He's then woven these into one story which unpacks the journeys of coming to call New Zealand home. It's been an eye-opening experience for Karunaharan, assistant director Sananda Chatterjee and Prayas cofounder/actor Sudeepta Vyas.
They've been surprised by the depth and range of the stories, which also include the tale of Edward Peter who arrived around 1853 in Otago. While Australian Gabriel Read is credited with discovering gold at Tuapeka in Otago, it was Peter who told him where to find it.
"We've discovered a whole lot of history we didn't expect to be there," says Chatterjee.
Whereas there might have been early fears about whether there'd be enough material, it quickly became a case of what to leave out. Karunaharan believes within Swabhoomi are the starting points for several other productions.
"It could easily have spiralled into a Robert Lepage epic," he says, referring to the Canadian playwright known for his largescale productions.
Vyas says Prayas is heartened by the fact it can provide a forum for these stories to be told and shared. She says the company started with a mission to share Indian stories and those written here are just as important.
"We've got 10 - 11 years' worth of work behind us so I think we're now in a position to take a few risks and try something a little bit different."
She says Karunaharan, a trained actor and director, joining Prayas in 2011 was a spur to take their productions to a more professional level. He would start rehearsals with vocal warm-ups - "we all wondered what he was doing" - and talked about the importance of ensuring productions were as substantive as they were stylish.
Karunaharan says Swabhoomi was created, in part, to provide enough roles for the many talented performers in Prayas' ranks. While most have day jobs, theatre is a passion and much-valued creative outlet.
Indeed, there are echoes of the cast's own stories and experiences and while it hasn't been included, Chatterjee's own could make an engaging addition. She joined Prayas as a teenager, introduced to the company by a family friendly and started as an usher. During 10 years, she's moved up the ranks and directed last year's comedy, Love N Stuff.
This year, she got married and timed the wedding for a weekday so she wouldn't miss any rehearsals; the honeymoon is delayed until the season finishes in early June.
"He's a Prayas spouse," she says of husband Sandeep Jeram who, after their first date, drove her to a rehearsal and returned with food for the cast. Vyas jokes they knew right from the first time they saw Jeram that he'd be a good production assistant.
"But seriously, I want to tell these stories and these stories have come to mean something very special to me," says Chatterjee.
What: Swabhoomi: Borrowed Earth
Where & when: TAPAC, Thursday, May 25 - Sunday, June 4
