Lokkathar Barnamala (Bengali Version)

Book Details

• Author: Sougata Chattopadhyay
• Publisher: Bangiya Sahitya Samsad
• Language: Bengali
• ISBN: 9789382012825

About the Book

Lokkathar Barnamala (Bengali Version) is an extensive scholarly collection of seventy-eight research essays that examines the rich and evolving tradition of folk tales from multiple critical perspectives. Going far beyond conventional folklore studies, the book presents an interdisciplinary exploration of folk narratives, demonstrating how traditional tales continue to engage with contemporary literary theory, cultural studies, and social thought.

While the volume offers a thorough discussion of the classical forms, themes, and narrative structures of folk tales, its distinctive contribution lies in connecting folklore with modern intellectual frameworks. The essays explore the relationships between folk narratives and subjects such as subaltern studies, folk mathematics, postmodernism, magical realism, gender studies, environmental humanities, and cultural identity. These fresh perspectives reveal that folk tales are not merely relics of the past but dynamic cultural texts capable of reflecting complex social realities and evolving human experiences.

The book also investigates the enduring influence of folk tales on Bengali, Sanskrit, and English literature. Through comparative literary analysis, it demonstrates how motifs, symbols, narrative patterns, and archetypal characters originating in oral traditions have shaped literary works across different languages and historical periods. This comparative approach broadens readers’ understanding of folklore as an essential foundation of literary creativity.

Another significant aspect of the volume is its emphasis on the continued study, preservation, and promotion of folk tale traditions. The contributors examine the importance of documenting oral narratives and recognizing their role in preserving cultural memory and intangible heritage. The collection encourages renewed academic interest in folklore as an important field of interdisciplinary research.

Expanding beyond Bengal, Lokkathar Barnamala includes discussions by distinguished scholars from various Indian states and Bangladesh, exploring the folk tale traditions of diverse linguistic communities and indigenous groups. This wider geographical and cultural perspective highlights the universal relevance of folk narratives while celebrating the unique characteristics of regional storytelling traditions.

An invaluable resource for students, researchers, folklorists, literary scholars, cultural historians, and readers interested in oral traditions, Lokkathar Barnamala offers a comprehensive and innovative examination of folk tales as living expressions of culture, imagination, and collective memory.