About the Book: Under The Mango Tree
Mallikarjun Patil's Under the Mango Tree (first pub by the author himself in
2009) is a pastoral classic. The novel is centred in and around the fictitious
village of Chakrapur in Belgaum district of Karnataka. It depicts farmer
Kallappa's village life, rural people's customs, fairs and festivals, and their
faiths and failings. The protagonist Kallappa Danganavar is a simpleton.
Although Kallappa lives in modern times, he is traditional
and blind to the knowledge the modern science has provided. In fact, there lies
his Achilles heel. The first few chapters depict Kallappa's happy life, his
farming practices, his hard work and