Folklore of the Santal Parganas

The book opens a window onto the world of the Santals, a vibrant Munda tribe living on the eastern fringe of the Chutia Nagpore plateau. Their villages are organized around a headman, priest, and a host of specialists, and their daily life is woven with music, rice‑beer, and a lively sense of humor. Through careful, literal translation of stories recorded in pure Santali, the listener hears the same tales that once gathered children around village fires.

Spanning six sections, the collection offers everything from whimsical animal fables to haunting accounts of spirits—known as bongas—who inhabit trees, rocks, and even household corners. The narratives reveal how the Santals negotiate the unseen world, celebrate bravery, and negotiate social rules, all while preserving a tone that is at once simple and profound. Listening to these tales provides a rare glimpse of a culture whose oral tradition is fading, yet whose stories still pulse with the laughter and mystery of its people.