Himachal Pradesh, situated in the lap of the Western Himalayas, possesses a vast and diverse repository of oral traditions that have preserved cultural memory for centuries. Among these traditions, folk songs remain the most dynamic and expressive medium through which communities have articulated their history, identity, values, and collective experiences. While written records in the region were historically limited to royal chronicles and administrative manuscripts, folk songs provide vivid insights into the everyday lives of ordinary people. They embody themes of love, conflict, mythology, nature, devotion, and social customs, thereby functioning as rich supplements to historiography. This paper critically analyses selected Himachali folk songs to highlight their cultural significance and assess their potential as sources for historical reconstruction. Through textual analysis, oral testimonies, and comparative study with historical literature, the paper establishes that folk songs, though not formal historical documents, contribute meaningfully to reconstructing the socio-cultural evolution of Himachal Pradesh.
Chauhan Punam (Thu,) studied this question.