Panchali is an

oral The word oral may refer to: Relating to the mouth * Relating to the mouth, the first portion of the alimentary canal that primarily receives food and liquid **Oral administration of medicines ** Oral examination (also known as an oral exam or oral ...

narrative form Narrative forms have been subject to classification by literary theorists, in particular during the 1950s, a period which has been described metaphorically as the Linnaean period in the study of narrative. Narrative forms include: *Autobiograph ...

of songs and stories in Assamese and

Bengali culture The culture of Bengal defines the cultural heritage of the Bengali people native to eastern regions of the Indian subcontinent, mainly what is today Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal and Tripura, where the Bengali language is th ...

.(panchali gaan collectively refers to the Bengali ballad songs) During a panchali recitation, the singer walks among the listeners making gestures to accompany the story. The tradition is found among both Hindu and Muslim communities. The themes are typically religious and reflect a variety of impacts on the culture through a period of several centuries. Some focus on the duties of a good wife. Interspersed in the presentation of Bengali folk opera, there are frequently breaks which are filled with panchali and other forms of songs. The panchali is followed by the singing of a religious song in

Assam Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...

References

{{reflist Narrative forms Bengali culture Folk opera