World Folklore Day: Tejimola and the Unyielding Spirit of Assamese Folklore

Stories have long been a part of Assam. Folklore permeates every part of this area, from the verdant valleys to the powerful Brahmaputra. For ages, Assamese people have told stories that combine myth, history, and imagination. These stories have been recited by grandparents under the stars, sung in the tunes of folk songs, and acted out in village plays. These stories capture not only amusement but also the core of human understanding of morals, life, and nature. However, folklore continues to be one of the most overlooked gems of Assamese culture in the fast-paced world of today, when attention is short-lived and customs are frequently lost in the din of modernity.

We are reminded that our stories are important on World Folklore Day. They are living links to our identity rather than merely artifacts from the past. One of the many folktales woven into Assamese culture stands out above the others: Tejimola's story. It is a story of resiliency, perseverance, and rebirth rather than just tragedy. Tejimola's story is, in a sense, the story of folklore itself: frequently suppressed yet always able to reappear stronger than before.

The essence of Tejimola's story has not changed despite the innumerable ways it has been told. Having lost her mother at a young age, she was a good-natured child. Tejimola was left at the mercy of a nasty stepmother after her father remarried and then traveled on business. What started out as routine remarks quickly escalated into violence. In some stories, the stepmother buried her alive, while in others, she killed her with a wooden pestle.

Tejimola's passing, however, was never the end. She repeatedly reappeared from her tomb as a flower, tree, or bird. Tejimola changed into something different every time the stepmother attempted to obliterate these manifestations, defying erasure. When her father eventually returned, the truth was revealed, and the stepmother was disciplined. One of the most adored characters in Assamese folklore, Tejimola endured both in nature and in memory.

Tejimola's story is ageless because of its message as well as its emotional appeal. Tejimola is the epitome of fortitude. She could not be silenced by harshness, erased by attempt, or ended by violence. She discovered fresh means of being, growing, and bringing her existence to the world.

Today, folklore itself requires this tenacity. Tejimola and other Assamese folklore are neglected. With its focus on ease, speed, and technology, modern life frequently leaves little room for the slower cadence of folk performances or oral storytelling. But legend, like Tejimola, is not going away. It takes on new forms in literature, theater, schools, and even digital platforms where youthful artists reinterpret classic tales for fresh audiences.

Folklore is more than just amusement. It has to do with identity. The Assamese perspective, which holds that nature is an active participant in human life rather than something distinct from it, is reflected in stories such as Tejimola. In Assam, where land and river determine livelihood and imagination, her rebirths as flowers, trees, and water recall the region's agrarian heritage. These tales serve as moral compass points as well, cautioning against brutality, greed, and envy while promoting virtues like kindness, patience, and justice.

Unfortunately, family storytelling has become less common as generations change. Nowadays, grandparents who used to tell Tejimola's story by the fire find their kids glued to screens. Once essential to communal life, folk performances like Ojapali or Bhaona now have difficulty attracting audiences. Though concerning, the current hush surrounding folklore is not permanent.

We may learn from Tejimola that stories cannot be permanently silenced. Like her, folklore must change. By including folk stories in their curricula as performance and creative initiatives in addition to reading content, schools can play a significant role. These stories can be shared with audiences outside of Assam thanks to traditional and digital media. Oral narration can be revived through community storytelling circles, workshops, and folklore festivals. Through short films, animations, and illustrated narratives, social media; which is sometimes held responsible for undermining traditions, can also serve as a tool for their preservation.

Above all, folklore preservation is a personal endeavor. Every parent or grandparent who decides to share Tejimola's story with their kid is preserving culture. The survival of folklore is ensured by every young artist who incorporates it into a play, poetry, or film. Folklore can reappear through these new media, stronger and more pertinent than before, much like Tejimola did through nature.
A potent metaphor on World Folklore Day is Tejimola. She is the strong, unwavering, and timeless spirit of folklore itself, not merely a figure from an ancient tale. Her story serves as a reminder that although a culture may be momentarily suppressed by brutality, neglect, or apathy, it will eventually flourish again if there is a will to do so.

 Folklore in Assam is a living repository of the knowledge, humor, anxieties, and dreams of its people. We would be forgetting ourselves if we forgot it. Let Tejimola lead us as we commemorate this day; to pay attention, to recall, and to recount. Because these stories are made to last, just like her. And Assam's soul will remain as long as they do.