Month: September 2025

A Demon Who Loved Music

A Short History of Folktales in India Folktales are Oral stories that are passed down by the elders to the younger generation. For centuries, folktales have been a crucial medium for preserving cultural traditions and teaching the youth to understand the world around them. A Folktale from Uttar Pradesh A poor Brahman grew sick of being poor and set out on a pilgrimage to Kashi, the holy city. After walking many miles in the sun, he stopped in a shady grove to rest and eat the stale rice he had packed himself for the journey. As he squatted under a tree to answer the call of nature, he was startled by a deep unearthly voice that said, ‘Don’t.’ He quickly got up and looked about him for the source of the voice. He could see no one around. He then walked to a nearby pond to rinse his mouth when again he heard the voice say, ‘Don’t!.’ This time he went ahead and rinsed his mouth, not heeding the warning but when he unpacked his …

Living Like a Pig

Published by Narayan Kaudinya

A Short History of Folktales in India Folktales are Oral stories that are passed down by the elders to the younger generation. For centuries, folktales have been a crucial medium for preserving cultural traditions and teaching the youth to understand the world around them. A Folktale from Andhra Pradesh One day, a guru foresaw in a flash of vision what he would be in his next life. So he called his favourite disciple and asked him what he would do for his guru un return for all he had received. The disciple said he would do whatever his guru asked him to do. Having received this promise, the guru said, ‘Then this is what I would like you to do for me. I have just learned that when I die, which will be very soon, i am going to be reborn as a pig. Do you see that sow eating garbage there in the yard? I am going to be reborn as the fourth piglet of its next litter. You will recognise me by a …

A Chance Visit to One of the Oldest Temple of Uttarakhand

Published by Narayan Kaudinya

This times even though I wasn’t very excited somehow because of Work and also the pressure of going back to college and studies, I did take out a day to visit Jageshwar. Yet as I moved, I was stopped by the remarkable Lakhudiyar Caves and later my intuition took me towards a temple I did not even know existed yet it became the highlight of my travels this and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

The Night-Blind Son-in-law of Chhattisgarh

Published by Narayan Kaudinya

An old widow has an only son and he is night-blind. She somehow gets married to a nice girl from a good family. They manage to keep his night-blindness a secret from his in-laws. But how long can you keep such a secret? He is invited to visit his in-laws for the first time to celebrate Dipavali, the festival of lights. His mother is nervous about the visit and warns him, ‘Be careful. You can’t see a thing after dark. So don’t move around too much after nightfall. Travel only during the day and stay there only one night.’ He wants to reach his in-laws’ place before it gets dark, so he walks as fast as his legs will take him. But by the time he reaches the outskirts of the village, it is already evening, and his vision is getting quite dim. He remembers what his mother said and finds a place to sit down. Unfortunately, the place he chooses happens to be a garbage dump for his in-laws’ household. Just then, his mother-in-law …

Narayan Kaudinya

Hi, I am Narayan Kaudinya. And i welcome you on this journey, the Road to Nara ! I am an Ethnographer and a practicing Indologist. I did my masters in History and further learnt Sanskrit, Yoga and Nerve-therapy. At 24, pushing most academic sounding, office sitting works away, i felt compelled to know and understand the world and my country, Bharat/India. I travelled, and as it happened i took up teaching in Kashmir and further up in the remote villages of Baltistan in the foothills of Karakoram Ranges. For around three years and many states later there came a time when i felt that it was only while teaching i learnt how to laugh, to see, feel, breathe, love and cry -with children, and mostly resource-less parents in the harshest-freezing border conditions. I write, and work as a documentary photographer and Filmmaker, with numerous published, exhibited and some awarded stories. In my travels and life i have let nature lead me, the divine mother, and as a Yogin, my resolve here is to share my experiences and thoughts as honestly, and through them to blossom in everyone the power and possibility in pursuing your breath, that you seek your true nature with courage and curiosity. Here, on this road i will share my spirit, my love for nature, the elements of life that are us. And in doing so, i'll be happy to see you along.

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