Across the rugged terrain of the vast Deccan, stories have endured for centuries on the strength of a vibrant oral storytelling tradition. The Deccan—that encompasses the sprawling plateau, fertile coastal plains, undulating hills and dense forest belts—is where heroic ballads, sung epics, possession rituals and other immersive traditions have flourished through the generations.

Nitin Kushalappa gathers ten powerful narratives and offers a rare glimpse into a region that’s home to dozens of languages and dialects—as varied as the stories born of them. Here, local heroes are worshipped as deities, warriors are immortalized and goddesses walk the earth in human form.

From the dry plains of Bayaluseeme comes the tale of Junjappa, the herdsman-hero, who rises from death and becomes a folk deity. In the mist-laden mountains of Kodagu unfolds the legend of warrior-sorcerer Kalyat Ponnappa, who masters magic to defend his people. Koti and Chennaya, the divine twins from the coastal lands of Tulunād, reshape the destiny of their clan. From the forests of Chhattisgarh comes the haunting ballad of Lorik and Chandaini—a tale of forbidden love. The myth of twelve abandoned children explains the origins of entire communities in ancient Kerala.

Beyond these, Folktales, Myths and Legends from the Deccan also offers other fictional retellings that move across linguistic and cultural borders. The lone non-fiction ethnographic narrative in the collection explores the ancient tradition of seven mother-goddesses, long feared and revered by Deccan’s people.

Meticulously researched and written with deep sensitivity, Kushalappa transforms the region’s oral histories into lyrical stories that reveal a landscape as brutal as it is magical.