A Socio-Cultural Study of Nalin Verma’s Select Folk Tales

This study explores the socio-cultural dimensions present in the select folk tales of Nalin Verma, examining how traditions, beliefs, and social structures are reflected through narrative. Folk literature often functions as a cultural archive, preserving the values, customs, and collective experiences of a community. Through a critical reading of Verma’s tales, this research investigates how his narratives portray the cultural ethos and social realities of the society from which they emerge. The study adopts a qualitative research approach and employs thematic analysis to identify and interpret socio-cultural elements embedded in the selected stories: The Stork and Her New Husband, The Lioness and the Cow, The Fear of Tiptipwa, The Gossiper, The Young Boy and Hanumanji, and The Malpua Tale. Each tale reflects distinct aspects of social life, including marriage expectations and adaptation, power relations and survival, superstition and communal fear, social behavior and gossip, faith and devotion, and moral lessons rooted in everyday practices. Key themes such as caste dynamics, gender roles, mythological influences, and community traditions are examined to understand the complexities of the social fabric represented in these narratives. The analysis reveals that Verma’s folk tales not only preserve cultural heritage but also subtly comment on social hierarchies, moral values, and the human condition. The findings suggest that these tales function as both cultural documents and narrative reflections of societal norms and transformations over time. Furthermore, Verma’s use of symbolism, characterisation, and simple yet evocative storytelling techniques strengthens the socio-cultural messages embedded in the narratives. This study contributes to the broader field of folk literature and socio-cultural studies by offering a deeper understanding of Nalin Verma’s role in sustaining and interpreting Indian folk narrative traditions.