1. Oral Epic in Indian
Culture-MKMishra

3. Introduction
Indian culture many races, languages and
religions.
People maintain their caste symbols through
their own caste myth, epics, customs and
folklore.
Therefore folklore in India is different,
diverse and complex in its structure and
function

4. Linguistic diversity
India constitute 16 % of world
population
Rationalized Mother tongues 1576
Other Mother tongues 1796
Languages 122
Scheduled languages 22
24 scripts used for writing Indian
languages

5. Ethnic ( tribal )languages
623 tribal communities, with a total
population of 84.3 million.
This constitutes 8.2% of the total
population (1028.6 million) (Census of
India, 2001).
The majority of these 80 million people live
in rural, often remote, and economically
underdeveloped areas.

6. Indian cultural system

7. four stages of cultural heirarchy

8. Sanskrit - prakrit
“Chandogya Upanisad 7.1.2 declares that the Puranas(myths)
and Itihasas(history) comprise the fifth division of Vedic
study.
The fifth Veda is known as smrti-sastra ("scripture that must
be remembered").
Smrti-sastra study was permitted to non-brahmanas.”(Suhotra
Dasa Tapovanachari 2005,The Six systems of Vedic
Philosophy,( www.vedicknowledge.com).

9. Indian Epic Tradition
Margi Desi
1.Philosophy - written
speculative, transcendental
2. language – Sanskrit
3. Shastriya- classical
written
4.God, Kings and sages
Universal
5.poets are known
individual authorship
2.Philosophy put in to story
Realities of life
2. Prakrit- regiona languages –
apabhramsa- distorted
3.Loukika- Local
Oral
4. God and human
Parochial /local
5. poets are unknown
community sharing

10. Two Epics
The Ramayana ,Mahabharata , HariVamsa
 Vamsanucharita of Solar and Lunar Yadu
dynasty

11. 1000 years of Kathit – likhit- kathit

12. Regional Epics-oral to written
The Indian Purana( myth) and Itihasa( Epics) are
written by regional poets in their geo- cultural
setting.
Its presentation is embedded with many local
cultural tradition, custom and imagination
Therefore many episodes of the Ramayana and
the Mbh are recreated and reinterpreted
Ramanujan speaks of 300 Ramayanas, so also
Mbh.

13. Epics in many forms
Oral-written
 performative
 visual /scroll paintings
 rituals
 temple architectures

14. Suta- Bardic tradition
Suta were , in fact , not the creator of epics, but
the composers of the text which was heard in Sruti
parampara- oral and aural tradition
Orality resulted variations of these epics

15. Epic Philosophy
Written Epic Oral Epic
a. dharma-virtue,
b. artha-materialistic,
c.kama- progeny and
d. moksha- salvation,
kama ( progeny ) and
artha( materialistic).

16. Epic as Ethnic/caste Identity
The caste singers sing the origin myth of the supreme
God and first progenitor.
In some cases the mythic character as a culture hero by
way of humanizing the divine characters.
Each and every caste consider their creation myth and
origin myth as an esoteric subject.
So their clan singers also don’t share it in public
domain( sung in clan ritual)

17. From Mythic to Heroic
Mythic epic and heroic epics- both are
connected to the tradition and identity.
Rituals and festivals are essential to link
their life with their racial memory and
meaningful past.
Past is meaningful for their present and to
aspire for future.

18. what is an oral epic
It is
the narrative poetry
attributed to a story
 found in oral form
performed by the professional singers and the ethnic
bards
 accompanied by musical instruments
 nominated to a particular religious or social occasion
is an oral epic.

19. Epic study in 19th
Century India
The British Administrators and Missionaries documented
epics and ballads
Charles E Grover- Folk songs of Southern India 9( 1871)
Flora Annie Steel- Tales of the Punjab told by the people
(1894)
A Maner – Koti Chennaya( 1894)
Richard Temple- Legends of Punjab(1884-1900)
James Tod- Antiquities of Rajasthan( 1920)
Willium Crook-Popular Religion and Folklore of North
India( 1894)
Acworth HA Ballads of Maratha ( 1894)
Water field William - The lay of Allah- 1923
and many others..

20. Early 20th
Century Indian
writers
Anand Kumar Swamy
Ramgarib Choubey
Devendra Satyarthi
Dinesh Chandra Sen
Gurusadaya Datta
Rabindranath Tagore
 Nirmal Kumar Sidhhanta
 and their contemporary writers

21. Later 20th
Century
US and European Folklorists
Susan wadley – Dhola Maru / Loriki ( North)
Brenda E Beck – Annamar katai( South)
Peter J Claus- Tulu Epics ( 1970-90)Karnakata
Stuart Black Burn – Tamil Epic ( 1990-2000)
Lauri Honko - Siri Epic ( 1995- 2000)Karnataka
Roghair Gene H – The Epic of Palnadu -1982,Telugu
La Point - Epic of Guga - 1978,UP/Rajasthan
Father kamil Bulke- Ramkatha

22. Indian scholars during 1960-2000
Jhaber chandra Meghani
AK Ramanujan – 300 Ramayanas
Komal Kothari –Rajasthani epics
VA Vivek Rai –kannada Epic
CN Ramachandran – Male Madeswara
Shyam Manohar Pandey –Loriki Chanda
Narmada Prasad Gupta Bundeli Epics
Bhagwandas Patel –Bhilli MbH/Ram.
Nandakishore Tiwari –Bharthari
Basant Nirgune – Tribal Epics
Mohan Upreti- Rajula Malusahi

23. Epic Cycle -chakra
Each ethnic group has its own epic cycle.
two cycle, five cycles , seven and twelve cycles.
Each cycle is known as khena, khand, katha or
geet. The local meaning of ‘khena’ means the
branch of a tree. ( Akhyana in Sanskrit )
 Epic is like a lotus and the episodes are its
petals
 Epic is tree, with its branches
 Epics are the rows of water in a field which is
designed one after another..

24. The emic (local)terms of the
Epics :
1.Khena, khand,Khenda,( Kondh and Gond and Gaud
epics
2.Gova,Sidi,Gayeni,
3.Katha
4. Geet,Sayon,
5. Kathe /katha
6.Paddana /Pata
7. Paad
8. Saki ( riddles of solving the problems in story form)

25. Regional Heroic and mythic Epics
 Rajasthani : Pabuji Ka Paad, Tejaji, Gugaji, Dev
Narayana, Ram devji, Bharthari
 Punjabi : Hir Ranza, Resma and Shera , rani Kokila
Gujrati – Bhilon Ki bharat ( MbH)
Assemese : Harata kanwar
Kumaouni - Rajula Malusahi
 Garhwal: pandava leeela

26. Oral Epics In Regional Languages
North west region and central India-
Punjabi Epics: Hir Ranza, Resma And Shera,Rani Kokila,
Rajashan, Gujrat , UP and MP: Loriki Chanda, Allah
Udal,Bharthari,Pabuji, Guga, Rajula Malusahi, Dev
Narayan ,Gopichand
Chhatishgarhi: Pandvani, Ramayani,Gondvani, Pandav
Gatha,Bharthari,Rawat geet, Bans geet, Chandeni, Allah
Udal,
Nimadi- 6 epics
 Bundeli – 14 epics
Malavi- Nagji, Dhola Maru, Raja Nala,

27. South India Region
Tamil- Annamar Katai, Two prbthers story
Kannada -Madeswara, Mantaswamy, Junjappa,
Siri Epic, Tulu epics
Telugu - Sarbai Pappadu , jambu Purana,

28. Eastern India Region
 Oriya: Sarala Mahabharata , Sashi Sena
 Bengal : Maiman Singh,
 Assam : Harata Kanwar
 Manipur : Khamba – Thoibi, Sayan Wori,
Koshli Ramayan – Haldhar Nag

31. Tribal Oral Epics in Kalahandi
( in ethnic languages)
Gond : Gondvani, ( 7 epics )
 Kondh Epic: Bhima Sidi, Creation myth,
Manduka majhi, nangmati- Rajaphulia
 Bhunjia epic: Mandhar Majhi, Sunadi Goddess,
Tulsi Veer, Allah Uddal,
 Banjara Epic : Lakha Banjara , Raja Isalu
 Kamar Epic: ( 37 oral epics among 7 000
polulation) Gandhu Paradhia,Linga Bharat, Koko
Bhaini,Maa Rani PooTura ,Bairat Raja,

32. Women Epic singers ( tribal )
Gurumai ( women priestess)
Gaddi ( Himalayan women singers)
Geet Kudien ( Kondh and paraja women singers)
Ghogien ( Gaud women singers)
parghanien ( Gond bards wife)
They also practice tatooing,making beads, plays
music and dance to entertain the clan masters and
communities

34. Why Pandavani is so popular
It is popular for its counter narrative
it is not sung by male- Vyasa
It is by a woman who is non literate
It is all about the realities than imagination
It is a protest against the hegemony of male over the
female

35. Male Epic Singers

36. Male Epic Singers

37. Oral Epic as Blend of Divine And Human
Singers create epic hero from the mythic hero.
( Gond myth - Kondh Epic Bhima)
 Myth is human to divine and epic is divine to
human
 But the divinity is undermined in epics . Therefore
the epic hero is supernatural

38. Mythical Epics
Fixed place, time and certain rules of performance
conducted by the priest for a certain religious and
ritualistic purpose
Content ; Creation of the universe, origin myth of the
man , birds and animals,
Ancestor spirits, clan gods

39. Content..
 history of battle against other tribes for land and jungle,
settlement of villages,
sharing of land with their supporter caste-group,
dissemination of caste/tribe to other areas,
 invention of farming technology, invention of iron instruments,
cultivation of paddy and pulses,
village administration and religious organisation,
 friendship and hostility with other ethnic groups, worship to the
Gods and Goddesses for their own victory and security etc.

40. Heroic Epics
The content heroic epics are themes of love, war, victory,
gaining or regaining of kingdom, supremacy over other
tribes.
The epic story have imaginary elements with fantasy
representing the demi Gods and Goddesses of the spiritual
world of the traditional culture.
In ethnic based epics, innovations in agriculture and
inventing equipments for the agricultural work, getting
water from heaven (rain God) for the field, yielding a
bumper harvest are some of the key motifs to be an ideal
hero.


41. Commons and contested in Oral Epics
Oral epics are counter narratives to the written is one
premise which has been proven to be correct when the
texts are found resented or contested to the
written one.
Some examples can be examined based on the availability
of oral epics and myths .
They are
1. Woman’s fire ordeal to prove her chastity,
2.status of elder brother in the family ,
3.forest verses cities – who is powerful,
4. Who is strong and who is weak.

42. Written discourse contested in Oral Epics
Ramayana written
( Sanskrit)
Laxman Jati ( Tribal epic)
 Sita, the heroine of the Epic
had to appear the fire ordeal
to prove her chastity
 ideal model : chaste woman
 Hegemony of man
 Inequality of man and
woman
 Laxman, hero’s brother had
to appear fire ordeal to
prove his chastity
 Ideal model : chastity of
man,
 Equality of man and woman

43. Structure of Ramayana in a folk epic
Ramayana ( written ) Royal Korta Baina ( a Gaud epic)
pastoral
 Sita, the heroine was
abducted by the Vilian
Ravana in the absence of
Rama , the hero.
 hero rescue the heroine
with the help of monkeys
and bears.
 Sita had to appear a fire
ordeal
 Ramela , the heroine of the
oral epic is abducted by the
king of Bendul while her
husband was absent .
 hero rescues his wife with
the help of bulls and sheeps
 Ramela had to appear a fire
ordeal

44. Laxman Jati a Baiga oral epic
Rama , Laxman and Sita were in exile for 14 years and
stayed in a Baiga village
A maiden from heaven fell in love with Laxman’s
music – playing of fiddle , but was denied. She took
revenge and created such a situation that every
body had the doubt of illicit relation with Sita , her
brothers wife. Instead of taking fire ordeal of Sita ,
Laxman had to appear a fire ordeal .

45. cultural continuity in tribal epics
Invention of liquor in Buddhist Jataka Tale
-Kumha Jataka and in tribal mythic epic
( Bhima sidi)
Talking fish and talking deer in Srimad
Bhagavata ( Sanskrit ) and Kondh myth -
tribal oral epic

46. Epics in Modern India

47. Gandhi and Rama ( 1930…
Rama as the most influential hero is adopted by
Mahatma Gandhi
Ramdhun- prayer written by Gandhi is most popular (
Raghupati Raghaba raja Ram , Iswar Alah tere
naam )
concept of Ramarajya- as the model of ideal nation
building
 Rama – Hero of forest –Ram rajneeti
 Krishna – hero of city – Krishna Rajniti

48. 1980- 90s
 Revitalization of Hinduism in political domain
Then Rama as the hero became the symbol of a
political ideology
Controversy in Ayodhya - 1992
The historicity of the Ramayana was challenged
 in last 2009 - Ram setu –
Delhi University – 300 Ramayanas

49. Modern visual Epics
Ramanand Sagar’s - Ramayana in Hindi serial for 10
years
BR Choppra’s the Mahabharata ( script writer Rahi
Masum Raja)
Krishna , hanuman, Siva, Sita , and many epics are
reenacted in modern times in Hidi films to capture
the common people in TV and Radio , Audio/
Video
Epics in written literature ( fiction)
Peter Brooks Mahabharata

50. Epics in Management Institutes
In Modern time epics of the Ramayana and the
Mahabharata are used in Management institutes
for teaching and personality development ,leadership
, value education and conflict resolution - quoting
the stories and characters
They are called belief managers who use to
reinterpret the epics in contemporary contexts
“

51. Epics in public discourse
Media and Communication
New temples are constructed in the name of
Rama( hero) and Hanuman In many cities the
Ramayana is performed.
In many regional languages the Ramayana movies are
available
Posters, CD , DVD, cheap books, stickers, T shirts,
and many more can be added ..

52. God in temple and Gods under
the trees
.
 The space and time are identified with the foot
prints of the epic heroes living tradition- who
are worshipped in the temples.
 Local heroes have also equally temples and
festivals, recitations and identities. kachra
Dhurua worshipped in more than hundred
villages of Chhattishgarh

53. Conclusion
In spite of disparities of literate and illiterate, caste and
gender, religion and regionalism, epics in India
dominate the collective mind of the common people.
Modern political and religion- cultural symbols are drawn
from the epics, may it be historical or fictitious, cater to
the needs those who want to use it for their marker of
identities
Many castes and tribes use to celebrate their festivals
associated with the characters and events of the two
epics in addition to their own epics.

54. Future Direction
Language survive not by grammar but by songs and tales
and orality – grammar follows speech
Orality helps nation building - Finland, Estonia, Serbia,
Croatia,Tibet,Mangol,Most African languages
So also Chhattishgarh
If local survive , then the globe will survive
Systemic Documentation and Research
Net work between local to national and global
Publication
Study in universities and schools
Centre for advance studies on CG folklore or Culture
University ,CG

55. Thank You
mkmfolk@gmail.com