Folk Tales

• In folk tales, we often get a detailed tableau of the country, culture, ideal of life and imagination.
• Human society can attain the level of civilization from low to high by passing through different stages.
• The number of floors it had to cross to reach here, its clear impression is found in folk tales.
• India has played a big role in the origin and development of folk tales.
• Indian traders and Buddhist preachers have had a big hand in spreading them.
• In this exchange, some stories from abroad also came to us and they mixed here in such a way that today it is difficult to recognize them.

Chief Artist of the State

• Vidhyavasini Devi: This World-renowned folk musician as “Bihar Kokila, has contributed significantly in earning international fame to the folk songs of Bihar.
• Nandlal Basu: Nandlal Basu was a famous painter of India. He was born on December 3, 1882 at Haveli Kharagpur in Munger district. Famous paintings made by him are- Dandi March, Santhali Girl, Sati’s body sacrifice. The design of the original copy of the constitution was also made by him.
• Bismillah Khan: Renowned shehnai player Bismillah Khan was born on March 21, 1916 at Dumraon in Buxar district of Bihar. He associated himself with Banaras Gharana in classical music singing. He has been honored with many awards in the country and abroad. In the year 2001, he was awarded India’s highest civilian award ‘Bharat Ratna’.
• Bhikhari Thakur: Bhikhari Thakur is famous as Shakespeare in Bhojpuri speaking region. Despite being illiterate, he had mastered the art of presenting the dialogues of Bhojpuri songs and Nautanki very effectively. The raga ‘Videshiya composed by him is very popular even today. Every year, the Government of Bihar honors the author who have played a remarkable role in the field of Bhojpuri literature with Bhikhari Thakur Bhojpuri Samman’.
• Ishwari Prasad Verma: Ishwari Prasad Verma was a famous craftsman of Patna Kalam. He had expertise in crafting on ivory.
• Pandit Ramchatur Mallick: Pandit Ramchatur Mallick, a resident of Amtagram in Darbhanga had gained international fame in ‘Dhrupad Dhamar Gayan.
• Chandrashekhar Khan: This great singer, a resident of ‘Solhani village” in Rohtas had learned “Thumri singing from the great musician Ustad Abdul Gani Khan of Delhi and started promoting music in ‘Prem Mandir of Munger.