Kissa: A Story Podcast

This is the story of the world's most famously contested diamond: 800 years old, cursed, and 105 carats. Claimed by four countries, it remains the property of the British Crown. Follow its blood-soaked history as it journeys across India, Central Asia, and Great Britain.

Have you wondered about the lives of feral children, different from Mowgli or Tarzan? I know I have. This is my re-imagining of the story of a feral child. Originally published in the Winter 2024 issue of The Brussels Review, I bring you my short story, Wild Song of Grief

Guest storyteller, Maliha Sheikh, recounts two scary folktales from Guyana. The Ole Higue and the Bacco are stories that everyone from Guyana knows and now, so will we.

There are ancient foods, still enjoyed today, that are considered divine and holy. Here are two stories of two, sweet foods, beloved the gods.

Have you ever wondered how creation began? Or, have you been curious about creation myths from cultures outside of your own? If so, here are two creation myths from two very different sources, from the Global South. PC for cover art: Michael Jerrard Unsplash

From Korea comes a fairy/folk tale about love and loss, about our world and a celestial one, about magical talking creatures, and the choices we must make for our lives. One fairy: three variations. PC for cover art: The Cleveland Museum of Art

The idea of a place of perfection and peace is a strong one, but how did it come to the attention of the West? Discover the story that bridged the often vast distances between the two hemispheres of our world, in 1933. Apology: For some reason, I added an 's' to the book title while recording the podcast. It is called Lost Horizon ...not Lost Horizons. My apologies

Let's learn more about Begum Wilayat Mahal, Prince Cyrus, and Princess Sakina. Were they truly the descendants of a national Indian heroine, the concubine Warrior Queen of Awadh, Begum Hazrat Mahal? Or was the truth something else entirely?

Who were Begum Wilayat Mahal, Prince Cyrus, and Princess Sakina? Were they truly inheritors of the royal house of Awadh and the descendants of the warrior queen, Begum Hazrat Mahal? Where had they come from? Learn about this proud but destitute royal family who lived in the ruins of an old palace.

In the forests of Brazil and Peru, a monstrous beast, with a roar like thunder and a distinctive stench, stalks the unwary.

Enjoy an original spooky story from Jawahara...and discover some of the lore accompanying it. If you enjoy a good, old-fashioned scary story, this episode is for you.

In the snowy reaches of the Himalayas, high above the world, lives an elusive and fascinating creature.

Aitzaz and Karim are two ordinary humans who did extraordinary things. Do you know of any such heroes?

Two abandoned, cursed, perhaps even haunted places, from the global South. Discover two stories: from the Philippines and India. Kissa: A Story Podcast returns for Season 3 with Episode 18.

A killer with a recorded kill count of 436 stalks women and girls in the forests of India in the early 20th century. Discover more about this beast and find out what finally stopped its viscious killing spree?

For Valentine’s Day discover two love stories older and more famous around the world than Romeo and Juliet. Shirin-Khusro-Farhad and Laila-Majnu. If you are not from the global south, these love stories might be totally new to you. But, for those who grew up with them, they are part of the DNA of romance, love, and, sacrifice that bind us all.

Two very very different stories both of whom reach down deep to find emotional truths we can all relate to. Stories by Prachi Jain and Paula Read.

Two writers from two very different, cultures, living thousands of miles apart capture a similar sense of humor coupled with loss: a truly powerful combination. Stories by Shalini Narayanan and Jennifer Bew Orr.

What led to the disaster? Was it preventable? Who was responsible? Would anyone pay for the death and suffering of the people of Bhopal?

An invisible killer travels through the night in the sleeping city of Bhopal. One of its surviving victims is 13-year old Sunil. We will see the unfolding tragedy in Bhopal through his eyes.

What was that first Christmas like? Who brought us the image of that holy night? What’s the real story behind the legend?

From the Indian subcontinent come stories of a dreamer, a man who dwelt in a world of illusions….or perhaps he was merely a simpleton. Sheikh Chili’s stories have delighted story lovers for centuries.

Stories of sibling trios and a set of twins.

Djinns are all around us and among us. Beings of fire, Djinns can haunt us, torment us...or help us. Sometimes we can sense them, see them, and even interact with them.

Beauty can be deadly for the one who is beautiful and for the beholder. Discover two unsettling, scary tales about beauty, one from Japan and the other from China.