Harikatha (Kannada: ಹರಿಕಥೆ : Harikathe; Telugu: హరికథ : Harikatha; Marathi: हरीपाठ : Haripatha, lit. 'story of Lord Hari'), also known as Harikatha Kaalakshepam in Telugu and Tamil (lit. 'spending time to listen to Hari's story'), is a form of Hindu traditional discourse in which the storyteller explores a traditional theme, usually the life of a saint or a story from an Indian epic. The person telling the story through songs, music and narration is called a Haridasa.