Bardic Presentation: The Story of Hanuman’s Devotion

by Anne Harwood

for the Scholars of St. Thomas Aquinas, June 2008

            The art of storytelling has a long history in India. It appears that the most common form of storytelling was the singing of epic poems, such as The Mahabharata (a discussion of human goals written in the 5^th century B.C.E.), The Ramayana and The Puranas (a history of the universe dated to the 3^rd century C.E.). Communities of professional storytellers performed the epic song tradition in India[1]. Because the epics are so long, performances would last from dusk until dawn, and usually took place in the monsoon season when agricultural work was suspended due to the heavy rains.[2] In urban areas, the storyteller performed in temples. Given that the stories were invariably taken from ancient and sacred texts, the telling and re-telling of the fables served to both entertain and instruct the audience in the ways of Hindu belief. It was thought that just hearing the ancient scriptures would erase sins and shower blessings upon the audience.

This is not to say, however, that storytelling was mere dull sermonizing. As the stories were well-known to the audience, the novelty was in the performance.

For example, Rajasthan was home to the tradition known as pard, in which painted or embroidered cloths were unrolled as the story progressed.[3] Typically, the Rajasthani storyteller, known as Bhopa, recounted the heroic tales of Lord Pabuji, the patron saint of camel herders. Bhopa sang, accompanied by music from a fiddle-like instrument, and danced. Bells were often tied around his ankles to punctuate his movements. Bhopa’s wife, Bhopi, assisted by holding oil lamps to illuminate the painted cloths, and joined in the singing and dancing.[4]

Figure 1. Showing a painted cloth used as a visual aid to the Pardic storytelling tradition in Rajasthan

  A story that transcends regional variations is The Ramayana. The Ramayana is an important Sanskrit epic, attributed to the poet, Valmiki. It is composed of 24,000 verses and was written between 500 and 100 B.C.E.[5]

            The tales of The Ramayana are as familiar and beloved to Indians as the stories of Arthur and his knights are to Western audiences. It recounts the adventures of Prince Rama, and his wife, Sita, when they are exiled from court through the treachery of one of the King’s wives. Rama, an incarnation of the god Vishnu, is a brave, handsome and honourable hero, and Sita the very paragon of womanly virtue. In a classic action tale, Rama must rescue Sita (an incarnation of the goddess, Laskshmi) when she is kidnapped by the demon, Ravenna. Among Rama’s army is the monkey king, Hanuman, who is a symbol of selfless devotion and service in Hinduism. It is the story of Hanuman’s loyalty that Rajpal has chosen to tell to his Western audience.

            Rajpal is not a professional storyteller, but has seen many in his time. He is able to draw on those experiences to both entertain and instruct his wife and children in the ways of their faith, since it is his responsibility as a husband and father to be the family’s spiritual leader.