FOLK TALES AND EPICS

 

India is a land of many cultures and traditions which forms the very basis for famous folk lore,

Epics and literature. Folklore are as varied as many regions and languages.

“tÄÎezSwya rITya yTSya‘aekanurÃkm!,

deze deze tu sTkaVy< tÎezITyiÉxIyte. (Sangita Darpana of Catura Damodara)

Ancient languages contributed towards the enhancement of folk arts like music, dance drama, paintings, poetry & story telling. Folk tales are found very much in Sanskrit literature particularly in the Epics. Panchatantram and Hitopadesa are well-known fables.

FOLK= DESI, is the system which grew up according to the taste of different regions and climes.

In alienable quality of music, dance, poetry, storytelling is the people’s harmony to produce a pleasing effect. Epics are composed in the format of chatacism which means question & answer format. Sutas= the drivers of chariots & pauranikas = the narrators of the story, because of whom folk tales flourished. Rishis like SUKA, the son of VYASA and Saunaka propagated the story telling among the folks. During this process the languages of farmers, cowherds, hunters, & fishermen were used. Evidence of this can be found in Patanjali‘s MAHABHASHYAM which is the commentary for panini’s ASHTHAADHYAAYI

Epics are two: Ramayana & Mahabharatha. According to the Indian tradition, Ramayana is the first Sanskrit poem and Valmiki is the first poet {ADIKAVI}. Epic can be defined as ITIHASA= the ancient occurrence. Epic is a large body of literature, which holds in itself a many folktales.

GUHA, SABARI, VIDURA, MATSYAGANDHI, SAKUNTALA are the famous examples of folk characters.  Folk tales are medium to impart moral codes and the traditional beliefs, stories and customs of a community, passed on by word of mouth.

Folk tales and Epics are interwoven and they lay a strong foundation to the literature of any language.

AivnaÉavsMbNx> jntakaVyyaeÉRvet!.