Storyteller
Rajashree Tope (India)
Rajashree Tope has been associated with the performing arts since 1999. She performs in Marathi, English and Hindi both at an experimental as well as professional level. Her experiences range from professional theatre, to television serials and of course keertan. Keertan is viewed as an instrument of social education for the common man, especially in the rural world. It is divided into two sections, Poorvarang & Uttaranga (story-telling). Keertan is a blend of song and narrative to tell the story similar to other traditional forms of singing a story. Rajashree trained at Akhil Bhartiya Keertan Sanstha. She comes from a famous lineage of keertankars and her late grandfather’s self-composed keertans were used during India’s freedom fight. During her performances, it is not uncommon for Rajashree to sing with the help of either brass discs or a harmonium. Her repertoire celebrates the stories from the Indian plethora of well-loved epics and legends.