Once upon a time, not so long ago, in June 1998, it rained heavily. Three teachers hurried to take shelter under a grand old banyan tree. The rain didn’t seem to stop. At first it was a casual chat about the weather and childhood memories of the rain. And later the conversation drifted towards the concerns relating to education. Why is teaching a monotonous exercise? What really makes the child interested in a subject? Do we have a role to play? There was a pause. Why not storytelling? Can we as teachers make a difference to evolve a more exciting curriculum, through stories? Can we extend it to the underprivileged children, in the same manner? The rain had stopped and the questions seemed endless. The banyan tree stood witness to a new thought process evolving under its shade. And that was just the beginning of a long journey… Over the next few months, the group met more frequently to crystallize their thoughts into action. They called themselves ‘Kathalaya ~ The House of Stories’.