Abstract

History bears witness to the fact that all the civilizations of the entire world have always had their own distinct culture, ideology, and traditions, which are not only a reflection of that nation and civilization but also evidence of their cultural, social, economic, and political development. For this reason, culture and tradition are regarded as essential aspects of any country. If we talk about Devbhoomi Himachal, because of its ancient culture and customs, Himachal Pradesh is additionally referred to as a culturally rich state. There has been a huge tradition of singing various events and common incidents related to life through folk songs, Lores, and tales in Himachal since ancient times, which is being followed in the same traditional form in all the regions of Himachal even today. In addition to providing entertainment for the common public, these folk tales help to preserve the rich history of the people's social, economic, political, spiritual, familial, and individual growth throughout the past. These traditional folktales are not just an expression of joy in Himachal Pradesh; they additionally have a major role in the development of positive psychological traits in the local population, such as character development, social advancement, and spiritual fulfillment. Apart from this, Himachal Pradesh is a hilly state where, due to a lack of facilities, there is a dearth of written documentation regarding ancient lives, customs, beliefs, and historical events. But the ancient folk song traditions here have not only preserved the history related to social life, religious life, spiritual life, and economic life of Himachal in the form of various folktales and songs. Rather, it has also played an important role in promoting and preserving the ancient traditions and culture of Himachal for a long time. Using the qualitative approach this study has been focused on highlighting all these aspects, the objective of which is to present an analytical study on the contribution of folklore and folk tales from Himachal Pradesh to the preserve, upliftment, and propagation of the culture here.