Dear ones, in my past blogs, I have been sharing stories about nature from tribal parts of India. Each one of those stories has a moral attached and that is why they are told and retold. We are also able to understand our past. Continue reading
A story about why the cuckoo cries all summer in Himachal Pradesh.
We all know the cuckoo and in Himachal it is called the chataka. The cuckoo uses the south west summer monsoon to propel it across the Arabian sea from Africa to India. With the cuckoo, arrives the rain, the monsoon. Since it takes such a long flight, it is a symbol of patience, resilience and longing. Continue reading
Story about how the coconut palm grows in Car Nicobar.
Car Nicobar is the northern most island in the Nicobar archipelago. In ancient times it was a desolate and lonely place with no water. There was a man, who knew how to create water and only he could help the people on the island. Continue reading
A story from Tripura.
The hornbill is looked upon in a different light in different countries. In Malaysia, it is considered a sacred messenger between humans and the divine. In the Zulu tradition, it is said to symbolize optimism because of its steady, upward gaze. In Tripura, it is associated with a terrible story which resulted in which the hornbill was created. Continue reading
A story from Madhya Pradesh, where Tigers are family.
There are many stories of tigers befriending men in Ancient India. Among the Baiga tribals the story takes a turn. A man named Latiya once used a magic spell to conjure a tiger and tigress out of a tree. Continue reading
It was said that half fish half women lived in the Bay of Bengal. They sang out to the fishermen in beautiful voices. It was said that if they treated the mermaids with respect, they would fall asleep and when they opened their eyes next, their nets were full of fish. If they ill-treated the mermaids or were cruel to them, they were never heard of again. Continue reading
A story about a bird and a hot chilli from Nagaland. There is a an excruciatingly hot chilli found in Nagaland. A man named Panmei came across this beautiful red chilli in the jungle. He mistook it for a fruit. He ate it and had the most acute pain. He was rolling in the forest in pain, when a kind bird saw him. The bird decided to help him. Continue reading
A story about the creation of tears from Arunachal Pradesh.
Tears are a favourite subject for stories. The express so much and can move us deeply. An Inca myth says that silver came from the tears of the moon and the gold came from the sweat of the sun. In Greek mythology it is believed that pearls were formed from the tears of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love. In folktales from Ladakh, it is said that tears of sad fairies were converted into gemstones. Continue reading
This a story from Meghalaya and it is about how the peacock got his iridescent tail.
In Meghalaya, among the Khasi tribals the luminous feathers of the peacock are referred to as Ummat Ka Sangi (Tears of the Sun Goddess) and are a symbol of heartache and love. Continue reading
A story from Sikkim about two rivers. The tale goes that two rivers as lovers were created by the Goddess Ibn-moo. The names of the rivers were Rangeet and Rongnyu also known as Teesta. Continue reading
This story is from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is about a time when trees wandered from place to place. They behaved like living beings. They would seek a shady spot and stay there for a time. Then they would move on. Continue reading