Every artist has that one experience that shifts something internally, where an idea for inspiration becomes an experience. For the students of Parul University, Writer's Tour Mumbai epitomized that experience. One week where art, literature, and life melded into one story. From the silence of galleries to the buzz of studios, from eyes flowing across the pages to ears listening aloud, the sequence of every moment was unhurried, from one precious beat to another.
Where a Dot Becomes a Universe
The tour officially began at the National Gallery of Modern Art, where the energy in the space was electric with creativity. Raza’s hypnotic dots almost jumped off the canvas, while Souza’s bold paintings “spoke for angels,” showing humans in their most expressive forms. Laxman Shrestha’s sweeping bird’s-eye landscapes stopped students in their tracks, and Balkrishna Vaidya’s retro Bollywood portraits brought smiles and nostalgia.
A Raavan sculpture quietly reminded them: education doesn’t always shape character. And Raza’s words, “every creation in the universe starts with a dot”, stayed with them, a little mantra for the journey ahead. Art wasn’t just to be seen, it demanded curiosity, attention, and wonder. This spark naturally led them to a place where stories live in words, not just visuals.
A Library That Whispers Secrets
When they crossed the threshold of Title Waves, it felt as though they stepped into a world of stories. The sound of pages being turned softly, the subtle smell of ink, and the orderly arrangement of books slowed everyone down. Executive Director Trushant Tamgaonkar said it best: “This isn’t just a shop. It’s a community that breathes literature.”
Life coach Ritu Walia reminded students that the most important story begins within: “Self-love is the permission you give yourself to be who you really are.” Books connect us outwardly, but creativity starts inside. The spark from reading quickly ignited at the next stop, where imagination transforms into full-blown stories.
The Spark That Ignites Worlds
At Whistling Woods, ideas came alive. Screenwriter Deepanjan Roy showed one simple question , “what if?” , can build entire worlds. Characters, conflicts, and themes weren’t pre-made; they were crafted, tested, and pushed to the edge.
Students realized stories don’t just exist on paper, they live. Every choice changes the journey, every obstacle adds tension, and the strange often becomes brilliant. From screenwriting, it was a natural step to see how ideas turn into books.
Crafting Dreams Into Reality
At Chetana Publications, the abstract became real. Shamlee Bhingarde walked students through how a manuscript becomes a book , editing, designing, typesetting, printing. "Every word, every picture, every layout counts", this is exactly what editors like Smita Sale conveyed to us, particularly in the writing disciplines focused on children.
Students learned that behind every story is a careful craft, patience, precision, and purpose. This led smoothly to the next lesson: stories in voice and performance.
When Words Take Flight
At Radio Club, words came alive. Shubha Vilas, Malini Agarwal, and Shabnam Meenwala exhibited the excitement of engaging in storytelling in motion. Shubha reminded the students that Itihaas is not mythology, it is the lessons we pass down through generations.
Malini and Shabnam reiterated that writing is heart, courage, and authenticity. Hearing stories in person led to connecting with the personal experience, providing a deeper understanding of the roots of creativity
The Burden of Centuries
Curators Anil Menon and Zeyad Khan took students to examine sculptures and artifacts while showing how creativity evolves over time. Students recognized that their own work is informed by wider narratives, a chain of ideas that extend both this way and that way.
Into the Minds of Masters
Finally, students met creators who live the practice of storytelling every day. Smriti Kiran discussed the idea of chaos, being disciplined and letting ideas unfold in real time.
Abbas Tyrewala discussed the power of restraint, fewer adjectives, and relying on imagination and interpretation for the reader. They collectively modeled that creativity is a journey, not a destination.
The Story They Took Home
When it ended, Mumbai had given them more than inspiration , it had shifted their perspective. From dots to brushstrokes, pages to scripts, and history to modern voices, students realized creativity is not a goal. It’s something you live, share, and grow with. And as the city faded behind them, it seemed to whisper: “Every story starts with a dot. What will yours become?”
Because man is the only creature who consumes without creating, & what makes us human is that spark of intention to create, to shape something from within, to leave a world behind that didn’t exist before. Every stroke of paint, every written word, every crafted story is a reflection of that desire, to make, to express, to create meaning from the world inside ourselves.
