ADVERTISEMENT
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Music
    • Books
    • theatre
    • dance
  • Entertainment
    • Celebs
    • Cinema
    • TV
    • Sports
    • parties
  • society
  • Fashion
    • It List
    • Trends
    • New launches
    • Designers
    • Weddings
  • Food
    • chennai
      • south indian
      • asian
      • continental
      • mediterranean
      • multi cuisine
      • world cuisine
    • bengaluru
      • south indian
      • asian
      • continental
      • mediterranean
      • multi cuisine
      • world cuisine
    • hyderabad
      • south indian
      • asian
      • continental
      • mediterranean
      • multi cuisine
      • world cuisine
    • kochi
      • south indian
      • asian
      • continental
      • mediterranean
      • multi cuisine
      • world cuisine
    • coimbature
      • south indian
      • asian
      • continental
      • mediterranean
      • multi cuisine
      • world cuisine
    • calcutta
      • south indian
      • asian
      • continental
      • mediterranean
      • multi cuisine
      • world cuisine
    • Mumbai
      • south indian
      • Asian
      • Continental
      • Mediterranean
      • Multi Cuisine
      • World Cuisine
  • travel
  • LifeStyle
  • Gadgets
    • Mobiles
    • Smart Home
    • Gaming
    • Audio
    • Tv
    • Pc/Laptops
    • Apps
  • Car & Bike
    • Formula One
  • Events
    • Chennai
    • Bangalore
    • Hyderabad
    • Kochi
    • Coimbatore
    • Kolkata
    • Mumbai
  • Galleries
    • Parties
    • Models
    • Celebrity
    • Culture
    • Gadgets
  • Videos
ADVERTISEMENT

'Isn't life but memories': Perumal Murugan speaks for translations as Eru Veyyil is re-released as Rising Heat after 30 years  

Sukant Deepak
Published:   |  08th August 2020 09:59 PM  
0

Share Via Email

Perumal Murugan (IANS)

Perumal Murugan (IANS)

New Delhi (IANS): Sometimes he does think about the passion, that nervousness he felt while writing his first book in Tamil Eru Veyyil. 

The book made major critics and readers take note of a young voice who wrote about a farming family and what they undergo after the government acquires their land for a housing project.

Even at that time, his social concerns - be it caste and other social issues - found a place in the realistic work that had elements from his life.

Perumal Murugan was 25 then. Now, at 54, he says, "Sometimes I feel it could have been written with a bit more patience. Every time I read any part of the novel, I sink back into old times. The memories of my forefathers torment me. Isn't life but memories?

But yes, post completing the novel, an enormous load was off my chest. There was this relief of unburdening, something that helped me move on to the next phase of my life."

Now that Penguin Random House India has released the English translation of his debut work, with the title Rising Heat, the writer says it makes him extremely happy and is hopeful that it would get the same attention it received when it was published in Tamil.

"The English translation is coming out nearly thirty years after I wrote Eru Veyyil. Multiple editions have been published in Tamil. This is a novel that got noticed when it was first published and gave me an identity."

The writer who hit international headlines with the book One Part Woman, published in 2010 and translated into English in 2013, faced a lawsuit filed against him by caste-based groups accusing him of hurting their religious sentiments.

He then declared on his Facebook page: "Perumal Murugan the writer is dead. As he is no God, he is not going to resurrect himself. He also has no faith in rebirth. An ordinary teacher, he will live as P Murugan. Leave him alone."

However, in 2015, the Madras High Court dismissed the case against him. In an epilogue, the bench called on the author to start writing again: "Let the author be resurrected to what he is best at. Write."

Murugan says that he did feel a difference in his writing when he started again post the judgment. "I realised a peacefulness akin to returning to one's own home after wandering around hither and thither."

"There are changes in my writing now. I've made the locations and their names imaginary. I've stopped naming the castes. Other than these, if there are any, only others have to point them out."

Talking about the omnipresence of customs and traditions in almost all his works, the author feels that the life of an Indian all but spans over five or six categories of celebrations that includes temple festivals and weddings.

"These celebrations continue on through traditions. Since I write inspired by my soil, these traditions also become part of my writing. Where is the life in writing that distances itself from customs and traditions?"

Noting the rise in Indian language literature being translated into English, the author adds, "India's mufti-faceted lives and regions are now getting within the reach of an English reader. This should flourish even more."

Adding that this period of lockdown had given a lot of anguish, Murugan says that he has not been able to write anything much.

"Though I finished some short stories but writing with ease can only happen for me after this infectious period ends."

 

Rising Heat (IANS)

 

    Related Article
  • Back to life: Perumal Murugan re-emerges days before award
  • Rising Heat, English translation of Perumal Murugan's debut Tamil novel, Eru Veyyil, all set to hit stands on July 6
  • 2019 JCB Prize for Literature: Perumal Murugan makes it to the shortlist second time in a row
  • Perumal Murugan, Paul Zacharia and Rajkamal Jha's novels make it to JCB Prize for Literature longlist 2019
  • From Olive by Emma Gannon to Luster by Raven Leilani, five books we recommend this week
  • From Jim Carrey's semi-autobiography to Zadie Smith's essays: 10 new must-read books on Kindle
  • Author Ashraf Karayath launches debut novel 'Janaka and Ashtavakra- A Journey Beyond'
  • Sandeep Bhutoria launches his new book Calcuttascape, plans to write a travelogue soon
  • Themes such as race, climate change, and women's bodies will be explored at the fifth edition of Bengaluru Poetry Festival
  • Indian-origin author Avni Doshi's Burnt Sugar in 2020 Booker Prize longlist
TAGS
translation Perumal Murugan Eru Veyyil

O
P
E
N

Comments

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
  • Chennai
  • Bengaluru
  • Kolkata
  • Hyderabad

Chennai

Chennai Edition

Bengaluru

Bengaluru edition

Kolkata

Kolkata edition

Hyderabad

Hyderabad edition
ADVERTISEMENT
Facebook
ADVERTISEMENT
Tweets by TheIndulgeMag
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

FOLLOW US

Copyright - indulgexpress.com 2021

The New Indian Express | Dinamani | Kannada Prabha | Samakalika Malayalam | Edex Live | Cinema Express | Event Xpress

Contact Us | About Us | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Advertise With Us

Home | Fashion | Entertainment | Culture | Lifestyle | Car & Bike | Sex & Health | Events | Galleries