Even at this stage of the history of India the study of the contributions of the East Asian or 'Mongoloid' peoples has not been offered much importance to. It has remained a much neglected chapter of Indian history though the school of the subaltern dominates the realm of Indian historic discourse. But an exhaustive study in this field could bridge many gaps and could address many hitherto unanswered questions both linguistic and cultural. The impact of the Mongoloid culture on mainstream Indian culture is deeply rooted and indelible. And this impact has been assimilated into the course of living culture to such an extent that instances of such impact cannot be separated and easily looked upon.
Studies in this field will be helpful to a better understanding of these mongoloid people and their culture and at the same time these will come to use of understanding the Indian culture in a broader perspective.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction to the Mongoloid Peoples and the Totos
2. Toto Settlements and Historical Context
3. Cultural Significance of Toto Myths and Folktales
4. Geo-Cosmological Views and Origin Myths
5. Etiological Myths and Natural Phenomena
6. Conclusion and Symbolic Representation
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper aims to document the inner life, hopes, and aspirations of the Toto tribe by critically analyzing their select myths and folktales, specifically focusing on how these narratives explain natural phenomena and cosmological mysteries.
- The role of the Mongoloid peoples in Indian civilization.
- Socio-economic and historical background of the Toto tribe.
- Analysis of origin myths concerning the sun, moon, and nature.
- The significance of etiological myths in explaining natural disasters like earthquakes and the creation of rivers.
- The symbolic representation of the "good vs. bad" binary through mythological characters like Ishpa and Pidua.
Excerpt from the Book
The Myth of the Birth of the Sun
It is believed that Ishpa, the Creator first created Tari, the moon and placed him in the sky. Tari used to wander in the vast blue sky alone. Loneliness gradually grew intolerable to him. So he implored Ispha to give him a companion. And Ispha went out of his heavenly abode ‘Ni-an-kosha’ in search of a suitable companion for Tari. He moved here and there but his search resulted almost in futility. Then he entered the dense forest ‘Utanchu’ and found a big hen hatching on eggs. He drew near the nest with a hope of getting some information from the hen. The hen saw the huge figure of Ispha approaching the nest; it got startled and left the nest to perch on a high branch of the tree. This sudden and hasty movement caused the fall of an egg on the ground. The egg yolk came out and started leaping. Ispha took hold of the lively yellow yolk and hurled it into the blue sky. It became Sani, the sun. And since then Tari and Sani have been two friends in the blue celestial space over us (Kinshuk: 2009:23)
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction to the Mongoloid Peoples and the Totos: Provides an overview of the neglected historical contributions of the Mongoloid tribes in India and introduces the specific socio-cultural setting of the Totos.
2. Toto Settlements and Historical Context: Examines the migration patterns, traditional occupations, and the linguistic classification of the Totos within the sub-Himalayan region.
3. Cultural Significance of Toto Myths and Folktales: Discusses the importance of oral literature as a reflection of the imaginative and intellectual life of the Totos, distinct from modern scientific explanations.
4. Geo-Cosmological Views and Origin Myths: Analyzes specific myths, such as the birth of the sun, and the symbolic importance of the egg motif in Toto cultural rituals.
5. Etiological Myths and Natural Phenomena: Explores how the Totos rationalize natural phenomena like earthquakes and the origin of water through myths involving the characters Ishpa and Pidua.
6. Conclusion and Symbolic Representation: Synthesizes the archetypal expressions found in Toto narratives and highlights their poetic beauty and socio-cultural relevance.
Keywords
Toto tribe, Mongoloid peoples, Geo-cosmology, Mythology, Folktales, Ishpa, Pidua, Origin myths, Etiological myths, Sub-Himalayan, Oral literature, Cultural life, Totopara, Symbolic representation, Indigenous beliefs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic paper?
The paper examines the cultural and intellectual life of the Toto tribe, an indigenous community in West Bengal, by analyzing their oral traditions, specifically their myths and folktales.
What are the central thematic areas discussed?
The core themes include the geo-cosmological worldviews of the Totos, the explanation of natural phenomena through etiological myths, and the representation of societal values in their storytelling.
What is the primary research goal?
The objective is to document the "inner life" of the Totos—their hopes, dreams, and aspirations—which are uniquely encoded in their mythology and are often absent from empirical sociological studies.
Which methodology is employed in this study?
The author uses a critical analysis of oral literature and existing scholarly collections of Toto myths, drawing parallels to broader tribal and classical mythologies to reveal archetypal patterns.
What topics are covered in the main section of the paper?
The main section covers the origin of the sun and moon, the creation of rivers, the cause of earthquakes, and the binary opposition between good (Ishpa) and evil (Pidua) forces.
How would you characterize this work with keywords?
The study is best characterized by terms such as Toto tribe, Geo-cosmology, Oral literature, Etiological myths, and cultural identity.
Why is the hen a recurrent motif in Toto culture?
In Toto myths, the egg is seen as a source of life; the hen, as the mother of the sun, symbolizes life-giving energy, making it an essential ingredient in religious rites.
How do the Totos explain the origin of the sun?
According to the myth, the creator Ishpa accidentally caused an egg to fall from a hen’s nest. When the yolk leaped, he threw it into the sky, where it transformed into Sani, the sun.
What does the myth of Pidua suggest about human life?
The myth attributes the "satanic" influence of Pidua as the source of mortal life. This reflects the community's fear of extinction and the perceived fragility of human existence due to the lack of immortality.
How is the phenomenon of earthquakes explained in Toto lore?
Earthquakes are interpreted as the physical movements of the demon Pidua, who, when trapped in a pit by the creator Ishpa, shakes the ground in his struggles to escape.
- Arbeit zitieren
- B. D Mandal (Autor:in), 2017, Treatment of Geo-Cosmology in Select Toto Myths, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/354177
