indic literature. From the 2nd century to the 18th century Prakrit was the Indic language of its literature. Sanskrit was the language of the yagna and Prakrit was the language of those learned in Literature. It was also the language of Jaina Scriptures.

In India, we find the concept of bhasha traya or the triple split of languages – Sanskrit, Prakrit and the vernacular (Tamil, Kannada, etc,). Prakrit was considered to be the language of the snakes. It was believed to be Patal Bhasha – language of the netherworlds or nagbhasa – the language of the snakes.

What makes a city a space of storytellers?

In this thoughtful conversation, Geetha Ramanujam reflects on Bangalore —

its stories, its traditions, and the deeper role storytelling plays in shaping culture.

From the story of Punyakoti to the living heritage of Janapada Loka,

she reminds us that storytelling is not something we simply learn —

it is something we inherit, live, and carry forward.

In a world that leans towards information and writing,

this is a gentle return to:

 listening

 memory

 oral traditions

And what truly makes a storyteller.

If this resonates with you,

Kathalaya offers spaces to explore storytelling more deeply:

 For details: 82773 89840

 Certified Intensive Beginner Storytelling Course 

Batch 183

 Kathalaya Centre, Bangalore

 April 17–19

Register: https://forms.gle/8B2xAo9oQAia7pdH6

Batch 184

 Defence Colony, Delhi

 June 5-7

Register: https://forms.gle/fZDxPTtSmXnhUSBC6

Batch 185

 Himalayan Writing Retreat, Satkhol, Uttarakhand

 June 12-15

Register: https://www.himalayanwritingretreat.com/event/storytelling-course-kathalaya/

 The Diploma in Storytelling 

Batch 39

  Kathalaya Centre, Bangalore

 June 14-17

Register: https://forms.gle/CA4t9jBArZgVLKrG6

  Antardhwani Retreat – The Storytellers’ Inner voice

  Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu

 July 17-19

Register: https://forms.gle/te5ZHJ3SZC6VyPxw6

Subject: Prehistory

Concept: Creeping creatures

In c. 580 million years ago soft bodied animals with flat, leaf shaped body appeared. They had no distinct heads or legs but were able to creep around the sea floor. Many of the fossils were found in Edicara Hills and were known as Edicara animals. A bird lived on Edicara hill and found these fossils. These fossils spoke to her and described how as the Edicara animals they had crept and crawled on the sea floor.

Subject: Prehistory

Concept: Origins of Photosynthesis

Once a fish was swimming in the seas. It came across some ancient stromatolites. It asked the older turtle who was swimming there what the stromatolites were. The turtle answered, “The stromatolites are the ancient remains of the ancient single celled organisms that grew in shallow water and built up to form rocky moulds.”

The fish asked, “All creatures eat something. What did these single celled organisms eat?”

“That is a good question,” said the turtle, “These single celled organisms began to harness sunlight to make food in a process known as photosynthesis. That was the first origin of photosynthesis.”

School Story Curriculum

Subject: Science

Concept: Dark matter makes up one quarter of the universe

Once a wise old eagle took a class for a group of sparrows and other birds. The birds were listening to a lesson on space. A young sparrow tried to fly to space but could not leave Earth. But it saw a message from dark matter, “don’t enter space.”

The older sparrows asked the Eagle what dark matter was. Th eagle did not know what dark matter was. But the young sparrow said, “dark matter makes up one quarter of the universe.”

School Story Curriculum

Subject: Science

Concept: Space

Definition: The universe and all its contents

In the beginning, there was the fish of the first times. The first time was the time when the universe was coming to life with plant and animal forms. One of the first forms of life was a fish of the first time. This fish was curious about space and wanted to see space. But it was a fish of the first time and lived on the waters of the Earth. But what it learnt was that the universe with all its contents made up space.