On a flying carpet, we set sail. We head southwards — and traversing the geographical diversity of the Deccan, we meet unusual characters who leave us with a lesson or two about life. But more importantly, they remind us that most remedies for tough times inhabit the comforts of our childhood. Did we forget to lean on them along the way? Nitin Kushalappa MP proffers a similar buttress — a collection of ancient stories called Dakshin. 

Illustration from The Cat And The Fly’s Delicious Congee; Pics Courtesy/Puffin Books