#391 - Dakshin
by Nitin Kushalappa and illustrated by Pari Sutarkar
“Dakshin” by Nitin Kushalappa M P and illustrated by Pari Satarkar. Published by Penguin. An enchanting treasure trove of fifteen opulent myths, folk tales and fables from vibrant southern India.
The book has fascinating regional tales from south India. While some are translations of folk songs from the regional languages, others have been converted into prose from their original verse format. Then there are those stories which have been passed down generations orally and have been retold here. Except one story which is from Odisha and of Mundari origin, the rest are all from the Dravidian languages of south India. The Kodagu or Coorg district of Karnataka where the river Kaveri originates is a land rich in folklore making it the setting of quite a few stories in the book.
The book takes us on a journey to different ages across places. We get to go down the banks of river Kaveri, to the Malabar coast, to the depths of the jungles of western ghats, to the Nilgiris, to the pristine villages of Kodagu. There are warriors, villagers, gods and goddesses, sorcerers, fairies, sages, animals, birds and so on in these stories. There is fun, magic, adventure, humour and takeaways from these stories which are timeless. Read the captivating book to delve into the world of folklore from Deccan or Dakshin or southern India.
My almost 9 year old son and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this charming book. We loved the choice of stories, narration style, illustrations as well as the cover design. We were fascinated to know more about the Kodava folklore given that we have done quite a few trips to the region and loved it. Except one or two stories, the rest were new for me while my son didn’t know even those. So it was a fabulous treat for story lovers like us! A much needed book from our home state of Karnataka. This is something I have been looking for in the recent past and the book came at just the right time :) I was thrilled to find the story of “Punyakoti” from Karnataka which was one of my favourites as a child.
Having grown up in Mysore where I had quite a few Kodava classmates, teachers (one of them, an epitome of grace and intelligence, was the reason I found a love for maths which was a dreaded subject till then) and acquaintances, I was curious to know more about their history and folklore and this book proved to be the ideal means for it. Stories of how Kaveri came to flow in Kodagu, how Bhagamandala came to be, why the Kodava women wear their sarees in a different and unique way, why the Kodavas eat boar meat, to the significance of the crescent shaped moon on the knives they carry during their festivals and wedding rituals have all been told in the stories! My son was thrilled to know all of these which were new to him. He is keen to watch a movie which was made on one of the stories called “Bala Nagamma”. We will definitely have to make another trip to Kodagu sooner than later, armed with the book of course! And experience the region with its stories in a new light :) Overall the book is a “MUST READ” for everyone!
Here is Ninad in conversation with Nitin Kushalappa about the book.
Recommended Age
The book is apt for anyone aged 9 and above :)
Reasons to Read
The book is an ideal means to introduce children to the rich folklore of South India which is not so common in English in children’s books.
Disclaimer - We received this book from the publisher, Penguin India, for review. Thank you to Greeshma and Mansi, from Penguin, for sending across the book!