Qissa Kahaani Banaam More Naama

Tooti Naama

Where birds tell a tale and make a difference

Traced back to a canonical Sanskrit source—Saptashati—the stories of a parrot and a myna have reached larger sections of readers through Persian, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Rajasthani, Bangla, and Urdu languages in India and English, French, German, and Czech languages elsewhere. There are at least six retellings available in Persian and eight in Urdu. The one told in Urdu by Ghawwasi, a prominent poet supposed to be born during the reign of emperor Ibrahim Qutub Shah of Deccan, is much more valued than others.

Wondrous Literary Narratives

Baitaal Pacheesi and Singhasan Batteesi

Literary narratives are known to have a latent relationship between their oral and written forms. Two analogous Indian narratives–Singhasan Batteesi (Thirty-Two Tales of the Throne) and Baitaal Pacheesi (Twenty-five Tales of Baital)–that have passed from the oral to a variety of written forms over a long period of time may be mentioned in this context.

Satyavan and Savitri: the story of love’s victory over death

Traced back to the Mahabharata, here is a story that Rishi Markandeya narrated to Raja Yudhishthira. The story which praises the virtues of a zealous woman and a devoted wife is that of Savitri who figured in Devi Bhgwat Purana and also became the subject of several literary compositions in the East and the West.

The love-life of Josh Malihabadi

Jise ghuroor ho aai kare shikar mujhe

An emotionally honest Josh has remained an icon of love with a difference.