Indian Folklore on Pitara Kids Network

A Witch's Gift

Sat, 23 May 2020 00:30:00 +0000

This is a story of long, long ago.

Surya the sun god had a very beautiful daughter. She was tall, with long golden hair that almost touched her toes. And she was gentle as the soft, wispy white clouds that float by on clear blue day.

Though she loved her home in the sky, each morning, as brightness spread across the heavens, she came down earth, to the wonderful green forests that grew there.

She walked among the trees all day. She sang with the birds. She played hide-n-seek with the small creatures and listened to the stories the big beasts had to tell. And when evening came, she returned to her palace far away beyond the twinkling stars.

Shaikh Chilli

Tue, 16 May 2000 20:16:03 +0000

Long, long ago, there lived a simpleton whose name was Shaikh Chilli. Because of his stupid but innocent actions, he was popular among his friends. They enjoyed his company.

One day, the village zamindar (landlord) sent for him. This landlord was well-known for his dishonesty. He asked Shaikh Chilli to count all the houses in the village. He promised to pay him at the rate of twenty paisa per house.

Poor Shaikh Chilli worked hard for many hours, walking through the streets and lanes. By evening, he had given the total number of houses to the zamindar and received payment.

The Story of Big Ears

Thu, 30 Mar 2000 21:15:00 +0000

Retold from “When the World was Young’, by pioneering anthropologist, Verrier Elwin. It is a fascinating collection of folktales from the tribal peoples of India.

This happened a long, long time ago.

Humans had big ears then.

And they would flap in the wind.

The Story of Big Ears [Illustrations by Nitin Vishwakarma]

Their ears were so big that they found a use for them.

When the Earth and Sky were Married

Mon, 19 Mar 2001 23:34:14 +0000

A Muria folk tale from Orissa retold from ‘When the World was Young’, by Verrier Elwin. The book is a fascinating collection of folktales from the tribal peoples of India. Elwin was a pioneering anthropologist; he spent his entire life getting to know the ways of life of the tribal peoples.

People around the world have different ways of explaining how the earth came to be the way it is: the sky above, the earth below. The Muria tribals of Bastar, in Madhya Pradesh, too, have their own story about it. And it is fascinating.

When Humans had Tails

Fri, 12 May 2000 11:25:22 +0000

A Saora folk tale from Orissa retold from ‘When the World was Young’, by Verrier Elwin. The book is a fascinating collection of folktales from the tribal peoples of India. Elwin was a pioneering anthropologist; he spent his entire life getting to know the ways of life of the tribal peoples.

The Saora tribals of Orissa, in eastern India, believe that there was a time when humans had tails. Wherever they went, their tails swished along, sweeping the ground.

How to Bell a Thief

Thu, 29 Nov 2001 08:30:23 +0000

Sonapur was a small village. It was famous for its little temple. The temple had no deity. All it had was the imprint of a pair of feet. According to folklore, these were of a pious sage. A diya burned brightly, night and day. Seven beautiful bells hung in the little temple, gleaming brightly in the light cast by the diya.

The villagers of Sonapur were content and happy. Their fields yielded abundant crops. Earnings were enough to meet the needs of each family.

बांसुरी वाला

Fri, 30 Nov 2001 23:44:37 +0000

बात सात सौ साल पुरानी
सुनो ध्यान से प्यारे
हैम्लिन नामक एक शहर था
वीजर नदी किनारे।

यूं तो शहर बहुत सुन्दर था
हैम्लिन जिसका नाम
मगर वहां के लोगों का
हो गया था चैन हराम।
इतने चूहे इतने चूहे
गिनती हो गई मुश्किल
जिधर भी देखो जहां भी देखो
करते दिखते किल बिल।

बाहर चूहे घर में चूहे
दरवाजे और दर में चूहे
खिड़की और आलों में चूहे
थालों और प्यालों में चूहे।
ट्रंक में और संदूक में चूहे
फौजी की बंदूक में चूहे
अफसर की गाड़ी में चूहे
नौकर की दाढ़ी में चूहे।
पूरब पश्चिम उत्तर दक्षिण
जिधर भी देखो चूहे
ऊपर नीचे आगे पीछे
जिधर भी देखो चूहे।
दुबले चूहे मोटे चूहे
लंबे चूहे छोटे चूहे
काले चूहे गोरो चूहे
भूखे और चटोरो चूहे।

चतुर चित्रकार

Mon, 26 Feb 2001 14:29:38 +0000

चित्रकार सुनसान जगह में बना रहा था चित्र।
इतने ही में वहां आ गया यम राजा का मित्र।।
उसे देखकर चित्रकार के तुरंत उड़ गये होश।
नदी पहाड़ पेड़ फिर उसको कुछ हिम्मत आई देख उसे चुपचाप।
बोला सुन्दर चित्र बना दूं बैठ जाइये आप।।
उकरू मुकरू बैठ गया वह सारे अन्ग बटोर।
बड़े ध्यान से लगा देखने चित्रकार की ओर।।
चित्रकार ने कहा हो गया आगे का तैयार।
अंब मुंह आप उधर तो करिये जंगल के सरदार।।
बैठ गया वह पीठ फिराकर चित्रकार की ओर।
चित्रकार चुपके से खिसका जैसे कोई चोर।।
बहुत देर तक आंख मूंदकर पीठ घुमाकर शेर।
बैठ बैठ लगा सोचने इधर हुई क्यों देर।।
झील किनारे नाव लगी थी एक रखा था बांस।
चित्रकार ने नाव पकड़कर ली जी भरके सांस।।
जल्दी जल्दी नाव चलाकर निकन गया वह दूर।
इधर शेर था धोखा खाकर झुंझलाहट में चूर।।
शेर बहुत खिसियाकर बोला नाव जरा ले रोक।
कलम और कागज तो ले जा रे कायर डरपोक।।
चित्रकार ने कहा तुरन्त ही रखिये अपने पास।
चित्रकला का आप कीजिए जंगल में अभ्यास।।

नट खट हम हां नटखट हम

Wed, 31 May 2000 10:37:09 +0000

नट खट हम हां नटखट हम।
करने निकले खट पट हम
आ गये लड़के पा गये हम।
बंदर देख लुभा गये हम
बंदर को बिचकायें हम।
बंदल दौड़ा भागे हम
बच गये लड़के बच गये हम।
बर्र का बांस उठाकर आ गये हम
ऊधम लगे मचाने हम
आ लड़कों पर टूट पड़े
झटपट हट कर छिप गये हम।
बच गये लड़के बच गये हम
बिच्छू एक पकड़ लाये।
उसे छिपाकर ले आये
सबक जांचने भिड़े गुरू।
हमने नाटक किया शुरू
खोला बिच्छु चुपके से।
बैठे पीछे दुबके से
बच गये गुरू जी खिसके हम।
पिट गये लड़के बच गये हम
बुढ़िया निकली पहुंचे हम।
लगे चिढ़ाने जम जम जम
बुढ़िया खीझे डरे न हम।
ऊधम करना करें न कम
बुढ़िया आई नाकों दम।
लगी पीटने धम धम धम
जान बचा कर भग गये हम।
पिट गये लड़के बच गये हम