The language Magahi is the modern derivative of the word ‘Magadhi’ which is treated as the Prakrit language giving rise to such other modern Indian languages as Bengali, Assamese, and Oriya, in addition to the two other modern languages of Bihar (and adjoining regions) namely, Maithili and Bhojpuri. Magahi and its varieties are spoken in South Bihar, Jharkhand, and parts of Bengal, and Orissa. Magadh as a region in India has been quite significant historically. One of the best known Magadh kings of the Indian subcontinent was Emperor Ashoka (269-232 BC) who was largely responsible for starting the spread of Buddhism in South Asia and Sri Lanka, and also for sending Buddhist missionaries to various Greek successors of Alexander in Western Asia. This book is the first of its kind in English and has attempted to discuss the various aspects of the more modern treatment of the term folklore to refer to the everyday culture and its so-called ‘little traditions’ as reflected to some extent in its table of contents. It also includes some popular folk tales.
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