Once upon a time in the region of Anarta (present-day Gujarat) the natives suffered from a twelve-year long drought… In the face of unbearable atrocities, a man resorted to robbing people that pass through the forest in a desperate strive to feed his hungry family.
During this time he met the seven sages ‘Saptarishi’, and one of them gave him a mantra to meditate upon. When the sages returned sometime later, they heard the sound of the mantra coming from the surrounding area but they couldn’t place where it’s coming from..
Upon further exploration, they found that the sound of the chants was coming from the inside of an anthill. To their amazement, they saw that the man was so deeply immersed in meditation that an anthill had formed around him. Recognizing the great Siddhi he had achieved, they blessed him saying that he will now be known to the world as Vālmīki which means ‘emerging from an anthill’.
The great ‘Vālmīki’ who recited the first shloka in the Sanskrit language… when he was about to step into a stream that was as clean as a ‘good man’s mind’ and looked over to a mating bird (krauñca) being shot down by an arrow. He said, “मा निषाद प्रतिष्ठां त्वमगमः शाश्वतीः समाः। यत्क्रौञ्चमिथुनादेकमवधीः काममोहितम् ॥”, which means “You will find no rest for the long years of eternity… For you killed a bird in love and unsuspecting”. But the man who once followed the path of immorality, transformed into an author is popularly known for writing one of the most legendary epics of Hindu mythology that came to be known as ‘Ramayana’.
Indian Storytelling: A Timeless Heritage
Indian Authors
The tale continues to to set precedence for ethical, familial, and moral values and is often referred to as one of the most significant scriptures in the Hindu religion. Valmiki is one of the greatest authors hailing from the land of the Indian subcontinent, who also became the forerunner for generations of authors that would emerge in various timelines… From Kalidasa to Kabir; Rabindranath Tagore to Gulzar; and from Premchand till Salim-Javed… India has honed some of the most fabled storytellers through the history of time…
The Indian ornate’s influence also holds paramount importance globally. Whether it’s creating cross-border impact, or shaping the international literary scene… Indian stories have influenced inscription formats, philosophical thought, post-colonial discourse, and even pop culture worldwide.
The example that corresponds to this outlook to the highest degree is Mahabharata by Ved Vyasa, one of the longest and most complex epics in world literature. It has influenced philosophy, ethics, war theory, and global storytelling formats like multi-plot narratives and character archetypes.
Commenced during the pre-historic times, this streak continued during the 20th century too. Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913), and consequently introduced Indian mysticism, lyricism, and spiritualism to the Western world. The Booker Prize winner Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie revolutionized post-colonial literature through mystical realism, and it also shaped narrative styles for several contemporary writers.
The boundaries of conventional storytelling were shattered when Saadat Hasan Manto penned short fictional stories that exposed the darkest side of (in)human nature… in his portrayals of Partition – a pivotal event in Indian history that led to the creation of two independent nations, and triggered one of the largest mass migrations in human history, with over 15 million people displaced and millions killed or traumatized in communal violence.
Whether it’s portraying the whimsical imagination of an unreal fantasy, or showcasing the raw and unflinching monstrosity of the brutal reality… The spectrum of Indian storytelling is vast as the unexplored universe, and as attractive as the gravitational pull of a black hole.
Indian storytelling continues to evolve from its oral tradition to finding new expressions in cinema, graphic novels, web series, podcasts, global literature, and innovative formats such as micro-dramas. From mythological retellings on OTT platforms to graphic reimaginings of epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana, the age-old art of narrative continues to thrive in contemporary forms. Writers, filmmakers, and creators are reshaping how Indian stories are told and consumed across the world.
These narratives bridge the void between past and the present, myth and modernity, folklore and realism… Whilst also transcending linguistic and geographical boundaries. Whether it’s the raw intimacy of a personal story or the grand fantasy of a historical saga, Indian storytelling continues to captivate global audiences. It is both a mirror and a window: reflecting the soul of a diverse nation and offering the world a glimpse into its timeless narrative spirit.