Art Central
A World of Epics
Some epics are so long that reading them aloud would take days! Let's explore giant stories from India and around the world, and the storytellers who keep them alive.
Did you know?
The Mahabharata is one of the longest poems ever written. It has more than 1,00,000 verses, making it roughly ten times as long as the Iliad and the Odyssey put together!
Silappatikaram is a Tamil epic traditionally said to be by Ilango Adigal. Its name means 'the tale of an anklet'. Its heroine, Kannagi, bravely proves in a king's court that her husband was innocent.
The Epic of Manas, of the Kyrgyz people of Central Asia, is one of the longest epic poems in the world. Bards called manaschi keep it alive by chanting it, without any musical instruments!
Try this: My Mini Epic
Write an eight-line poem about a 'hero' from your own life, such as a grandparent or a friend. Include a challenge they faced, someone who helped them and how things changed at the end. Then perform it like a storyteller, with actions and different voices for each character!
Go further: Pandavani: Epics You Can Watch
Long before printed books, epics were sung and acted out. In Chhattisgarh, Pandavani artists perform stories of the Pandavas from the Mahabharata. The performer sings, acts and uses a tambura as a prop, which can become Bhima's mace, Arjuna's bow or a chariot! One of its most famous singers is Teejan Bai, who received the Padma Vibhushan in 2019.