Book Review: Kodagu-Based Author Nitin Kushalappa Brings Deccan’s Oral Traditions to Life
- Kodagu Express Bureau
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
In Folktales, Myths and Legends from the Deccan, author Nitin Kushalappa offers a compelling literary journey into the heart of the Deccan, a region where storytelling has thrived for centuries through rich oral traditions. Spanning the vast plateau, coastal plains, forest belts and hill regions, the Deccan’s cultural landscape is vividly captured in this collection of 11 narratives rooted in folklore, myth and legend.
Published by Rupa Publications and priced at ₹295, the book is Kushalappa’s tenth work and reflects years of meticulous research. Drawing from multiple languages including Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Tulu, Kodava and Badaga, the collection presents stories that are as diverse as the communities they emerge from.
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The book introduces readers to a range of iconic folk figures and deities. From Bayaluseeme’s Junjappa, a herdsman who transcends death to become a deity, to Kodagu’s warrior-sorcerer Kalyat Ponnappa, who uses mystical powers to protect his people, each narrative is deeply rooted in regional belief systems. The legendary twins Koti and Chennaya from Tulunād, revered for their valour, also find a place alongside tales like that of Lorik and Chandaini, a poignant story of forbidden love from central India’s forested regions.
Kushalappa’s storytelling does more than retell myths—it preserves a fading tradition. These stories, once performed through ballads, rituals and oral recitations, are reimagined in a lyrical prose that retains their emotional depth and cultural significance. The book also includes an ethnographic essay on the ancient and often feared tradition of the seven mother-goddesses, offering a rare non-fiction insight into Deccan spirituality.
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What stands out is the author’s sensitivity in handling these narratives. Rather than romanticising the past, Kushalappa presents a landscape that is both harsh and magical, where gods walk among humans and heroes are immortalised in memory and worship.
Folktales, Myths and Legends from the Deccan is not just a collection of stories it is a cultural archive that captures the soul of a region shaped by its oral heritage.
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