Oral Epics of Kalahandi: A Treatise on the Culture and Traditions of Kalahandi Region of Odisha

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The study of oral epics, a relatively new field in folkloric literature, owes much to the pioneering efforts of Western scholars. They initiated primary research of oral epics in Europe and Africa, and over a period of time, it has evolved into one of the emerging genres of folklore research. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, Milman Parry's study of Homeric epics and his comparison with written epics significantly contributed to the study of oral epics. This comparison, known as the Oral-Formulaic Theory, has been instrumental in the study of epic literature. Following in his footsteps, Albert B. Lord's research on Yugoslavian epics further strengthened and established the comparative analysis of oral and written epics (Foley 1988: 155). Parry and Lord established a new discipline widely accepted worldwide in the literature study. Contemporary scholars such as Walter J. Ong, Joseph Duggan, Berkley Peabody, Michael Nagler, Gerald Else, and Ruth Finnegan expanded the horizon of the study of oral epics through their field research in Western countries. Their objective was to understand the composition of oral epics present among the oral singers and to examine the recurring epic formulae before the emergence of written epics. They also sought to understand the contribution of tradition-oriented epics in the construction and composition of written epics by great poets. The purpose was to establish how oral epics in performance substantially contributed to the framing of written epics in terms of form, content, style, and meter. David E. Bynum, Alain Renoir, Richard Janko, and Werner H. Kelber contributed to the Western oral literary tradition. Afterwards, the study of oral narratives in a performance context became prominent. Thus, the study of epics shifted from the text to composition-in-performance during this period. Traditional epics were initially performed in socio-religious contexts, which inspired singers and writers to capture their stories in written form. Oral epics were created collectively and passed down through generations, while written epics were the work of individual authors and recorded in written format. Despite this difference, oral epics' style, language, and function have significantly influenced written epics. In the 1960s, scholars identified a few critical differences between written and oral epics. For example, written epics are authored by a poet in a written text form and are meant to be read before an audience, whereas oral epics are performed live and rely on a collective memory to survive. Scholars from Western countries such as Felix J Oinas, Milman Parry, Albert B Lord, Otto Rank, Lauri Honko, John Brockington, Isidore Okpewho, John Miles Foley, Stephen Belcher, and many others have studied the oral epic tradition and attempted to define its characteristics. They discussed oral epics' content, form, stylistics, and texture and tried to put them into written form. Oral epics have become a fascinating genre of folklore research. Over the past 30 years, folklore fellows of oral epics from around the world have established a new dimension to the study of epic traditions, creating a discipline in the study of oral epics both in the East and West. This has helped me understand the cultural interactions in many living cultures worldwide. From the 1960s to 1990s, scholars from the West started studying the African epics, which represent the mythological and historical accounts of the land and people of Africa. Scholars like Isidore Okpewho, John William Johnson, and Daniel Biebuyck, along with African and Western scholars, researched the oral epics of Africa and discovered the rich African oral epic tradition representing their history and culture. Scholars like Richard Dorson, Felix J. Oinas, Axel Olrik, Dan Ben-Amos, and Ruth Finnegan also studied the epics of Africa. However, the African scholars from indigenous scholarship questioned the authenticity of the research model and reinterpreted the African epics from their socio-historical context. Scholars like Isidore Okpewho, M.M. Mulokozi. and Stephen Belcher studied African epics from a native's point of view, defining the function and meaning of using the genre. Isidore Okpewho stressed traditional African art in general and analyzed the cultural resources present in the community. He also studied narrative style's form, structure, function, and nature in his seminal work "The Epic in Africa". African scholars' study of oral epics of Africa revealed the African worldview of looking at a narrative from a historical perspective with cultural continuity. To them, oral epic/narratives are a part of their social reproduction. Therefore, the study of oral tradition must be viewed from a socio-historical point of view rather than looking at the epic as a text. The social function of epics determines the authenticity of epics in African society. In his book "Epic Traditions of Africa," Stephen Belcher mentions the wide range of oral epics encompassing greater Africa. He presents an exploratory world of epics prevalent in Africa through his diachronic study of epics about history, caste genealogies, and myths. The study of oral epics became more concrete because of the efforts of Alan Dundes and John Miles Foley. Foley's research on Serbo-Croatian oral epics established the scientific analysis of text and performance and a critical analysis of the grammar of oral epics. Scholars such as Minna Skafte Jensen, Joseph Harris, and Dell Hymes also contributed to studying European epics through their work. Similarly, Karl Reichl and Arthur Hatto studied Turkish and Siberian epics, respectively, and explored the cultural identity of many countries. In Europe, Lauri Honko, a Finnish folklorist, played a pivotal role in globalizing the study of oral epics.

Oral Epics of Kalahandi: Kalahandi, a land steeped in ancestral lore, breathes through its oral epics-sung, not written; lived, not read. These heroic and sacred traditions echo through tribal hamlets, carried by bardic lineages like the Parghania (Gond), Maral and Bogua (Kondh), Ghogia (Gaud), and Bhat (Banjara). Each community sings its own identity into being-through rhythmic chants and evocative performances. Among the Bhunjia and Paharia, elders become memory-keepers, while Debgunia singers invoke the divine feminine in praise of Goddess Lakshmi. These epics are cultural scriptures-recounting forest spirits, deities, and struggles for justice. They embody ecological wisdom, social harmony, and interethnic unity. These are not mere stories-they are the soul-song of Kalahandi. Let us listen, honour, and uplift them-before the echoes fade forever.

Mahendra Kumar Mishra (1952), a distinguished folklorist and multilingual educationist from Odisha, has spent over four decades illuminating the rich tapestry of India's tribal languages, oral traditions, and indigenous knowledge systems. The first Indian to receive the UNESCO International Mother Language Award (2023), he was honoured for safeguarding endangered languages and advancing mother-tongue-based education. He also received the Kalevala Award for translating the Finnish epic Kalevala into Odia. His landmark Works-Folklore of Kalahandi, Ramkatha in Oral Tradition of Odisha, and Multilingual Education in Odisha-reflect his profound scholarship. Widely decorated, Dr. Mishra's legacy bridges tradition and transformative pedagogy.