October 20, 2026 · 5 min read

How a Banyan Story is made, from an old book to bedtime

A look behind the scenes: where our stories come from, how we check them, how we use AI and voice tools, and who decides what you hear.

Parents often ask where our stories come from and how we make sure they’re right. Here’s the whole journey, from an old book to your child’s bedtime.

1. A story worth telling

Each episode starts with a story, festival or tradition. Some are famous, like Hanuman’s leap to Lanka or the churning of the ocean. Others are quieter: why the kolam is drawn at the door, or why families set an extra plate for the ancestors. New ideas are proposed every week, and a person decides which ones to make.

2. Reading the sources

Every story is researched from traditional texts and trusted sources, such as translations of the epics and the Puranas, and Indian cultural institutions. Where we can, we use Indian translators and scholars first. The research separates three things carefully:

• what a text actually says;
• what is a regional or family practice;
• what is our storytelling.

3. Writing the story

The story is then written for children, for listening rather than reading, with scenes, characters and a little mystery. AI helps with research summaries and first drafts, and we’re open about it: our AI and voice disclosure explains exactly how. Every fact in the script must come from the reviewed sources. The script never makes up history.

4. A person reviews everything

Nothing is published until a person has read the script, checked the claims against the sources, checked the age guidance and content notes, and approved it. Software never decides what goes out.

5. Told aloud

The story is narrated by a synthetic copy of the show creator’s own voice, made with their consent. Music is added, and in our newest episodes so are the sounds of the story itself, like thunder, a conch or an elephant’s trumpet. Then a person listens to the finished episode before it is released.

6. Published, with its sources

Every episode has its own page with the full transcript and source notes. Labels show what is supported by a text and what is our storytelling. You don’t have to read any of it to enjoy the story, but it’s there for curious grown-ups, and for children who want to know more.

If you ever spot a mistake, our corrections page explains how to tell us and how we fix it.