1. Lecture Code: PS_L.6
ENGL 559: Postcolonial Studies UNIT 1: KEY CONCEPTS “Orality and Literacy” Part 1: India by G.N. Devy
Min Pun, PhD, Associate Professor
Dept of English, PN Campus
Pokhara
06 October 2018

2. What is orality and literacy?
Orality is the use of speech (sound) as a means of communication, in communities where the tools of literacy are unfamiliar to the majority of population.
Literacy is the use of scripts as a means of communication, which is especially associated with writing and print.

3. Orality and Literacy in Literature (Speech and Writing in Literature)
Orature or oral literature can simply be defined as a “literature delivered by word of mouth” and closely associated with the study of oral tradition. Information is transmitted from one generation to another.
Oral literature (Orature) is also described as traditional literature, folk literature or folklore.
Some examples of orature are songs, folktales, ballads, chants, drama, proverbs, riddles, storytelling, dance, etc.
Literature or written literature is defined as books or written artistic works, especially those considered to have artistic merit or lasting value. Written literature is closely related to the study of written tradition.
Some of examples of literature are poems, novels, short stories, plays, essays, etc.

4. The Aesthetics of Adivasi Oral Traditions
When some dominant Indian languages started getting printed during the early years of 19th century, many languages spoken by adivasi communities remained untouched by print technology.
Important features of adivasi languages are
1) the use of spatial imagery such as visual and pictorial space, everyday event, playfulness, rituals, etc. 2) indulgence of the medium, highlighting shapes, tones and textures. It means that the medium they used is more important than the message they want to convey.

5. Contd….
A close study of oral tradition reveals that literary compositions are produced not for aesthetic purpose, but in order to serve other knowledge related activities such as medicinal herbs and seeds of diverse plant species.
But adivasi communities have the problem of illiteracy. Oral tradition of adivasi is considered a rich tradition in the post- independence societies in Asia and Africa.
So oral tradition should be included in the school and university curriculum

6. Oral and Written Traditions in Ancient India
The literary tradition in India about 3,500 years old: while the oral tradition existed before 19th century, the written tradition is 200 years old only.
India had some early oral poetic forms of literature such as Mahabharat, Ramayana, Puranas, Kalidasa’s Raghuvansha, etc. These oral forms used suta-tradition of narration.
The Vedas are the oldest work of literature in India that appeared in the form of oral forms.
Now, these oral forms are now available in the written tradition.

7. Contd….
The oral tradition in Indian literature is not only for poetic literature, it is also for prose works.
For instance, Katha-sarita-sagara and Jataka are two examples available in prose narrative forms.
Similarly, the dramatic tradition in India also one of the developments in the oral tradition by Bharatmuni. For instance, Bharata-natyashastra is his theoretical compendium that uses dance and music.
The rich tradition of Indian dramatic forms has an impact on western dramatists such as Antonin Artaud and Bertolt Brecht.

8. Oral and Written Tradition in Mediaval India
From the 11th century to 15th century, many new languages emerged in India, mostly from Sanskrit and Tamil.
With the emergence of these languages, both oral and written conventions were adopted to produce literature.
One of the such conventions is the oral practice of bhakti poetry, which became popular among the Indian societies.
The use of paper for writing became common practice during the 17th century in India.

9. Contd….
But the use of paper for writing became common practice during the 17th century in India.
So the written literature was considered more valuable than an oral literature during this time.
Also Islamic tradition of writing became to be sacred such as calligraphy and book-making.
But during British rule in India in the 19th century, the hand-written works were transformed to print using printing press.

10. Conclusion
A study shows that print technology in India is available for the major languages in the Indian subcontinent. It means that two-thirds of major languages exist in the oral tradition and a third of Indians is officially listed as ‘illiterate’.
Despite of this fact, adivasi literature is gradually moving towards the literary centres in India.
One of the most important oral practice in India is the immense popularity of the Indian Cinema.
Here, colonialism in India is to lose its oral tradition, its history and identity. So the oral tradition is an important issue in the postcolonial period in India.

11. Gandhi’s Spinning Wheel During British Colonialism

12. Associate Professor, Dept of English Tribhuvan University
Min Pun, PhD
Associate Professor, Dept of English
Tribhuvan University
Prithvi Narayan Campus, Pokhara
Website: