Folktales of Assam: A Study of Cultural Heritage and Oral Tradition

Journal of Research and Development Peer Reviewed International, Open Access Journal. ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-10(II)| October2025 97 Folktales of Assam: A Study of Cultural Heritage and Oral Tradition Amiya Saikia Assistant Professor, Department of English Nakachari College, Jorhat-Assam Email: [email protected] Manuscript ID: JRD -2025-171021 ISSN: 2230-9578 Volume 17 Issue 10(II) Pp. 97-99 October 2025 Submitted: 02Oct. 2025 Revised: 15 Oct. 2025 Accepted: 20 Oct. 2025 Published: 31 Oct. 2025 Abstract: Folktales represent the beliefs, imagination, values of a community. Though written purely for entertainment purposes it is deeply embedded with moral and ethical lessons. North-East India, especially Assam, is a land of various ethnic tribes with their indigenous habits, festivals, faiths, imaginations and aspirations which are different from the other parts of India. The themes of these tales are simple yet universal. The Assamese society has been shaped and guided by these tales from early period. They represent the connection of people with nature, supernatural beliefs, mythologies, prevailing in the society, moral values, customs, ethics and ideals of the Assamese people. Folktales enrich the cultural heritage and build a strong foundation of moral framework of the people of Assam. Known as Loka Katha, Assamese folktales are a store-house of knowledge for the society. The present paper aims to focus on how folktales are a living document of social realities of the rural Assamese people, their history and culture. Key Words: Folktales, Assamese society, ethnic tribes, customs, moral. Introduction Folk tales reflect the values, faiths, ethos and traditions of a community and an unavoidable part of the cultural heritage of a society. It originates from oral traditions based on mythologies and social experiences of a community. It was solely created and practised for the purpose of entertainment, but moral values and spiritual instruments were also deeply embedded in them. It guided the rural and simple people to live a hassle-free life without any complexity. People remember and reflect upon the moral lessons taught by the characters or the incidents from the tales. Assam as well as the North-Eastern part is a land of many tribes with their unique and distinct backgrounds, languages and customs making it significantly different from the other parts of India. The various tribes like Ahoms, Bodos, Rabhas, Mishimis etc. along with their diverse ethnic identities, vibrant festivals, rituals, habits, beliefs and longstanding oral traditions have enriched and colourfully weaved the folktales of Assam. The folk tales of Assam are vibrant expressions of the state's diverse ethnic and cultural identity and long-standing oral traditions. Passed down through storytelling, often by elders to younger generations, these narratives incorporate the collective wisdom of Assamese people and universality. This study focuses on how these orally transmitted stories function as a foundation of Assamese cultural heritage, serving as a connection with the historical, social, and ethical foundations of society. Folktales preserve the cultural diversity, traditions, customs and beliefs of a community. The new generations can learn the moral and enhance its range of ethical knowledge to live a happy life. In the modern scenario, people are often seen living a life seeking only physical comfort and material prosperity. The western education leaves a huge impact upon the indigenous social life as well as cultural surroundings. Objectives: 1.To study the various types of Assamese folktales. 2.To explore the folktales as carriers of cultural heritage. 3.To discuss the essence of folktales in the modern relevance. Quick Response Code: Website: https://jrdrvb.org/ DOI: Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) This is an open access journal, and articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Public License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work noncommercially, as long as appropriate credit is given and the new creations ae licensed under the idential terms. Address for correspondence: Amiya Saikia,Assistant Professor, Department of English,Nakachari College, Jorhat-Assam How to cite this article: Amiya Saikia,(2025 Folktales of Assam: A Study of Cultural Heritage and Oral Tradition,Journal of Research & Development, 17(10(II)),97-99 Original Article Journal of Research and Development Peer Reviewed International, Open Access Journal. ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-10(II)| October2025 98 Methodology: In this paper, both analytical and descriptive methods are used. The researcher has tried to highlight the folktales of the Assamese society and its importance in the life of the common people. Though the paper mainly focuses on the written books, journals etc., it also tries to emphasize how these tales are orally transferred to generation from generation. Discussion: North-East India along with Assam is a land of wonderful myths, supernatural beliefs where animals talk in human language, can transform into human beings. The supernatural themes may be found in a tree or mysterious entities, may be living near the villages etc. The natural settings, full of streams, rivers, hills, wild animals of this land enhance the mystical elements of traditional storytelling and make it more lively and interesting. The rich culture of the tribes like the Ahoms, Bodos, Rabhas, Tiwas also complete this charm with their colourful and vibrant cultural identity. Oral literature traces back to a long period of history when written words were not accessible to the rural Assamese folk. While converting the tales from mouth to mouth, they taught the young generation about moral values, spiritual upliftment and educational functions. It continues to be a medium to educate children on moral values and cultural norms from the past. They reflect how the people of Assam are deeply connected with nature and how they have an influence of the indigenous mythologies. The oral tradition of Assam is extensive and includes various forms, such as folk songs (lokageet), proverbs (lokabani), ballads, and tales of different types. Many of these traditions are still alive today, despite the pressures of modern civilization. Before the arrival of mass media, oral transmission was the primary medium for preserving culture in Assam. Storytelling, often passed down by elders, was an integral part of family and community life. The stories were told by the grandparents in the evenings near the fire-place in the winter season and in the open yard in the summer season. These tales not only served to entertain the children but they were passing education, imparting moral lessons and shaping the ethical values of them. ‘Folk’ implies a collective group of people with common factors. The folktales narrate the history, culture, society, celebration, religion aspirations, imaginations, sorrow, fears and superstitions etc. of the common people in their day to day life. This traditional prose narrative acquired its written form with the advent of modernity. According to Alan Dundes, “Folktales are the living record of people’s imagination, morals and history.” (Dunde 1980) He says that folktales serve as a mirror to reflect the cultural identity and social norms and they preserve collective wisdom and values. In Folk Tales of Assam Mira Prakashi says that folktales can tell certain things about a particular group of people. She also says that folktales preserve the lives of certain people as well as teaching them moral values with fantastic imaginary tales. Maheswar Neog in Asamiya Sahityar Ruprekha says that rural sociocultural pictures can be found in the folktales. He says that a true picture of the lives of unsophisticated rural people can be found in these tales. The Tradition of storytelling in Assam can be traced back to pre-Ahom and Ahom periods, when various indigenous tribes like Bodo, Karbi, Dimasa Tiwas and Mishing communities enriched the folklore of the region. For centuries, Assamese folk tales thrived in oral form, with the storytelling often by the elderly women (Burhi Aai or grandmother), captivating the audience with their narratives. These were known as ‘Sadhukatha’ which, according to Lakshminath Bezbarua, is the word of the saints. Assamese folk tales attained a systematic shape with the publication of the collection of folk tales Burhi Aair Xaadhu (Grandmother's Tales), published in 1911 which has thirty ‘Sadhukathas’. This proved to be a crucial step for Assamese culture which immortalized many of the oral traditions of Assam, bridging the gap between the oral and written word. This compilation is considered a landmark achievement that ensured the survival of these stories for future generations. 1.Categories of Assamese Folk Tales Assamese folk tales are rich in variety and theme and they reflect the complex and diverse socio-cultural landscape of the region. They can be divided into various categories like animal tales, mythological tales, moralistic and heroic tales and humorous tales. Animal Fables: One special feature of the Assamese folk tales is animal tales where animals are employed as allegorical characters. These tales present humorous effect and teach moral lessons. The tale of the Fox and the Monkey or Xial aru Bandoror Sadhu or The Old Man and the Fox or Burha aru Xialor Sadhu are some of the tales which deliver comic taste to the audience along with moral teachings. In these tales animals talk and behave like human beings and sometimes they can transform into different appearances. Stories like "The Monkey and the Fox" teach valuable lessons about wit and the consequences of deceit. These tales also showcase the cleverness of certain characters in outsmarting their adversaries. They celebrate intelligence and wit as crucial survival tools. Mythological Tales: Many folk tales are intertwined with Assamese mythology and legends. There are many tales that feature gods, spirits, deities and other supernatural elements. The love story of Usha and Aniruddha is one such tale, recounting the union of Usha, daughter of King Banasura, with Aniruddha, the grandson of Lord Krishna. This narrative, often retold in Bihu songs, features elements of romance, mysticism, magic, and divine intervention. The goddesses like Manasa, Devi Kamkhya are other characters who are prevalent in the folk tales of Assam. Journal of Research and Development Peer Reviewed International, Open Access Journal. ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-10(II)| October2025 99 Moralistic and Heroic Tales: Most of the Assamese folktales serve as a vehicle for imparting ethical lessons. The tale of Tejeemola, a popular Assamese "Cinderella," is a prime example. Tejeemola is harassed and killed by her wicked stepmother. But eventually she triumphs through several magical rebirths and finally returns to her own self from being bird symbolizes the victory of goodness over cruelty, the inevitability of justice, and the resilience of the human spirit. The tale Tula and Teja is another example of a virtuous girl’s triumph against her evil step mother. Budhiyak xiyal (The Clever Fox) describes a clever fox who outwits the most powerful Tiger with its cunningness and intelligence. These stories convey lessons on honesty, justice, diligence, compassion and kindness. Most of the folk tales end with an appropriate proverbial wisdom. Supernatural Tales: Assamese folklore has gained its unique touch of magic with supernatural elements. The characters and incidents often clash and crash with diverse cast of spirits, mythical creatures, and malevolent entities. These stories have been for many generations serving as cautionary tales and they explain the natural phenomena. These factors reflect the deep connection between the Assamese people and their relationship with natural environment. Assamese folklore is concentrated with tales of mythical creatures and spirits, both benevolent and malevolent. Bira, a spirit which is kept as a pet to take revenge on enemies, Jokhini, a female spirit or witch who can change her appearance to fulfil her evil intentions. These tales collectively highlight the spiritual landscape of Assamese culture, where the supernatural is interwoven with the everyday world. Humorous Tales: Many folk tales showcase the wit and humour of both human and animal characters. These tales contain light-hearted stories that use satire and wit to entertain as well as to teach moral values. Lotkon is the story of a cunning man who uses his wit to deceive other villagers for his own profit. Lame Goat tells about a clever goat which is injured and became lame. But it is able to live a peaceful life even in the jungle full of dangerous animals using its wit. These comic tales provide the audience amusement and makes them aware of frauds. 2.Folk Tales as Cultural Barometers The folk tales of Assam are not mere stories; they are cultural barometers that reflect the values, customs, beliefs, and history of the Assamese people. The tales provide fundamental moral instruction and life lessons for individuals. Many stories like Champavati, Biral Tapaswi (The Ascetic Cat) teach moral values and life lessons. They offer a glimpse into the socio-cultural fabric of past Assamese society, portraying the daily life, beliefs, superstitions, and simple wisdom of its people. Many tales, such as the story of Tejimola's reincarnation through natural elements, demonstrate the deep connection Assamese communities feel with their environment. In The Ou Princess, the protagonist, a young and beautiful girl, is found inside an Outenga tree (elephant apple), whereas the tale Paanesoi, showcases another beautiful and mysterious girl Panesoi, who resides within a piece of wood. Nature is an unavoidable part of Assamese folktales. Some stories contain fragments of historical information, offering insights into early Assamese society and its interactions with neighbouring communities. They show how good can triumph over the evil, how nature and animals should be respected, how some things should be left to fate and divine justice. Assamese folk tales reflect a blend of Hindu beliefs and tribal traditions, offering a fascinating glimpse into the collective imagination of the Assamese people. Assamese folk tales remain relevant even in the modern scenario. They have ensured their presence in the lives of the next generation through various mediums like literature, animation and digital media. But the advent of modern media and the decline of traditional storytelling posed a threat to the preservation of these narrations. However, the translation of the folk tales into print and digital media also raises the questions of authenticity and adaptation and losing the oral aesthetics. Efforts to preserve and promote this cultural heritage are very important. Even in a rapidly modernizing world, the wisdom of the past as well as the practice of storytelling is invaluable. Conclusion: The folk tales of Assam are not merely relics of the past but living cultural treasures of the values and wisdom. They serve as a bridge between the past and the present, rural and urban. The effect of folktales can be felt in the beliefs and thinking of the Assamese society. Folk tales must be promoted and preserved for maintaining the cultural identity of the people of Assam. References 1. Bezborua, Lakshminath. Burhi Aair Sadhu, Kitap Samalaya, 2005, Guwahati 2. Dundes, Alan. Interpreting Folklore, Indiana University Press, 1980, Bloomington 3. Goswami, P. Dr. Tales of Assam, Publication Board, 1980, Guwahati 4. Misra, Tilottama. The Oxford Anthology of Writings From Northeast India, Oxford University Press, 2011, New Delhi. 5. Neog, Dr. Maheswar. Asamiya Sahityar Ruprekha. Kiran Prakashan, 2008, Dhemaji 6. Pakrasi, Mira. Folk Tales of Assam. Sterling Publishers(P) Ltd, 1960, Delhi