When Flowers Tell Stories: Folklore of the Kokborok-Speaking People

Author(s)	Mr. Basudeb Debbarma, Ms. Riti Debbarma
Country	India
Abstract	Abstract In Kokborok oral tradition, khum (flower) is more than a plant: flowers carry stories, emotions, social values, and seasonal knowledge. This paper examines flower folklore among the Tipra people through two narratives, Khumpui and Kherengbar, and through the traditional floral calendar (Singsang, Dukmali, Madhabilata, Khum Sarik, Hengra). Khumpui tells of two sisters, a python who appears to one of them as a prince, and a flower that marks a hidden burial and lasting grief. Kherengbar tells of a newly married couple, a heavenly flower, and a husband transformed into a hoolock after his wife breaks his warning. The paper argues that flower folklore connects women's labour, marriage customs, human–nature relationships, temptation, loss, and seasonal knowledge, and that it should be systematically documented as Kokborok cultural heritage.
Keywords	Keywords: Kokborok, folklore, oral tradition, Khumpui, Kherengbar, floral calendar, Chamari Ompa, cultural memory, Tripura
Field	Sociology > Journalism / Media
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 5, September-October 2026
Published On	2026-09-29

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