Punyakoti

By Ravi Shankar

Punyakoti is an adaptation of a folksong prevalent in South India. No one knows who first sang the song of Punyakoti - about a cow that spoke the truth at all times. In the plains of India, it has remained with the generations of men and women who tilled the land and cared for their herd. It reminded them of the eternal harmony that has always co-existed between the truth, and harmony in nature. The folks of yore in India knew the close relation between the Earth and their cattle - it was no wonder that they called them Gomata and Bhoomata (Mother Cow and Mother Earth).

This adaptation of Punyakoti is an imaginary tale about a drought in Karunadu, where the story of Punyakoti happens. It carries the message of love, peace, harmony, truth and magic in all its innocence. Written for a young audience, the language is simple, its prose lyrical and its appeal universal.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Partridge Publishing India
• Release date: Jul 9, 2014
• ISBN: 9781482834123

Ravi Shankar

Ravi Shankar, the legendary sitarist and composer, is a singular phenomenon in the classical music worlds of the East and West. He has written music for Yehudi Menuhin, Jean Pierre Rampal, Phillip Glass and George Harrison. The international award-winning musician is an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and is a member of the United Nations International Rostrum of Composers. He is known for his pioneering work in bringing Indian music to the West. He lives in California and India.

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Copyright © 2014 Ravi Shankar. All rights reserved.

ISBN

978-1-4828-3413-0 (sc)

978-1-4828-3412-3 (e)

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Partridge India

000 800 10062 62

www.partridgepublishing.com/india

07/09/2014

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Contents

Foreword

Kaveri enriches Karunadu

The Rain Gods are angry

The benevolent herdsman

The city council meets

Punyakoti predicts

The crossover

Adbuta keeps watch

Hungry for revenge

A new patch of grass

The golden bell

A promise

Missing bell

Punyakoti turns back

Punyakoti meets Adbuta

Truth is the only weapon

Adbuta is surprised

I have a promise to keep

Truth is everything

Adbuta yields

Punyakoti returns

Time to say goodbye

Dark hours, dark clouds

Joy and shock

Wait ends

A Transformation

Crowd reaches bridge

The collapse

Adbuta turns away