File picture of a children’s soiree based on Panchatantra, the ancient Indian collection of fables. KK Dwivedi will compile Bhojpuri folk tales on the lines of Panchatantra

For a generation that has grown up watching television or surfing the Internet, Bhojpuri folk tales, hitherto heard from parents or grandparents, would now be available in the form of books.

These inspiring folk narratives better known as Dant Kathayen, will now be compiled in a book.

About 50 such stories, educative and inspiring, have already been put together by K.K. Dwivedi, 72, a retired principal of Jagdam College in Chhapra.

Tales like Badhai badhai khuta chira, khuta me mor daal ba, ka khau ka piyu, ka lekar pardes jau (O carpenter, operate the small pole, my pulse is stuck in it, otherwise how would I eat and what will I take to other places) are interesting and carry moral messages as well.

With the help of other people and from his recollections, Dwivedi has written 50 such tales. He plans to publish these stories soon.

He told The Telegraph: “At my house in Professors’ Colony, all these stories are narrated by grandfathers, grandmothers, fathers and mothers to the children.”

He said these stories, passed down verbally through generations, had no titles and so he has given titles to those narratives and also mentioned the underlying messages in them.

Dwivedi said there are many such stories to which he has given titles like Sudhua, Baur Din, Man ke mai, Ghar phoran, Bhuali puta, Likhant, Bharam, Kaua banati, Dhela patta, Man mardan, Baur samay, Kah doongi raat vali batia, Samay hot balwan and others.

He said these narratives are different in nature. Some are horror tales, that teach not to be afraid. Some stories are related to weaknesses in human nature and how to overcome them. Some stories suggest that being literate is not enough and intellect is also necessary. Some of them relate to false vanity and how it is to be destroyed. A few mention that joy and sorrow are a part of life and one should have a balanced approach towards life. Life has to be led overcoming adversities.

Dwivedi said: “Honesty, human values, ethics should be embedded in people. From childhood, a person is exposed to different dimensions of life but the present generation is not acquainted with such stories.”

He added: “These folk tales should be known to this generation and subsequently to the coming generations. We should have a feeling of attachment, reverence and pride towards these stories. This work will also serve the cause of the Bhojpuri language, which is very rich and spoken by almost 20 crore people across the world.”

Dwivedi said commendable works are being done for Bhojpuri language and it must be included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. Guddu Rai, 36, from Rebelganj said he had heard such stories from his mother Siddhi Devi and grandmother Sundari Devi when he was a child. The stories were very entertaining and educative. They used to narrate stories in the form of songs like “Lauva laathi, chanan kathi, Chanana ke naam ka, ijai vijai, pan deo phul deo, dhoria puchuk.” Guddu added that such stories are rarely told and it is good that Dwivedi is trying to bring out the stories in the form of a book.