Craig Jenkins Storyteller performed his own interpretation of the tragic, poignant tale ‘Indrajeet’s Death’ to a group of 10 year olds in an East London school.

A class of students, many of whom have behavioural and/or learning needs where in pin-drop silence as Ravana, the great demon king, carried the body of his lifeless son back to the palace, not able to shed one single tear, because kings,… and men, don’t cry.

After the story, one little boy put up his hand and said: ‘I should love everyone in my family, even my brother. Rama got Lakshmana back, but Ravana doesn’t have his son Indrajeet anymore. I don’t want to know how much I love my brother, after he has gone’.

Another little girl, her eyes filled with light, said: ‘Ravana may do bad things, but his heart fills the same pain as everyone else. I felt so sad when Indrajeet died because I thought of Ravana and knew that his heart must be hurting so bad’.

Another boy said: People fight. They don’t talk.

As I looked at the class and heard their reflections on the story, I suddenly felt that everything about my life and my practice made sense. The Ramayana, this ancient epic, from lands thousands of miles away, resonates, engages and connects with young children in contemporary, multi-cultural and multi-faith London.

Reading the above piece from Master Storyteller, Craig Jenkin’s Facebook Page, reminded me about the true power of storytelling.