Towards Understanding Folk Epics: An Introduction
| Authors |
| Pragya Moirangthem |
| Date of Publication: December, 2024 |
| Volume: XXIII, No.- XXVI |
| Abstract |
| This paper is an attempt to demonstrate the distinctive qualities of some folk epics of the world namely, the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Kalevala, the Kalevipoeg, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata vis-à-vis the Khamba Thoibi of Manipur. These epics have represented different national cultural history, social life, myth, reality and folklore which collectively form the identity of the nations. In the discussion, the point how they existed or have continued to exist in tradition is also highlighted. As far as possible, I have tried to make the paper as engaging as anticipated. All world folk epics have been looked upon as the storehouse of religion, tradition and a number of practices, reflecting social, political, historical and cultural activities, manners, customs, traditions, festivals, rites, arts, artefacts, performing arts, courtly manners, games and sports which have been passed on to the future generations from the time of the Heroic Age. Each one of them has considerable national significance more than any other form of art can give. While emphasising these points the paper also addresses how folk epics grew alike out of different world cultures but each could adhere to distinctive social, cultural, historical conditions of nations that have been transmitted in native style of narrative by bards, singers, narrators and performers. It also devotes to the question of definition of folk/oral epic and adequately tries to seriously answer the complicated problems arising out of this academic and intellectual issue. Finally, it argues to include the Khamba-Thoibi of Manipur in the list of the great world folk epics. |
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