Tarun Sridharan Launches Ghost Story Collective for Unscripted Tales in Bengaluru
Bengaluru-based Indian-American litigator and marketing professional Tarun Sridharan has established the Ghost Story Collective, a community storytelling initiative where participants gather to share raw, unscripted paranormal tales. Conceived after an informal storytelling session during a dinner party in Hyderabad, the collective aims to revive oral storytelling traditions and help residents build social connections.
The inspiration took root when Sridharan, who also runs the animated YouTube channel Odd Compass focusing on South and Southeast Asian history, reflected on the historical role of storytellers in local taverns. To recreate that shared campfire experience, he designed a dedicated forum where attendees can sign up either as listeners or as active storytellers.
Since July, the collective has conducted approximately 10 events across three cities, including Bengaluru, Delhi, and Hyderabad. Tickets for the gatherings are priced at ₹299 for both listeners and speakers, allowing organisers to manage attendance. Each session accommodates a maximum of eight designated storytellers, alongside a few wild card slots reserved for audience members who feel inspired to speak.
Each event commences with an introductory discussion exploring the historical, cultural, and psychosocial dimensions of ghost stories. These sessions are interspersed with thematic conversations, such as parallels between Western vampire lore and lesser-known blood-sucking creatures in Indian ghost mythology. Participants are then invited to recount their personal or traditional paranormal accounts before the session transitions into informal socialising.
According to Sridharan, the initiative has resonated strongly with Bengaluru’s population, particularly migrants and newcomers who experience social isolation in the city. Sridharan noted that ghost stories offer a common anchor that encourages attendees to open up, with many participants lingering outside the venues to forge new friendships.
Looking ahead, the collective plans to expand to other cities, beginning with Calcutta where a friend has offered to host gatherings at a local cafe. Sridharan aims to schedule approximately two events per month in new locations while also developing future heritage-focused sessions that integrate history with paranormal narratives.
