Don't Stand in Front of a Palace or Behind a Horse
An Illustrated Book of South Indian Proverbs
by
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Alliance:
For three pancakes I side with mother-in-law; for six I side with daughter-in-law.
City-Village: Our village monkey reigns as a king in the city.
Deceptive Appearances: Even anthills shelter snakes.
Goodwill: If you get pregnant out of goodwill, you may not find a place to deliver.
Ignorance: Ignorance is grief.
Mothers- in-law: The pot mother-in-law broke was cheap, anyway.
Perspective: After crossing the river, the boatman is my lover.
Short Memories: The dead cow gave tons of milk.
Read them and smile; share them with friends, relatives, siblings, spouse, parents, grandparents, children, and grandchildren...in any order!
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About the Book
A proverb in your speech is like chutney with your rice
Mixing proverbs and similes in one’s conversation is common in India and in other ancient cultures; this trait is fast disappearing, however, in the sterilized, civil tongues of urban societies. Reading books on proverbs might restore our collective amnesia. Proverbs also tend to fade away with time, especially if not committed to pen and paper...or to laptops. Each generation must strive to preserve the gems from their times. The palest ink is better than the best memory, according to a Chinese proverb.
This book introduces the non-Indian readers to some aspects of Indian culture, via the fun-filled format of proverbs. The readers can see that not only do these sayings emanate the essence of the Indian soil they sprang from, but also they reflect universal themes. Brimming with wit and wisdom these 251 proverbs and 99 cartoons are the stuff of true grit.
About the Author
THE AUTHOR: Tonse Narayana Krishna Raju, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics at University of Illinois, Chicago, was born in Kodavooru, a coastal village in Southwest Karnataka, India. He studied medicine in Mysore, Bombay, and Chicago. He has published two critically acclaimed books of fiction in Kannada: in 1979, Betala Raya (The Royal Devil, a collection of short stories), and in 1983, Paschimayana (A Story from the West, a novella). As an academic pediatrician, Dr. Raju has a numerous publications in pediatrics. In addition, he is a member of the prestigious American Osler Society and he regularly writes articles for magazine and chapters for books on medical history topics. His Nobel Chronicles...brief biographical notes on the Nobel laureates in Physiology or Medicine in the 20th century...was serialized in the British journal The Lancet (1998-2000). These essays are now being printed in book form through 1st Books Library. Dr. Raju lives with his wife and two sons in Darien, a Chicago suburb. THE ARTIST: Arthur Baltazar, a freelance cartoonist and illustrator, studied art at Chicago’s Columbia College. He is the creator of the popular comic book series, Patrick the Wolf Boy. In addition, he has produced many books for children, and he did considerable work for Warner Brothers Studios in Connecticut. Baltazar lives in Chicago and runs the Electric Milk Creations art studio.