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Book Review
MALAYALAM
Tribal folk tales
K. KUNHIKRISHNAN
HIMALAYAN GOTHRA KATHAKAL: P.G. Rajendran; Mathrubhumi Books, MM Press, Cherooty Road, Kozhikode-673001. Rs. 60.
THE HIMALAYA from Arunachal Pradesh to Kashmir is populated by many tribal populations. They speak different dialects and they have their own traditions and, rituals and culture. They also have a plethora of fascinating and metaphorical stories. The stories collected and retold in this book are captivating, and the efforts of the author in researching, collecting and compiling them are commendable.
The stories have been gathered from the tribal people of Buddhist faith in the Tibetan belt including Bhutan, Sikkim and Nepal. Each of the 45 stories is narrated in a simple and highly readable style. Almost all the stories have a moral. The more one goes into the interior areas the solitary life in sparsely populated settlements resulted in superstitions and deep-rooted faith in spirits and ghosts.
A notable feature of the stories is nature and the animals and plants, which are integral to the tribal lives. Among the animals, bears and pigs feature often. Other animals like snakes, variety of birds, fowls, buffaloes, wolves and owls are also anthropomorphic characters. There are evil and good spirits and there are gods and super-gods, who visit animals and human beings for redressal of their grievances. Jealousies of siblings and wives also make interesting reading. How the Sun and the Moon came to the universe, animals marrying girls and tribal fights form the themes of some stories. The collection is an outstanding treasure trove of absorbing tribal folk tales.
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