Remember not to neglect your children.........

Gond folktale by tribal artist Rajendra Shyam 

This acrylic and ink on canvas painting tells the story of the sun and the moon. There was a time when the sun and the moon were poor and had barely anything to eat. Their children (the stars) would often go without food for days. Once, the sun and moon were invited for a feast. Both of them had their fill, but the moon hid some food in his mouth for his children. The sun didn’t bother to carry anything. The Gonds believe that since then, the sun’s children abandoned him, which is why he rises and sets alone. The moon, however, is always surrounded by his children — the stars twinkling in the sky.

Source dhamini.ratnam@timesgroup.com