THE HISTORIOGRAPHY OF STORY TELLING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDIAN CULTURE

Abstract

Story telling has been the earliest form of teaching and entertainment. Good stories are made of situations, characters, conversations, circumstances, conflicts and emotions. It uses words, expressions and descriptions which creates new experiences which are sometimes fictional, sometimes realistic, relatable and also controversial. It has been used since ages to pass on shared beliefs and values. Stories have come down from the oral tradition to form of the written script. Many of these stories may not even have any empirical evidence, or may not be seen in history books due to lack of facts, data and proper time line, but they are passed on from elders to the younger generation since time immemorial.

Stories need not be always of kings, queens, prince, princess and demons. Every person has a story and are constantly creating new ones, and, it is these stories which connects people to each other and make individuals more interesting and relatable. Or else, we remain just a name, a degree or a profession that we are in. These stories which are written or a spoken account of an event can be used to simplify a complex message or to even make an abstract concept more understandable. For instance, the story of Gods and Demons are used as binary oppositions to instill values in people. Stories can be of a medicinal herb Tulsi written to show its importance in the health sector. It can also be regarding rituals and ceremonies which are handed down to us since generations. Further, it can be as mundane as the childhood experience of being punished in school or having a ritualistic Sunday oil bath. These stories are open ended, and are open for subjective interpretations.