Just a few names - out of many prominent Indian Story Tellers. India has so many story-tellers. They are the real ‘active bearers’ of tradition and are contributors towards the preservation of folklore.

1. Just a few names - out of many
prominent Indian Story Tellers
India has so many story-tellers. They are the real ‘active
bearers’ of tradition and are contributors towards the
preservation of folklore
Tulika Chandra, SNU India; ' Folklore' 1

2. Kathaiyum Paattum or storytelling with song
• Thanjavur - Tamil Nadu in India, the women gather to narrate . They
have a specific style of narration - known as Kathaiyum Paattum or,
storytelling with song.
Photo source: ww.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india
• 80-year-old Ayyamma: Ayyamma is from village of Panayakottai (Tamil
Nadu, India) an energetic and enthusiastic storyteller, her quivering voice
full of passion. [source: http://www.dw.de/]
• The telling of Raja-Rani Kathai (Folk Tales), in which the Storyteller periodically breaks into
song. That is, at certain points during the telling, the Storyteller (as Characters) may sing
Characters' thoughts, or the Storyteller (as Narrator) may sing about the story.
Tulika Chandra, SNU India; ' Folklore' 2

3. • Harikatha is one of Indian ancient, traditional art forms,
where philosophy and life values are taught to people in a musical
form.
• Harikatha is a composite art form composed of story telling, poetry, music,
drama, dance, and philosophy.
• Sri Achyut Das: Sri Achyut Das has performed in various languages like Kannada,
Marathi, Konkani, Tamil, Telugu, etc.
• Hailing from a small village near Udupi, he made the name of Bhadragiri
internationally recognized through his Harikatha sessions
• Harikatha is one of our ancient, traditional art forms where philosophy and life
values are taught to people in a musical form. A singer, a dramatist, an orator, a
scholar, a humorist, a linguist - combination of all these qualifications added to
excellent memory makes a Harikatha narrator.
• This dying art was kept alive by Sri Achyuta Das.
Tulika Chandra, SNU India; ' Folklore' 3

4. Kadapamma: A young widow, Kadapa Lakshmi, a versatile performer,
refused to waste away
• Around 1900, a lady named Kadapa Lakshmi Ammal (1869-1954)
started an all-woman cultural association named ‘Lakshmi Vilasa Sabha'
in her spacious house at Triplicane, on Big Street.
• Kadapamma had exclusively composed a set of Javandarai, kolattam songs in Kannada, in
praise of the Dasara festival conducted by the Mysore palace. She had trained little girls
in kummi and kolattam , and every year they would celebrate javandarai during Dasara.
They would make a cow and a calf in clay, worship them for nine days, and on the 10th
day take them in a procession around the streets, with the children performing kolattam.
The images would be immersed in the sea near Triplicane. She trained each and every
woman who stepped into her home, in art and craft thus boosting their self-confidence.
• Kadapamma could perform Harikatha in three languages - Tamil, Telugu and Kannada.
She was a frequent visitor to Mysore Maharani's Palace, and performed Harikatha in
Kannada and won the title ‘Dharma Chandrika' from the Maharani Kemparajamma, and
the young Rani Lakshmi Vilasa Sannidhana.
Tulika Chandra, SNU India; ' Folklore' 4

5. Lakshminath Bezbaruah, one of Assam’s greatest
storytellers
• 1938, the noted children’s writer had passed away, giving children many
charming tales.
• “Burhi Aai’r Xaadhu” (literally translated to Grandma’s Tales) is
a collection of stories or folklore, that have been compiled by
famous Assamese author and poet Laxminath Bezbarua.
• While some of the stories are more like the Assamese version of
Panchatantra, with speaking animals and birds as main characters of the
story, most of these are based on the life of a simple villager.
• The words of Laxminath Bezbarua wrap these stories up in subtle
and sometimes blatant humour, which can somehow never be reflected
in translation, no matter how accurate it is.
Tulika Chandra, SNU India; ' Folklore' 5

6. Teejan Bai
• By the time she came to the notice of theatre personality Habib Tanvir in the eighties,
Teejan Bai had been performing Pandavani (story of the pandavas) in her inimitable voice
and style for the past several years. Pandvani is a folk narrative which is sung in a typical
style. Her presentation style and humour on stage is remarkable.
• Born in 1956, she gave her first performance at the age of 13 and in the process became
the first woman to sing in the kapalik shaili (style) of the pandavni, till then a male only
bastion.
• In-time she received national and international recognition, a Padma Shri in 1988, Sangeet
Natak Akademi Award in 1995, and Padma Bhushan in 2003.
• Beginning in the 80s, she travelled all over the world as a cultural ambassador to various
countries where she enthralled audiences with her unique folk singing and her powerful
voice; and passing on her singing to the younger generation
Tulika Chandra, SNU India; ' Folklore' 6

7. The Bauls of Bengal
• Tagore was influenced by them,
Dylan admired them, The Beatles thought that they were similar to them.
• Bauls still wander about in rural Bengal (and sometimes on stage with western
rockstars) searching for the “maner manush” (the ideal being) with an ektara in
their hands and songs orally transmitted from one generation to the next.
• Originally, the Bauls were nonconformists, who rejected the traditional social
norms to form a distinct sect that upheld music as their religion. Baul is also the
name given to the genre of folk music developed by this creative cult.
• It’s easy to identify a Baul singer from his uncut, often coiled hair, saffron robe,
necklace of beads made of basil (Tulsi) stems, and of course the single-stringed
instrument, the Ektara. Music is their only source of sustenance. They live on
whatever they are offered by villagers in return, and travel from place to place, as
if they were on a vehicle of ecstasy.
Tulika Chandra, SNU India; ' Folklore' 7

8. Villu pattu
• As far as the oral tradition of storytelling goes, this one from parts of
Kerala and Tamil Nadu is a little dramatic when it comes to the
musical instrument it uses to accompany the words a bow placed on
an inverted mud pot.
• A performer beats the pot while singing. There is usually another co-singer
who acts as active listener to the narration, uttering
appropriate oral responses to the songs.
Tulika Chandra, SNU India; ' Folklore' 8

9. Burra Katha
• Picture courtesy: http://sssbpt.org/
• This form of South Indian oral storytelling was banned by the British as
well as the Nizam of Hyderabad. It is usually a combination of three
men.
• The main storyteller narrates the story, he plays musical instruments
and also dances. The performer to his right is the joker in the pack who
uses satire to raise the laughs.
• The third is the one who knows the world and talks about politics and
social issues. During their performance they interact with each others
and raise various questions – probably the reason why they were
banned.
Tulika Chandra, SNU India; ' Folklore' 9

10. Birendra Krishna Bhadra (Mahalaya recitation)
• The All India Radio has the pride of broadcasting since three decades,
the original Sanskrit recitation of the slaying of the demon by a very
popular narrator, Birendra Krishna Bhadra, which is played even
during the last Mahalaya, the 10 day long Dushehra festival in North
India.
• Birendra Krishna Bhadra is a powerful story-teller who possesses a
strong and vibrant style of his own.
Tulika Chandra, SNU India; ' Folklore' 10

11. Haryanvi Raagini
• The Haryanvis are not known for subtlety of language. They like to tell
it as it is and pour loads of sarcasm into it.
• The oral tradition of raagini is the rustic version of the Haryanvi stand-up
comedy where the performer doesn’t shy away from taking the
shouts out of the audience.
Tulika Chandra, SNU India; ' Folklore' 11

12. Kakkuji - Barsana (near Mathura UP, India)
• Mangal Singh, popularly known as Kakkuji, is a farmer who is bracketed as a
person from low income group
• He is 91 years old but has a voice that can beat even a teenager. Energetic and
full of life, he has a distinct narrative style and upholds the native form of
folktales and folksongs.
• Every evening he holds a gathering at his small muhalla (locality) at Barsana. He
has his audience of young & old who listen to the folktale and folk songs of that
region, from him: Raja Nal, Kanha, Radha, Radha’s Sakhi
Tulika Chandra, SNU India; ' Folklore' 12