No. 10 (2010): Communicating Words and More: A study of oral traditions of Radh Bengal (including the districts of Purulia, West Mednipur and Bankura) - By Lopamudra Maitra

The paper looks into the oral traditions in the form of anecdotes, riddles, poems and stories from the Radh region of the state of West Bengal, comprising of the districts of West Mednipur, Bankura and Purulia. Geographically, the expanse is composed of red laterite soil and is an extension of the Chhotanagpur plateau region. The work portrays an analysis of historical representation of data through the collection of a vast amount of folklore from the region. These not only help to ascertain a reflection of a rich tradition transmitted through generations, but also help portray the cognitive representation of socio-cultural and religious developments through history which served as important contexts for their origination. The very nature of their survival even in recent times of global communication stands as a testimony conveyed, communicated and transferred through time.