Not all ballads and epics are written by Brahmins or in Sanskrit. Across India, folk stories about gods, heroes, and ancestors did not only entertain. They carried arguments about rank, dignity, and who belonged where. These regional epics, sung in local languages, often questioned caste hierarchy even when they seemed to uphold it. In Rajasthan, Phad painting (a form of scroll painting) is used to recount the heroic deeds of folk deities. For instance, Devnarayan ki Phad and Pabuji ki Phad tell the stories of pastoral Gurjars and Rabaris communities challenging Rajput dominance. Their heroes came from communities seen as lower than Kshatriyas, yet they defeated kings and became gods. In Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, Alha Khand (a 12th century epic poem) narrates the stories of the Banaphar brothers, Alha and Udal. Although they were treated as inferior Rajputs, they proved their worth in battle. But they never fully escape stigma. These stories revealed anxiety within the warrior ranks themselves.…