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Paper short abstract

In this paper, the movie Kantara, the novel Aranyak, and Northeast India’s Bodo belief system portray the intricate relation between humans and nature while highlighting the dependency between the two. The depiction of these three elements propels never-ending emotions between nature & humans.

Paper long abstract

“Folklore includes beliefs that are passed on traditionally.”- W.R. Bascom

The marriage between nature and humans has always been an integral part of society since antiquity. Global media has portrayed the diverse relationship of nature and humans, from textual to visual, from books like Jim Corbett's "My India" to movies like Ottal (1999).

One such narrative that stormed the Indian box office is the movie Kantara (2023). The movie Kantara elevated the notions of preservation of nature and tapped into human bonding through the age-old rituals and mystic performance of Bhoota Kola. When it comes to literary contribution, in the novel Aranyak (1939) by Bibhuti Bhushan Bandyopadhyay, an intricate image of the lifestyle is woven, showcasing how people in rural areas of Bihar, Purnia, and Bhagalpur have survived in extreme conditions. The conflict between nature’s very own essence and the world created by humans is at play here. Almost every character in the novel faces poverty, yet they know nothing other than the forests. In a similar way, the Bodo community of Northeast India provides a clear example of a group that has lived in close relationship with nature. Historically residing in forested areas, folk beliefs and superstitions are deeply woven into their ways of life.

This paper aims to investigate the organic vision of nature and mystic folklore by following the qualitative research methods and content analysis of the novel Aranyak, the movie Kantara, and the Bodo belief system.

Keywords: Fiction, Indigenous Folklore, Mysticism, Nature.