Editing Oral Storytelling Traditions of Bharat and the World (section)

==== Kathā Traditions ====
Harikathā or Hari-saṅkīrtana, also called Nārāyaṇa Kathā is the devotional singing of the names, forms, qualities and pastimes of Viṣṇu, and is said to have originated from Nārada. Listening to Harikathā is said to be cleansing of the sins of Kali — for instance, hearing of the Vāmana avatāra leads one to bliss and that of Matsya to the welfare of the entire world. As Śri Mahāviṣṇu says to Nārada:<blockquote>नाहं वसामि वैकुण्ठे योगिनां हृदये न च ।

मद्भक्ता यत्र गायन्ति तत्र तिष्ठामि नारद ॥

Neither do I reside in Vaikunṭha, nor do I dwell in the hearts of yogis; O Nārada, I stay where my devotees sing of me.</blockquote>Harikathā is a one-person theatrical art form, wherein heroic tales of Viṣṇu are told in a manner that adapts purāṇic tales to the contemporary and encapsulates moral lessons. Generally, the performer assumes all roles involved, and engages in dance, singing, poetry and narration with an injection of philosophy, humor, melody and bhakti into each unique performance. The text of the Harikathā is called Nirūpaṇa, which is a manuscript containing the various acts of the play, along with the songs and the interspersed prose. Some of the most popularly performed ones are Sīta Kalyāṇa, Rukmiṇī Kalyāṇa, Śrīrāma Janana, Pārvati Kalyāṇa, Uṣāpariṇaya, Ahalyā Śāpavimōcana, Vibhiṣaṇa Śaraṇāgati, Garuḍagarva haraṇa etc., most of which have been adapted from the Keertan Tarangini, a textual work in Marathi.

A good kathākāra ideally possesses the following qualities: a ready wit, excellent moral character, honesty, a knowledge of music as well as other fine arts, narrative skill, and the ability to take on multiple roles in quick succession. They must be well-versed in the epics and classical literature, apart from philosophical doctrines, history, current socio-political events, etc., so as to be able to educate the masses about various aspects of Hinduism and interpret dharma in a simple manner.

Regional diversities exist, but for the most part, Harikathā in its modern form evolved during the medieval period through the efforts and creativity of various saints involved in intellectual and spiritual movements, that brought the people from various walks of life together under the bhakti-mārga. Marathi saint-poets Jñāneśvara, Nāmdev, Tukārām, Rāmdās; Purandara Dāsa from Karnataka, etc. were all exponents in one form or another. In fact, Sivaji Maharaj is said to have been a patron of Harikathā and is said to have performed it himself.

Prior to the Maratha role in consolidating the structure of Harikathā performances, the Southern version of the tradition that existed was called Kālakṣēpa or Kathākālakṣēpa, which varyingly consisted of purāṇa paṭhana (paṭhana meaning oral recital), kathāprasaṅga, and upanyāsa or pravacanam, intermixed with musical accompaniments such as pādas, bhajans, and Carnatic music in Tamil, Telugu and Sanskrit. The Thanjavur kathā tradition adopted elements from the Maratha version and heavily influenced the storytelling traditions of the neighboring southern states. The Bhāgavatars that performed them incorporated suitable compositions in Sanskrit, Telugu and Kannada to suit the Southern audience whereas Marathi kīrtankārs used only Marathi and Sanskrit.

The storytelling traditions of India are too numerous to discuss in one sitting, and there is much to be said about such a vibrant and rich culture that places an emphasis on the art of storytelling as a window into the hearts and minds of the people. Even today, despite colonialism and westernization diminishing the importance of most bardic communities across Western and Northern India, we encounter them being hired at weddings and other religious ceremonies recounting the histories and genealogies of families. It is a wonder that some of these traditions have survived despite the onslaught of colonization, though they continue to lack the patronage they deserve.

The art of storytelling is being attempted to be revived in India. In the 1940s, Pavakathakali was revived from near-extinction thanks to Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, the director of the Sangeet Natak Akademi (The National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama) in New Delhi, and its performers that aided in its revival even went on to get national awards for their work. A recent milestone for the Harikathā art form was its induction into the National Education Policy in August 2021. Recently, quite a few modern storytellers have been making headway — having developed their own, more approachable style — since people now, more than ever, wish to relive their epics though the spoken word, and reminisce on the stories of their ancestors.