The Roots of India

The roots of India’s literary traditions can be traced to the rich oral literatures of the tribes/adivasis.
Usually in the form of songs or chanting, these verses are expressions of the close contact between
the world of nature and the world of tribal existence. They have been orally transmitted from
generation to generation and have survived for several ages. However, a large number of these are
already lost due to the very fact of their orality. The forces of urbanisation, print culture and
commerce have resulted in not just the marginalisation of these communities but also of their
languages and literary cultures. Though some attempts have been made for the collection and
conservation of tribal languages and their literatures, without more concerted efforts at an
accelerated pace, we are in danger of losing an invaluable part of our history and rich literary
heritage. This section is a small attempt to familiarise students with some aspects of the enormous
wealth of oral tribal literature. It begins with an extract from an essay by G.N. Devy in which he
discusses the need to create a space for the study of tribal literature within the framework of
canonized written texts. What he argues for is the need for a new method to identify and read
literature in which orality is not dismissed as casual utterances in different dialects. This is followed
by two songs—one sung on the occasion of childbirth by the Munda tribals and the other on the
occasion of death by the Kondh tribals. The third verse is a chanting in the ritualistic religious
language of the Adi tribe, not the same as their language of conversation. Even though this is merely
a small representation of a treasure of tribal/adivasi songs, it indicates the immense diversity that
exists amongst tribal groups. Inevitably influenced by their very specific historical, cultural and
geographical locations, tribal societies continue to retain and reproduce their distinctive traditions
which usually find expression through their different languages. However, it is equally true that
though possessing their very specific languages, most tribal societies such as Munda, Kondh, Adi and
Bondo are bilingual. Moreover, while tribal groups like the Santhal become important subjects in
dominant literary streams such as Bangla literature, there is a fairly well developed Santhali
literature too. Besides this, tribes like Santhal and Munda have also played a prominent role in the
sociopolitical movements of their regions. [Birsa Munda (1874–1901) spent his whole life fighting
against colonialism and the exploitation of labourers]. The Santhals have emerged as a prominent
group at the regional and state levels through their participation in the Jharkhand Movement. The
three selected songs give us a small glimpse into the rich repository of folk songs that is an
expression of the tribal vision of life. Their close connection with nature is evident from their belief
in the interdependence between human beings and nature. Nature for them is living and responsive
to human existence and human actions, demanding respect essential for any kind of coexistence.
The songs exist originally in the native languages of the tribals and are sung or chanted. The effort to
bring them to students in English naturally involves some loss of the original flavour and spirit but
that is a problem of all translation and constant attempts need to be made to minimise this loss. But
for some conscious effort beingmade to first preserve these songs, these pieces of literature would
have been lost to us completely. However limitedly, it is only through translation that we are able to
even access these works. ‘INTRODUCTION’ TO PAINTED WORDS ...Most tribal communities in India
are culturally similar to tribal communities elsewhere in the world. They live in groups that are
cohesive and organically unified. They show very little interest in accumulating wealth or in using
labour as a device to gather interest and capital. They accept a world-view in which nature, human
beings and God are intimately linked and they believe in the human ability to spell and interpret
truth. They live more by intution than reason, they consider the space around them more sacred
than secular, and their sense of time is personal rather than objective. The world of the tribal
imagination, therefore, is radically different from that of modern Indian society.
India is rich with a diversity of religions, arts, customs, races,

traditions, and languages. While the government of India
recognizes twenty-two official languages, there are over 880
languages spoken in the country. Until recently, the tribal
literature created in non-mainstream languages has not been very
recognized or available for an Indian or global audience. One of the
primary reasons for this is that tribal discourse, including folktales
and songs, is mainly oral in nature. In addition, the communities
who produce it tend to be far from developed metropolitan cities,
and so their creative works have been largely overlooked.
Mizo folk literature comes from the Northeastern state of India

called Mizoram. The Mizos are well known as “the singing tribe.”
This compilation includes folk narratives, songs, proverbs, rituals,
riddles, tales, and war cries. A unique and interesting feature of
Mizo literature is that the primary source of the songs, poems, and
tales can often be traced. For instance, the first known composer
of these songs was named Hmuaki. Hmuaki was not only the oldest
known composer, but she was also a woman, a significant fact
given that she lived in ancient times.
Collected and compiled by one of India’s most famous literary

critics, G. N. Devy, this is a rich collection of writing in a variety of
genres by the large population of indigenous people from India
known as Adivasis. This anthology includes poignant songs, oral
histories, legends, and tribal versions of the Mahabharatha and
Ramayana (two famous Indian epics). The book also conveys the
routine exploitation of tribal citizens, and takes you through an
emotional journey that highlights the plight of these people,
whose stories speak to the soul.
Telugu Dalit poetry originates from South India where cultural

traditions are very different from the North. Telugu Dalit literature
is serious in nature as it is based on subjects such as
untouchability, poverty, discrimination, and so on. It encompasses
the situations experienced by the Dalits as the victims of the
imperious caste system in India.
This is the first novel by Narayan, the first tribal novelist from
South India. The story, based on the Malayarayar tribe in Kerala,
follows an Adivasi couple through the different phases in their lives
and records a vivid account of their daily traditions, which allows
the reader to learn about and experience the tribe’s cultural
traditions.
“Khasi” refers to all the tribes and subtribes of the Khasi and Jaintia
hills, located in the Northeastern state of Meghalaya. The Khasi
language was purely oral until the arrival of the members of the
Welsh Methodist Mission, who began to write the language in
Roman script. These unique folktales and songs were compiled
based on various themes.
These five books provide insight into a completely different world.

They offer a fresh perspective to global audiences and reflect the
importance of conserving rare literature through translation.
Though our languages are different, the intensity of our emotions
is the same. Literature allows us to recognize this. It speaks to our
souls and imprints in our hearts, and it has the power to dissolve
the borders that divide us.
Adivasi Literature: Indigenous

Stories Must Be Made Available To
More Readers
It is important for us to engage with Adivasi literature which has been sidelined by
language barriers and lack of documentation
By Adivasi Lives Matter Oct 22, 2021 4 min read
FacebookTwitterWhatsAppEmailLinkedInRedditTelegram
Dear reader, this article is free to read and it will remain free – but it isn’t free to
produce. If you want to support the work that goes behind publishing high-quality
feminist media content, please consider becoming a FII member. Thank you!
Posted by Abhay Majhi
Historically, Adivasi literature has stayed hidden from mainstream eyes despite
the fact that they have a rich custom of oral narration. Their stories have
elements of the fantastic and the surreal that transport any listener to the world of
wonders. These are stories about the Adivasi way of life, nature, theory, and the
human condition, and the interconnection between them. Unfortunately, Adivasi
literature remains a highly niche category due to their unavailability to youngsters
who receive education in either English or Hindi.
Even a large number of Adivasi youth do not have access to their own stories
due to the language barrier. It is, therefore, important that these stories are
translated in Hindi and English so that many more people can revel in the rich
folktales and stories handed down through generations.
There are certain factors as to why Adivasi stories don’t reach the mainstream
literary circles. India is rich, with a variety of religions, expressions, customs,
races, and dialects. However, only 22 languages are deemed official in a pool of
more than 880 dialects/languages spoken in the country, many of which are
Adivasi.
Whereas the said 22 languages have been promoted and encouraged, Adivasi
languages have not found a similar platform to develop. Further, the Adivasis,
whose rich oral traditions stored the stories in the spoken form, generally lived a
long way from metropolitan urban communities, thus limiting their dissemination.
In other words, whereas the languages of metropolitan hubs

under British India were developed and taught in schools, Adivasi
languages were pushed further into the hills. This universe of
Adivasi stories is also slowly seeing the light of day due to the
support of publishing houses like Adivaani and Zubaan, that have
made them available to readers in English. There are still not
many English-language books by Adivasi scholars and writers,
but the gap is being filled slowly
Image: Sabrang
Be that as it may, the Indian government and civil societies, including social
activists and lawmakers, have ventured forward to preserve and interpret these
unheard voices and to impart Adivasi literary gems to the world. Sahitya
Akademi, India’s National Academy of Letters, has fostered the Project of Indian
Literature in Tribal Languages and Oral Traditions to safeguard and instruct
individuals about this writing.
If the literature of Adivasis is to gain further notice and

appreciation, it needs to be accessible to readers of English and
Hindi. A prime example of the inaccessibility of Adivasi stories
can be viewed in the condition of the Koya language. The Koya
tribe of Southern India, who call themselves Koitur, consists of
fourteen million individuals. However till date, it hasn’t had a
single book in English that captures their stories and folktales.
This means that their folktales that capture their worldview and
identity are not available to a wide audience
The creator, G. N. Devy has been instrumental in making an interpretation of
different native dialects into English and Hindi. When inquired as to why Adivasi
literature has been less visible than those in other Indian dialects, Devy said,
“After print innovation began affecting Indian dialects during the nineteenth
century, the destiny of the oral got unstable. A gross social disregard must be
looked at by the dialects which stayed outside print innovation.” In other words,
whereas the languages of metropolitan hubs under British India were developed
and taught in schools, Adivasi languages were pushed further into the hills.
Also read: Why Do We Need To Stop The Culture Of Tribal Tourism In India?
This universe of Adivasi stories is also slowly seeing the light of day due to the
support of publishing houses like Adivaani and Zubaan, that have made them
available to readers in English. There are still not many English-language books
by Adivasi scholars and writers, but the gap is being filled slowly.
I
mage: Story LTD
If the literature of Adivasis is to gain further notice and appreciation, it needs to

be accessible to readers of English and Hindi. A prime example of the
inaccessibility of Adivasi stories can be viewed in the condition of the Koya
language. The Koya tribe of Southern India, who call themselves Koitur, consists
of fourteen million individuals. However till date, it hasn’t had a single book in
English that captures their stories and folktales. This means that their folktales
that capture their worldview and identity are not available to a wide audience.
These stories and literary sources give understanding of an extraordinary world.

They offer a new point of view to a worldwide audience and mirror the
significance of saving uncommon writing through interpretation. In spite of the
fact that our dialects are unique, the force of our feelings is something very
similar. Writing permits us to perceive this. It addresses our spirits and
engravings in our souls, and it has the ability to erase the lines that partition us.
References:
1. Meena, Ganga Sahay. Tribal Literature: Challenges and possibilities,
Forward Press
2. Poyam, Akash. Ten voices from Adivasi literature, The Caravan
Also read: How Does The Citizenship Amendment Act Affect

Adivasis?
Abhay Majhi is an undergraduate student studying English Literature at St.

Stephen’s College in New Delhi, India. He loves having discussions on social
issues, international politics, history, mythology, science fiction, and fantasy
literature. He is also into creative writing and political writing
Editor’s note: This article is republished from the Adivasi Lives Matter archives
Featured Image Source: Iteeha

Tagged Under: Adivasi literatureAdivasi Lives Matterindigenous knowledgetribal rights

The Roots of India

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Roots of India

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Roots of India

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The roots of India’s literary traditions can be traced to the rich oral literatures of the tribes/adivasis.

India is rich with a diversity of religions, arts, customs, races,

Mizo folk literature comes from the Northeastern state of India

Collected and compiled by one of India’s most famous literary

Telugu Dalit poetry originates from South India where cultural

These five books provide insight into a completely different world.

Adivasi Literature: Indigenous

Posted by Abhay Majhi

In other words, whereas the languages of metropolitan hubs

If the literature of Adivasis is to gain further notice and

Also read: Why Do We Need To Stop The Culture Of Tribal Tourism In India?

If the literature of Adivasis is to gain further notice and appreciation, it needs to

These stories and literary sources give understanding of an extraordinary world.

Also read: How Does The Citizenship Amendment Act Affect

Abhay Majhi is an undergraduate student studying English Literature at St.

Editor’s note: This article is republished from the Adivasi Lives Matter archives

Featured Image Source: Iteeha

You might also like