NEXT month’s Penfro Book Festival samples a taste of India with award-winning international storyteller Peter Chand.

Peter, who grew up in the Midlands but using Punjabi as his first language, is one of only a handful of full-time Indian storytellers in the UK.

His stories draw heavily on both his English and Indian heritage in a seamless blend of wit and wisdom that has been described as “energetic” and “spellbinding”.

His appearance at Rhosygilwen on Friday, September 7 is a coup for the festival, now in its eighth year.

Peter has shared his stories across Britain and has also performed in Norway, France, Austria, Canada, and Singapore, among other countries.

He grew up with Punjabi as his first language, and still visits family in the Punjab to collect folk tales, translating them into English and sharing them with audiences worldwide.

Peter is also part of the organising team of Festival at the Edge, which is the oldest storytelling festival in England.

He has recently been honoured by being chosen as one of the 100 Masters, by Creative Black Country, which celebrates creativity and excellence within the many towns and cities which make up the Black Country region.

The event will include a sumptuous Indian banquet with Peter telling stories between each course. Tickets are just £20 and available on-line via the Rhosygilwen website

Peter said: “I am really looking forward to attending the Penfro Book Festival and sharing some evocative Indian tales with audiences there.

“It’s a beautiful part of the world which I visited for the first time last summer, performing at The Llangwm Literary Festival.”