From the Desk of the Editor-in-Chief

In 1995, I met Prof John Miles Floey in the IX International Society for Folk Narrtive Research ( ISFNR) in CIIL, Myslre.ives ,He listened to my paper “Ethnic Identity and Oral Narratives” and asked me about my research background. I expressed how Indian rural scholars lacked reference books on folklore , also the research problems. He asked me if I had gone through the books of Milman Parry, Albert B Lord and of course his own writings. I said, “I have heard these names, but have no scope to read them due to lack of librarary and lack of purchansing such costly books from abroad. He gave a\ smile and said, “Okay, when I go back please remind me about the books. I may be of help to your work.” I came back but forgot to write to him. One fine evening I got my new computer and started e mailing
to my all connected folklorists writing to them about my work on folklore. Foley, after getting my email wrote to me, “I am sending some books for you.”

After a month or so, a huge parcel of books worth about 45 000 rupees reached my home. I was surprised to see these books which I had just not expected. Foley was kind enough to send all the published Oral Tradition journal , and some valuable books on oral Tradition, Epic formula, Epic Composition an  many books on oral epics. It was his efforts that helped me to work on oral epics of Kalahandi which appeared in 2008. I took about 15 years in researching a rare genre of oral epic narratives in Kalahandi reaching 7 ethni  groups collecting and interpreting 24 epics texts.. It was his generosity to send such a huge stock of books relevant to an Indian schopar working for the forest people of Kalahandi. Foley was the intellectual progeny of Albert B Lord and MIlman Parry. His research has inspired many Asian scholars and Institutions. The Chinese Institute of Ethnic Literature is one, led by Prof.Chao Gegin. I visited this institute in Beijing during 2012, I came across many scholars of Prof Foley working in Chinese oral tradition.. His absence is a great loss to the whole folklore community of the globe. But his contribution has led so many people inside and out side the university to pursue his research and walk the road for a quest for oral tradition. Now about more than 400 oral epics in this globe have been Folklore Foundation, India.

significantly exploring teh most unknown areas of culture that was orally perpformed. It is the centurian work of Pary, Lord and Foley in West and China , india, Vietnaam , Phillipines , Turkey and the Central Asian states that have unravelled a new horizon of oral epics of the lands , with out these , the civilisational histories and its narratives are incomplete. This volume is significant in terms of comleting 9 years of Lokaratna, 9 is a number with cultural significance in Indian myth. It represents the completeness of the matter. 

We don’t f eel that we are eith er complete or incomplete. But we are happy that the Lokaratna is gradually gaining international attention and good number of articles are also coming to us. This journal is also placed in many digital libraries of the globe. 

This is a matter of great satisfaction. Need less to say , till date we have not spent a single penny to edit or produce the work due to the cooperation and collaborative efforts of our friends. It is also because of the contribution of technology, though it is always discussed that technology is enemy of traditional folklore. 

But the reduction fo digital divide and access of trchnology to the mst nonliterate communities signifies the cord of both the end and ensures that , humanity can survive, by both the end of human existence. I am thankful to Dr Anand Mahanand, the executive editor with out whose efforts this work could not have made possible.

 I am also thankful to the contributors who have faith on our intellectual endeavour.I am also thankful to Prof Mark
Turin,University of British Columbia,USA for his kind suppor   o publish this journal in his web site for a wider
dissemination across the globe.

Mahendra Kumar Mishra