If you walk into any government office anywhere around the world you will always find a framed photo of a national leader. Well - if you were to walk into any brothel in the Mumbai red light district you will find, in every room a framed photo of a woman - an elderly, grey haired woman in a white sari edged with a gold border. No, she is not a saint. This was Gangubai, one of the most powerful madams in her time. But why, 50 years after her death, does every Mumabi sex worker have Gangubai’s photo in her room? Disclaimer: one scene of violence with adult themes Follow me on Instagram @seemaanandstorytelling Script by Yasser Usman @yasser.usman Music by Merlin D’Souza @musicbymerlin Artwork by @rsdcreative Supported by ECDP @essexcdp and Active Essex @active_essex

Seema Anand Storytelling: The 3000 step stories

Gangubai - The Brothel Woman (TRUE CRIME / TRUE STORY)

“Deception is a necessary skill of state craft”, said the guru to the young princes, his students, “but for it to be successful it has to be practiced as an art form, it must be planned such that not even God knows what you are doing.” Surely all is fair in love and war. And after all what could go wrong! A wonderful old story from the Hitupdesh, a 2nd century text written to teach young princes how to rule a kingdom both in times of war and in times of peace. This story has been adapted from "The Blue Lotus", an anthology of Indian myths, published by Aleph India. Follow me on Instagram @seemaanandstorytelling Music by Merlin D’Souza @musicbymerlin Supported by ECDP @essexcdp Supported by Active Essex @active_essex Artwork by @rsdcreative

Deception is a Skill (MYTHOLOGY)

The gods and demons churn the ocean for the nectar of immortality, a potion that will give them everlasting life and superhuman strength. They churn together in a spirit of collaboration but each is determined to cheat the other out of their share of the nectar and keep it just for themselves. This is a story that goes back to the beginning of time and yet it is a story that could have happened yesterday - depictions, power struggles, promises made and broken and the ongoing struggle for survival in the face of all odds. The samudra manthan is originally told in the Srimad Bhagwatam and is the most famous of the Hindu creation stories. Follow me on Instagram @seemaanandstorytelling Music by Merlin D’Souza @musicbymerlin Supported by ECDP @essexcdp Supported by Active Essex @active_essex Artwork by @rsdcreative

The Churning of the Ocean (MYTHOLOGY)

They called him the Serpent because of the number of jails he had broken out of - eight different jails across different countries. They called him the Bikini Killer because the number of his victims found floating in swimming pools, brutally murdered, wearing nothing but a bikini. He was Charles Sobhraj, Killer, gangster, smuggler, jewel thief, criminal, a wanted man across continents.  But he was also the smoothest operator, suave, charming, utterly irresistible, with women falling all over him - even though most of the women connected with him generally came to a gruesome and bloody end. And yet the line of women just never stopped! Even while he was locked up in prison there are reports of how women would line up for conjugal visits, ready to put up with the filthy conditions of jail, just to be able to say that they had slept with Charles Sobhraj. This is my favourite story from the bizarre life of Charles Sobhraj, his unbelievable Bollywood style escape from Tihar Jail in Delhi. A jail that was being managed at the time by Policewoman Kiran Bedi. Follow me on Instagram @seemaanandstorytelling  Script by Yasser Usman @yasser.usman  Music by Merlin D’Souza @musicbymerlin Supported by ECDP @essexcdp Supported by Active Essex @active_essex Artwork by @rsdcreative

Charles Sobhraj: The Bikini Killer (TRUE CRIME)

Welcome to The 3000 Step Stories Podcast! This whole podcast is a series of stories designed to last 3000 steps, walk with me as I tell you these tales and we can get fit together! The podcast is beautifully scored by @musicmerlin and she’s going to keep us on beat whilst we walk ? This trailer is just a sneak peek of all the episodes from Season 1, from Charles Sobhraj’s prison escapes to stories of seduction and mystery...are you as excited as I am??! Get your shoes on, get your headphones in and let's get walking! This podcast is kindly supported by @essexcdp and @active_essex. And a huge thanks to @musicmerlin, @alephbookco, @rsd.creative for bringing this podcast to life! Follow me on Instagram @seemaanandstorytelling for more! 

The 3000 Step Stories TRAILER: Season 1

I'm going to be telling you a series of stories designed to last 3000 steps, with music by Merlin D'Souza to keep the pace and stories adapted and narrated by me. These stories are to get your mental and physical health peaking again as we go on a journey together. Let's get out and let's get walking!

hubhopper

Seema Anand Storytelling: The 3000 step stories

hubhopper