Indian Storytelling Traditions

“Swetha Prakash is a serious writer who thinks deeply about the spiritual and social implications of her craft.” - AL Kennedy, Celebrated Scottish writer. India has a bequest of stories and storytelling traditions, some of which survive till today and some don’t. Indian storytelling traditions go back to the time of the Vedas, when ancient rishis sought to connect the realities of this world with the one beyond. India has always been a land of inspired storytellers and this reflects in the profusion of our oral narratives – folktales, the two epics – Ramayana and the Mahabharata, puranas, and story collections like the panchatantras, jataka tales, kathasarit sagara. And then there is the philosophy of the subcontinent told through stories in Yoga Vashista. If we have many stories to tell and retell, we also have many modes of expressing those stories. Each region has developed its own unique storytelling style which includes discourses, picture art, folk theatre, puppetry etc. In this path breaking bookwe trace the unique history and evolution of Indian storytelling traditions and its numerous manifestations today. This book brings you the majestic and magical landscape of Indian stories and storytelling and takes you on a journey where myth, the subconscious mind and history intersect to create the world’s most profuse and rich intangible cultural heritage.