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One Part Woman
All of Kali and Ponna’s efforts to conceive a child—from prayers to penance, potions to pilgrimages—have been in vain. Despite being in a loving and sexually satisfying relationship, they are relentlessly hounded by the taunts and insinuations of the people around them. Ultimately, all their hopes and apprehensions come to converge on the chariot festival in the temple of the half-female god Ardhanareeswara and the revelry surrounding it. Everything hinges on the one night when rules are relaxed and consensual union between any man and woman is sanctioned. This night could end the couple’s suffering and humiliation. But it will also put their marriage to the ultimate test. Acutely observed, One Part Woman lays bare with unsparing clarity a relationship caught between the dictates of social convention and the tug of personal anxieties, vividly conjuring an intimate and unsettling portrait of marriage, love and sex.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2010
580 people are currently reading
9161 people want to read
About the author
Perumal Murugan
95 books358 followersPrimary profile for this author.
Do NOT merge author profiles in different languages/spelling.
Per GR policy, books published in another language/script should have the name on that book as secondary author, with Perumal Murugan as primary author.
Perumal Murugan is a well-known contemporary Tamil writer and poet. He was written six novels, four collections of short stories and four anthologies of poetry. Three of his novels have been translated into English to wide acclaim: Seasons of the Palm, which was shortlisted for the prestigious Kiriyama Award in 2005, Current Show, and most recently, One Part Woman. He has received awards from the Tamil Nadu government as well as from Katha Books.
Do NOT merge author profiles in different languages/spelling.
Per GR policy, books published in another language/script should have the name on that book as secondary author, with Perumal Murugan as primary author.
Perumal Murugan is a well-known contemporary Tamil writer and poet. He was written six novels, four collections of short stories and four anthologies of poetry. Three of his novels have been translated into English to wide acclaim: Seasons of the Palm, which was shortlisted for the prestigious Kiriyama Award in 2005, Current Show, and most recently, One Part Woman. He has received awards from the Tamil Nadu government as well as from Katha Books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 946 reviews
January 8, 2025
First of all, this isn't a story for everyone.
Second, it handles the issues of infertility and intimacy like pretty heavily.
Third, if you're not aware of the culture and tradition of the story background, it might be difficult for you to understand and enjoy the story. Do not feel offended by the amount of times with the appearance of the local alcohol and such.
Fourth, if you're a beginner at reading fiction, do not go for this book. Go for this book when you have heard or seem to become familiar with domestic problems faced by couples.
Fifth, some characters and descriptions may seem quite vulgar at times (like always when it comes to most of Perumal Murugan's writings).
And the most uncomfortable part while reading the story would be something you wouldn't expect mothers or anyone related to a woman would suggest in order to procreate.
Yes, the story is all about procreation to produce a child more specifically because of the ridicule the couple had to face because of being unable to have a child even after 12 years of marriage.
Even if it's fiction, I can totally understand the couple and what their family had to go through. Because it's happening in real.
But I cannot comment on the main plot during the later half of the story because it seems ridiculous and it seems like I have been betrayed this whole time because the strongest character seemed like a betrayal towards the end and I totally dislike the ending.
Overall, this book represented well the culture of a particular region; the dilemma of such couples; the rural life etched out quite impressively.
The first 70 percent of the book could have been shorter and the last 5 percent of the book could have had more content towards the end. But well, the writing is really good that I just couldn't stop reading the book once I started it and got familiar with the characters.
I binge read the book in a few hours in a single sitting because yes, the author is pretty impressive with his writing. It happened with his other books as well.
*This is definitely not a book for the beginners.
Well....let me process that ending for a moment again.
Second, it handles the issues of infertility and intimacy like pretty heavily.
Third, if you're not aware of the culture and tradition of the story background, it might be difficult for you to understand and enjoy the story. Do not feel offended by the amount of times with the appearance of the local alcohol and such.
Fourth, if you're a beginner at reading fiction, do not go for this book. Go for this book when you have heard or seem to become familiar with domestic problems faced by couples.
Fifth, some characters and descriptions may seem quite vulgar at times (like always when it comes to most of Perumal Murugan's writings).
And the most uncomfortable part while reading the story would be something you wouldn't expect mothers or anyone related to a woman would suggest in order to procreate.
Yes, the story is all about procreation to produce a child more specifically because of the ridicule the couple had to face because of being unable to have a child even after 12 years of marriage.
Even if it's fiction, I can totally understand the couple and what their family had to go through. Because it's happening in real.
But I cannot comment on the main plot during the later half of the story because it seems ridiculous and it seems like I have been betrayed this whole time because the strongest character seemed like a betrayal towards the end and I totally dislike the ending.
Overall, this book represented well the culture of a particular region; the dilemma of such couples; the rural life etched out quite impressively.
The first 70 percent of the book could have been shorter and the last 5 percent of the book could have had more content towards the end. But well, the writing is really good that I just couldn't stop reading the book once I started it and got familiar with the characters.
I binge read the book in a few hours in a single sitting because yes, the author is pretty impressive with his writing. It happened with his other books as well.
*This is definitely not a book for the beginners.
Well....let me process that ending for a moment again.
September 12, 2018
Now Nominated for the National Book Award
This controversial novel led to book burnings and almost ended the career of its author, Tamil writer Perumal Murugan. Local caste-based and religious Hindu groups found the portrayal of their culture so objectionable that they staged violent protests - but while the police compelled Murugan to sign an "unconditional apology" and the district banned the book, the Madras High Court later (in 2016) declared the ban illegal and directed the state to better protect artists. The same year, Aniruddhan Vasudevan won the Translation Award of the Indian Academy of Letters (Sahitya Akademi Award).
So what made the conservatives fume? The short book tells the story of a young married couple, Kali and Ponna. They both love each other very much, but the fact that after 12 years of marriage, 28-year-old Poona still couldn't get pregnant puts a strain on their relationship. The reason for their worries is less that Kali and Ponna desperately want to be parents - in fact, Kali is more than unsure whether he wants to have children at all, and Ponna is also ambivalent -, but that they are shamed, ridiculed and ostracized by their families, friends and other villagers because of their childlessness: Kali is called unmanly and impotent, and Ponna is the barren woman who brings bad luck.
Ponna and Kali try everything: They consult astrologers, make offerings to the gods, try to fight off presumed curses, and partake in rituals, but nothing seems to work. Finally, their families scheme to convince Ponna to attend the annual chariot festival celebrating the half-man half-woman god, where men and women are free to copulate with anyone. It was obviosuly the portrayal of this ritual as well as Murugan's criticism of cruel societal standards that protesters wanted to see banned.
Murugan writes empathically about the plight of Ponna and Kali, and his allegorical descriptions of nature and animals give the text the feel of a fable. This impression is heightend by multiple stories that are told within the text - about family members, ancestors, gods, and the past of the couple. The outside pressure puts a heavy psychological burden on both of them, and they also start to fail each other (which is especially true for Kali, who commits a horrible act).
Murugan writes an urgent tale about the pointlessness of sticking to convention without considering the happiness of the individual, the cruelty of some societal norms and the caste-system. And as the court in Madras put it: "If you do not like a book, simply close it. The answer is not its ban." That's how fiction can help progress.
This controversial novel led to book burnings and almost ended the career of its author, Tamil writer Perumal Murugan. Local caste-based and religious Hindu groups found the portrayal of their culture so objectionable that they staged violent protests - but while the police compelled Murugan to sign an "unconditional apology" and the district banned the book, the Madras High Court later (in 2016) declared the ban illegal and directed the state to better protect artists. The same year, Aniruddhan Vasudevan won the Translation Award of the Indian Academy of Letters (Sahitya Akademi Award).
So what made the conservatives fume? The short book tells the story of a young married couple, Kali and Ponna. They both love each other very much, but the fact that after 12 years of marriage, 28-year-old Poona still couldn't get pregnant puts a strain on their relationship. The reason for their worries is less that Kali and Ponna desperately want to be parents - in fact, Kali is more than unsure whether he wants to have children at all, and Ponna is also ambivalent -, but that they are shamed, ridiculed and ostracized by their families, friends and other villagers because of their childlessness: Kali is called unmanly and impotent, and Ponna is the barren woman who brings bad luck.
Ponna and Kali try everything: They consult astrologers, make offerings to the gods, try to fight off presumed curses, and partake in rituals, but nothing seems to work. Finally, their families scheme to convince Ponna to attend the annual chariot festival celebrating the half-man half-woman god, where men and women are free to copulate with anyone. It was obviosuly the portrayal of this ritual as well as Murugan's criticism of cruel societal standards that protesters wanted to see banned.
Murugan writes empathically about the plight of Ponna and Kali, and his allegorical descriptions of nature and animals give the text the feel of a fable. This impression is heightend by multiple stories that are told within the text - about family members, ancestors, gods, and the past of the couple. The outside pressure puts a heavy psychological burden on both of them, and they also start to fail each other (which is especially true for Kali, who commits a horrible act).
Murugan writes an urgent tale about the pointlessness of sticking to convention without considering the happiness of the individual, the cruelty of some societal norms and the caste-system. And as the court in Madras put it: "If you do not like a book, simply close it. The answer is not its ban." That's how fiction can help progress.
April 24, 2015
Like Hannah Arendt, I'm more than ever of the opinion that a decent human existence is possible today only on the fringes of society, where one then runs the risk of starving or being stoned to death. Some people choose the fringes, some are pushed into them by their circumstances.
Kali and Ponna lay in the fringes simply because they failed to have a child. The modern urban person might sneer at this. Backward. Surely this doesn't happen today in the cities. However much one might like to believe that, the crux of Kali's and Ponna's ostracization is seen everywhere. Uncle Nallapayyan lays bare the obscenity that many perceive to be the purest form of love.
If one raised children like crows or cuckoos do, giving them their wings and then letting them go, wouldn't both parent and child be better off? Why is martyrdom the most acceptable sign of good parenting?
Perumal Murugan doesn't let one stay with that kind of high-handed ideology for too long. When you have the resources it is easy to be philosophical. Ponna didn't. She says, Let him be right. We don't expect our children to take care of us when we are old. It is enough if we can have a social life because of them
Of all the books I've read so far, Ponna is the most well crafted female character by a male author. She isn't just a role in the book, she is a complete person. In the midst of fear, she recognises her moment of freedom and she seizes it. Ponna speaks for those who are permanently aggravated by what is presented as the female mind, yet are too worn down to react to every insinuation.
One Part Woman underscores the unaccountable cost incurred when one lives according to a society's conscience. Human society in exchange for humanity.
--
Note on the translation : Initially, it seemed like Aniruddhan Vasudevan wasn't sure if he should translate to a Tamil audience or a more global one, but the inconsistency is fixed 10-20 pages into the book. Like another review mentioned, a glossary would have been useful. A translation like Tolstoy's works, where the Russian-ness stays and all the nuances can be understood only by looking at the glossary would have been better.
--
January 28, 2015
Kali and Ponna lay in the fringes simply because they failed to have a child. The modern urban person might sneer at this. Backward. Surely this doesn't happen today in the cities. However much one might like to believe that, the crux of Kali's and Ponna's ostracization is seen everywhere. Uncle Nallapayyan lays bare the obscenity that many perceive to be the purest form of love.
Why do you think we have and raise children? For them to grow up well? No. We do it because we seem to need it for ourselves. That is why we have children and raise them. And then in old age we complain that those children are not taking care of us. This is plain madness
If one raised children like crows or cuckoos do, giving them their wings and then letting them go, wouldn't both parent and child be better off? Why is martyrdom the most acceptable sign of good parenting?
Perumal Murugan doesn't let one stay with that kind of high-handed ideology for too long. When you have the resources it is easy to be philosophical. Ponna didn't. She says, Let him be right. We don't expect our children to take care of us when we are old. It is enough if we can have a social life because of them
Of all the books I've read so far, Ponna is the most well crafted female character by a male author. She isn't just a role in the book, she is a complete person. In the midst of fear, she recognises her moment of freedom and she seizes it. Ponna speaks for those who are permanently aggravated by what is presented as the female mind, yet are too worn down to react to every insinuation.
One Part Woman underscores the unaccountable cost incurred when one lives according to a society's conscience. Human society in exchange for humanity.
--
Note on the translation : Initially, it seemed like Aniruddhan Vasudevan wasn't sure if he should translate to a Tamil audience or a more global one, but the inconsistency is fixed 10-20 pages into the book. Like another review mentioned, a glossary would have been useful. A translation like Tolstoy's works, where the Russian-ness stays and all the nuances can be understood only by looking at the glossary would have been better.
--
January 28, 2015
October 25, 2016
"There is no female without the male, and no male without the female. The world goes on only when they come together."
----Perumal Murugan
One Part Woman, the book which erupted fires of scandal through the right wings forces and other caste groups and that which finally put an end to the career of Perumal Murugan, a popular Indian Tamil writer, is one hell of a striking and extremely poignant book that is a must read and must be worshiped by all literary fans of India, not because of the story but of the finest writing style that is rarely found among the huge crowd of Indian writers.
Synopsis:
All of Kali and Ponna’s efforts to conceive a child—from prayers to penance, potions to pilgrimages—have been in vain. Despite being in a loving and sexually satisfying relationship, they are relentlessly hounded by the taunts and insinuations of the people around them. Ultimately, all their hopes and apprehensions come to converge on the chariot festival in the temple of the half-female god Ardhanareeswara and the revelry surrounding it. Everything hinges on the one night when rules are relaxed and consensual union between any man and woman is sanctioned. This night could end the couple’s suffering and humiliation. But it will also put their marriage to the ultimate test. Acutely observed, One Part Woman lays bare with unsparing clarity a relationship caught between the dictates of social convention and the tug of personal anxieties, vividly conjuring an intimate and unsettling portrait of marriage, love and sex.
Kali and Ponna has been married for the past 12 years, although they have strong desire and passion for one another, which they have ushered to one another for so many years, yet they are still not blessed with the seed of their own. Through the years, they have prayed to so many gods and goddesses and sacrificed a lot in the name of a child, yet they remained childless and were subjected to constant humiliation especially for Ponna, it was difficult to go outside without hearing a bad thing about her fate of not being able to give birth to a child. But their despair and grief might finally come to an end on the last night of the chariot festival of the goddess, Ardhanareeswara, the half-female god, when any man and woman in their village can consensually join one another into sexual pleasures. Although that might put a big question mark on the sustenance on their marriage.
The author's work is incredible, as the story highlights the shortcomings of the Indian society's norms and customs, the narrow minded ideals and the vagaries of such a society put a tight grip on the minds and the souls of those who exist in such a place. Similarly, Ponna and Kali are two such humans who are also trapped into a world where there is either black or white and no gray shade, although Ponna depicts that kind of freedom, self-esteem and individuality to fight back through it, yet still their fate could not escape it.
The author, no doubt, draws a bold line while craving this story as the way he has reflected sex in the culture of India where virtue and shamelessness comes dangerously close to one another, but then again, we, readers are used to author's imaginary worlds and stories, but there are some people who fail to grasp the knowledge that there is a stark difference between fiction and non-fiction and have a habit of creating an uproar if they find it too realistic. I respect the author for creating an imaginary story based on a holy festival's customs, but then again, not everyone holds that power to think beyond reality. The town that the author has portrayed in the story is very much real, even the temple of that god too, but the customs surrounding the chariot festival is fictional, and that have left the Indian culture in a bad light by being fictional. So talk about freedom of expression, I think that too is a myth!
The author's writing style is extremely coherent rich with deep emotions and proper layers with depth that will make the readers easily comprehend with the plot as well as with the writing. Now the translated edition of the book has some flaws, especially in the narrative, where the author uses the local dialect along with its translation right beside it and sometimes, the translation is missing all together, so that might be bit tricky for foreign or other regional readers to contemplate with the dialogues. The story is narrated in so many layers and back stories that make it only enriching and thorough that will let the readers visually imagine the scenes right before their eyes.
The characters are crafted really well in this book, complete with their flaws and strong aspects that will only look believable in the eyes of the readers. The main characters, both Ponna and Kali are bold characters reflecting realism in their demeanor that will earn respect from the readers for their brave attitude and confronting the remarks and negative comments about their lives. Ponna is depicted with freedom, sensuality not only in her body, but also in her soul, that gives her a fetching outlook. While Kali is a loyal husband with a funny bone in his system, who will lighten up the gloomy mood of the story almost all the time, yet this man too blindly obeys all the social and religious customs to remove his curses from the gods. Ponna is strong while Kali exists within her shadow. Both are extremely striking characters and are bound to leave a lasting impression in the minds and the hearts of the readers.
In short, this is one of the most captivating and though provoking tales that I have read in recent times, and with a lustrous writing style and exquisite and almost lyrical prose, it makes the story into something evocative and extremely satisfying to read.
Verdict: Fine quality of Indian literature that we rarely come across these days.
----Perumal Murugan
One Part Woman, the book which erupted fires of scandal through the right wings forces and other caste groups and that which finally put an end to the career of Perumal Murugan, a popular Indian Tamil writer, is one hell of a striking and extremely poignant book that is a must read and must be worshiped by all literary fans of India, not because of the story but of the finest writing style that is rarely found among the huge crowd of Indian writers.
Synopsis:
All of Kali and Ponna’s efforts to conceive a child—from prayers to penance, potions to pilgrimages—have been in vain. Despite being in a loving and sexually satisfying relationship, they are relentlessly hounded by the taunts and insinuations of the people around them. Ultimately, all their hopes and apprehensions come to converge on the chariot festival in the temple of the half-female god Ardhanareeswara and the revelry surrounding it. Everything hinges on the one night when rules are relaxed and consensual union between any man and woman is sanctioned. This night could end the couple’s suffering and humiliation. But it will also put their marriage to the ultimate test. Acutely observed, One Part Woman lays bare with unsparing clarity a relationship caught between the dictates of social convention and the tug of personal anxieties, vividly conjuring an intimate and unsettling portrait of marriage, love and sex.
Kali and Ponna has been married for the past 12 years, although they have strong desire and passion for one another, which they have ushered to one another for so many years, yet they are still not blessed with the seed of their own. Through the years, they have prayed to so many gods and goddesses and sacrificed a lot in the name of a child, yet they remained childless and were subjected to constant humiliation especially for Ponna, it was difficult to go outside without hearing a bad thing about her fate of not being able to give birth to a child. But their despair and grief might finally come to an end on the last night of the chariot festival of the goddess, Ardhanareeswara, the half-female god, when any man and woman in their village can consensually join one another into sexual pleasures. Although that might put a big question mark on the sustenance on their marriage.
The author's work is incredible, as the story highlights the shortcomings of the Indian society's norms and customs, the narrow minded ideals and the vagaries of such a society put a tight grip on the minds and the souls of those who exist in such a place. Similarly, Ponna and Kali are two such humans who are also trapped into a world where there is either black or white and no gray shade, although Ponna depicts that kind of freedom, self-esteem and individuality to fight back through it, yet still their fate could not escape it.
The author, no doubt, draws a bold line while craving this story as the way he has reflected sex in the culture of India where virtue and shamelessness comes dangerously close to one another, but then again, we, readers are used to author's imaginary worlds and stories, but there are some people who fail to grasp the knowledge that there is a stark difference between fiction and non-fiction and have a habit of creating an uproar if they find it too realistic. I respect the author for creating an imaginary story based on a holy festival's customs, but then again, not everyone holds that power to think beyond reality. The town that the author has portrayed in the story is very much real, even the temple of that god too, but the customs surrounding the chariot festival is fictional, and that have left the Indian culture in a bad light by being fictional. So talk about freedom of expression, I think that too is a myth!
The author's writing style is extremely coherent rich with deep emotions and proper layers with depth that will make the readers easily comprehend with the plot as well as with the writing. Now the translated edition of the book has some flaws, especially in the narrative, where the author uses the local dialect along with its translation right beside it and sometimes, the translation is missing all together, so that might be bit tricky for foreign or other regional readers to contemplate with the dialogues. The story is narrated in so many layers and back stories that make it only enriching and thorough that will let the readers visually imagine the scenes right before their eyes.
The characters are crafted really well in this book, complete with their flaws and strong aspects that will only look believable in the eyes of the readers. The main characters, both Ponna and Kali are bold characters reflecting realism in their demeanor that will earn respect from the readers for their brave attitude and confronting the remarks and negative comments about their lives. Ponna is depicted with freedom, sensuality not only in her body, but also in her soul, that gives her a fetching outlook. While Kali is a loyal husband with a funny bone in his system, who will lighten up the gloomy mood of the story almost all the time, yet this man too blindly obeys all the social and religious customs to remove his curses from the gods. Ponna is strong while Kali exists within her shadow. Both are extremely striking characters and are bound to leave a lasting impression in the minds and the hearts of the readers.
In short, this is one of the most captivating and though provoking tales that I have read in recent times, and with a lustrous writing style and exquisite and almost lyrical prose, it makes the story into something evocative and extremely satisfying to read.
Verdict: Fine quality of Indian literature that we rarely come across these days.
February 19, 2015
I bought this book to show solidarity with the author after he was bullied by right wing elements and forced to apologise etc.So this was my statement for freedom of expression. i am against banning any book.And I am glad I did,else i would have missed reading a wonderful book:)
The prose is superb and I can only imagine how beautiful it must be in original tamil. The descriptions of the village and temples and festival crowds etc are superb..makes one feel like going there and being a part of it.The love of ponna and kali,their attraction to each other, their frustration at not being able to bear a child and their relationship with the village folk,family etc who constantly bring up their childlessness and alienate them from rituals and occasions because of this are all wonderfully written.the characters have layers and depth.One can feel the pain of the couple who have to conform to whats acceptable in their society but are relegated to the fringes and made to feel inadequate over something they have no control over.There is nothing controversial in it,no vulgarity and it is a window to a different world.
Overall,its a very fast paced book and I would definitely recommend this book to everyone I know.
The prose is superb and I can only imagine how beautiful it must be in original tamil. The descriptions of the village and temples and festival crowds etc are superb..makes one feel like going there and being a part of it.The love of ponna and kali,their attraction to each other, their frustration at not being able to bear a child and their relationship with the village folk,family etc who constantly bring up their childlessness and alienate them from rituals and occasions because of this are all wonderfully written.the characters have layers and depth.One can feel the pain of the couple who have to conform to whats acceptable in their society but are relegated to the fringes and made to feel inadequate over something they have no control over.There is nothing controversial in it,no vulgarity and it is a window to a different world.
Overall,its a very fast paced book and I would definitely recommend this book to everyone I know.
January 5, 2016
Was a wonderful read. I love regional Indian literature which enables me to explore this vast, varied and beautiful country of mine, at my own pace, and in the comfort of my home. And I like it more, if the writing is crisp,taut as well as descriptive.
This book dealt with the subject of despair of childless couple, and how they have to cope up with society who feels they lack something. I have encountered the despair of childless couple in my professional life, and I know how devastating the need for children can be, from personal as well as cultural and religious aspects.
Kali and Ponna are the unfortunate couple in this book, who are forced to go to extremes to fulfil their desire, mainly to evade the taunts that come their way in their day to day lives.
This book neatly sums up the lives of Tamilian agricultural villagers; their beliefs, customs, traditions, way of life etc. are vividly portrayed. The raw humanity, the rudeness and crudity, and the almost cruel customs will shock the unwary reader. But being an Indian, and being exposed to the Indian small town mentality, at least indirectly, I was not at all shocked or repelled. The vivid characters will remain with me for a long, long time to come.
I would recommend this book to all those who love Indian literature, but with a warning to expect a bit of vulgarity and mealy mouthedness. Perhaps this book (not graphic, still a bit bothersome) is better recommended to those in their mid twenties and above. I don't want gullible young adults to be put off from their matrimonial ventures, if any.
I really loved reading the vivid characterization and descriptions , but am confused about the time period of the story - is it before independence? Just after independence?
And why did not the couple approach even a single doctor? They may be villagers, but I am loathe to believe that they haven't heard of modern medicine.
These questions are nagging me when I close this book and place it in my shelf.
This book dealt with the subject of despair of childless couple, and how they have to cope up with society who feels they lack something. I have encountered the despair of childless couple in my professional life, and I know how devastating the need for children can be, from personal as well as cultural and religious aspects.
Kali and Ponna are the unfortunate couple in this book, who are forced to go to extremes to fulfil their desire, mainly to evade the taunts that come their way in their day to day lives.
This book neatly sums up the lives of Tamilian agricultural villagers; their beliefs, customs, traditions, way of life etc. are vividly portrayed. The raw humanity, the rudeness and crudity, and the almost cruel customs will shock the unwary reader. But being an Indian, and being exposed to the Indian small town mentality, at least indirectly, I was not at all shocked or repelled. The vivid characters will remain with me for a long, long time to come.
I would recommend this book to all those who love Indian literature, but with a warning to expect a bit of vulgarity and mealy mouthedness. Perhaps this book (not graphic, still a bit bothersome) is better recommended to those in their mid twenties and above. I don't want gullible young adults to be put off from their matrimonial ventures, if any.
I really loved reading the vivid characterization and descriptions , but am confused about the time period of the story - is it before independence? Just after independence?
And why did not the couple approach even a single doctor? They may be villagers, but I am loathe to believe that they haven't heard of modern medicine.
These questions are nagging me when I close this book and place it in my shelf.
September 16, 2018
No wonder this book got Murugan in trouble!
An absolutely brilliant attempt to bring out the hypocrisies of the society.
An absolutely brilliant attempt to bring out the hypocrisies of the society.
November 3, 2016
Easily one of the most poignant pieces of literature that I've ever read. Thanks to the Madras High Court for lifting the ban on the Tamil version, though that doesn't do much reparation to the mental agonies the author had to undergo or to the unfortunate readers who might not see another novel from such a talented exponent of the language. But it at least put an end to my annoying 2-year wait to grab the Tamil version with the English version(One Part Woman) tantalizing me all the time to read it and at least get to know how the controversial subject matter had been treated.
It was a singular reading experience that was both heartwarming and depressing at the same time, page after page, detail after incredible detail. The heartwarming parts had to do with the incredibly microscopic observation and description of how the rural folk of the 1940s(Gounders in this case) lived off the land- the backbreaking labor involved in clearing rough unyielding terrain, their agricultural implements, mechanisms of seeding and harvesting, optimal utilization of organic fertilizers, crop rotation strategies in a rain-fed area ruled by the vagaries of nature, secret nooks in the woods to get far away from the madding crowd when the mind begs for escape, the level of care and intense thinking that went into animal husbandry and a whole host of other details regarding rural sustenance. The depressing parts of course had to do with the subject matter - Kali and Ponna and their arduous struggle for progeny and the endless taunts and insinuations that come their way from a society that is obsessed with not leaving someone alone.
This contrasting experience reminded me of something that I'd read recently - two contrasting sentiments about life in pre-independence Indian villages. While Mahatma Gandhi celebrated village life and its morals and said "If the villages perish, India will perish too. It will be no more India. Her own mission in the world will get lost", Dr B R Ambedkar said "What is a village — a sink of localism, a den of ignorance, narrow mindedness and communalism".
Perumal Murugan's penmanship is endlessly fascinating. He was daring not just with the handling of a sensitive subject matter, but also with his digressing style of narration dotted with endless anecdotes and time-leaps which might put some readers off. Aside from the microscopic description of rural life, he also posseses a remarkably nuanced understanding of the emotional side of his characters. His portrayal of the degree of passion,chemistry and love that binds the lead characters evokes an emotion that is somewhere between wonder and envy. Though he leaves no room for abstraction in his vivid detailing of rural life, his prose is abundantly laced with layers of deep poetic abstraction. His Gounder and Chakkili characters borrow from his vast compendium of Kongu Tamil words and dialects which made for a pleasingly authentic read.
An incredibly nuanced tale told with nonchalant poetic ease!
It was a singular reading experience that was both heartwarming and depressing at the same time, page after page, detail after incredible detail. The heartwarming parts had to do with the incredibly microscopic observation and description of how the rural folk of the 1940s(Gounders in this case) lived off the land- the backbreaking labor involved in clearing rough unyielding terrain, their agricultural implements, mechanisms of seeding and harvesting, optimal utilization of organic fertilizers, crop rotation strategies in a rain-fed area ruled by the vagaries of nature, secret nooks in the woods to get far away from the madding crowd when the mind begs for escape, the level of care and intense thinking that went into animal husbandry and a whole host of other details regarding rural sustenance. The depressing parts of course had to do with the subject matter - Kali and Ponna and their arduous struggle for progeny and the endless taunts and insinuations that come their way from a society that is obsessed with not leaving someone alone.
This contrasting experience reminded me of something that I'd read recently - two contrasting sentiments about life in pre-independence Indian villages. While Mahatma Gandhi celebrated village life and its morals and said "If the villages perish, India will perish too. It will be no more India. Her own mission in the world will get lost", Dr B R Ambedkar said "What is a village — a sink of localism, a den of ignorance, narrow mindedness and communalism".
Perumal Murugan's penmanship is endlessly fascinating. He was daring not just with the handling of a sensitive subject matter, but also with his digressing style of narration dotted with endless anecdotes and time-leaps which might put some readers off. Aside from the microscopic description of rural life, he also posseses a remarkably nuanced understanding of the emotional side of his characters. His portrayal of the degree of passion,chemistry and love that binds the lead characters evokes an emotion that is somewhere between wonder and envy. Though he leaves no room for abstraction in his vivid detailing of rural life, his prose is abundantly laced with layers of deep poetic abstraction. His Gounder and Chakkili characters borrow from his vast compendium of Kongu Tamil words and dialects which made for a pleasingly authentic read.
An incredibly nuanced tale told with nonchalant poetic ease!
March 20, 2018
It is said a man is a social animal. The moment the man believed it, he became a slave to the very society imperceptibly he is a part. Society placed the rules, he followed. The society built the civilizations, he ruled. The whole time he forgot that he made the society. If society is water he is the bowl that containing it. So he, only, holds the power to change a society's discourse. But in course of time, Man let society rule him. This is where One Part Woman started. One Part Woman is about a village couple, Kali and Ponna. Married for 12 years, they have no children. Their inability to conceive a child made them first useless then helpless. And they became the victims of the tragedy that was bound to happen. Society taunted them being barren, humiliated them, shunned them deliberately up to such a level that they inadvertently believed they have to be approved by the society to live a life. What the author, Perumal Murugesan did is what a free man is doing from the birth of society. He questioned what is a society's place in man’s life? should a society’s boundaries define man’s life? Does a man need to be approved by a society? For that, the author is brandished as a culprit as his protagonists were made social-outcasts in the story. Protests happened against the author and his books were banned. Isn’t it human vanity that makes humans search something that society approves to be happy forgetting that their lives are independent of society? In the end, tragedies are bound to happen whenever a man seeks the society’s acceptance to be a man.
July 19, 2018
"There is no female without the male and no male without the female. The world goes on only when they come together" - One part woman, Perumal Murugan
🌷
Kali and Poona, the married couple of 12 years, have a very loving and sexually satisfying relationship.
Their only qualm is that they are unable to conceive, and this calls for taunts from the whole village and the society, especially for Poona, who is constantly finding herself in embarrassing and humiliating situations because of this fact.
Over the years they have prayed to every god, offered alms to every deity, performed every odd ritual, but to no effect.
All of their hopes rest on a single night of the chariot festival, where the rules are relaxed and a consensual relationship between a man and a woman is allowed.
What will come out of the night of the union? How will it effect Poona's and Kali's relationship?
🌷
The story is a third person account of Poona and Kali's plight, the societal norms that look down upon a childless couple, and also touches on the topic of casteism in Indian society.
The characters are very well drawn, the story is really gripping and you feel one with the trauma of the two souls trying to fight the taunts of the society, all the while not losing their love for each other.
I would highly recommend this to people interested in Indian Literature.
🌷
Genre: #fiction #Indianliterature #cultural
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Reading difficulty: ⭐⭐/5
🌷
Kali and Poona, the married couple of 12 years, have a very loving and sexually satisfying relationship.
Their only qualm is that they are unable to conceive, and this calls for taunts from the whole village and the society, especially for Poona, who is constantly finding herself in embarrassing and humiliating situations because of this fact.
Over the years they have prayed to every god, offered alms to every deity, performed every odd ritual, but to no effect.
All of their hopes rest on a single night of the chariot festival, where the rules are relaxed and a consensual relationship between a man and a woman is allowed.
What will come out of the night of the union? How will it effect Poona's and Kali's relationship?
🌷
The story is a third person account of Poona and Kali's plight, the societal norms that look down upon a childless couple, and also touches on the topic of casteism in Indian society.
The characters are very well drawn, the story is really gripping and you feel one with the trauma of the two souls trying to fight the taunts of the society, all the while not losing their love for each other.
I would highly recommend this to people interested in Indian Literature.
🌷
Genre: #fiction #Indianliterature #cultural
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Reading difficulty: ⭐⭐/5
March 8, 2021
தமிழகத்தின் நிலப்பரப்புகளில் எங்கோ ஒரு பகுதியில் உள்ள தமிழ் இனக்குழுக்களின் வாழ்வையும் எளிய மனிதர்களின் ஆசைகளையும் கனவுகளையும் தொன்மங்களையும் குலமரபுச் சடங்குகளையும் நம்பிக்கைகளையும் பூர்வகுடிகளின் கதைகளையும் அவர்களிடையே கனன்று கவியும் மன உணர்வுகளையும் மிகவும் அழகாகவும் அதே சமயத்தில் மிகவும் நெகிழ்ச்சியாகவும் ஆவணப்படுத்தியுள்ளார் நாவலாசிரியர் பெருமாள் முருகன்.
June 10, 2024
I liked Poonachi by the author much more than this. I possibly went into this with too high expectations.
Kali and Ponna have been married for 12 years, and they do not yet have a child. This is a frequent topic of discussion in their village. Ponna, especially feels scorned as a woman who is not able to conceive a child. While they are very fond of each other, and have a good understanding, this stresses their relationship. Ponna, in desperation, also suggests to Kali to have a second wife, which he refuses. There are several local remedies and prayers the couple take up. A radical option of going to the chariot festival of the god Ardhanarishvara (half man & half woman) is proposed, where societal taboos around sex are relaxed. Neither of them are comfortable with this, but Ponna says she will consider this if Kali wants. A lot of tension is to follow, with the families also intervening in what they believe is for the best.
This book got into a lot of controversy with groups alleging their communities & practices were being misrepresented and defamed. A court later ruled that the author had the right to write a story such as this. The author, quite obviously, has the right to literary freedom, especially since it does not come across as an ill-intentioned story. But I found the story boring for the most part. The social practice which occupies centre stage is certainly radical & novel, and yet the lead-up to that is poor. The anguish Ponna feels in her not conceiving comes across strongly. However, I found some of the behaviours to be poorly explained, that they come across as perplexing. I am not sure how much of this is due to the translation. Overall, quite underwhelming. I realize though that many have liked the book, so do form your own opinion. I am undecided on whether I will continue with the two divergent sequels to this story.
Kali and Ponna have been married for 12 years, and they do not yet have a child. This is a frequent topic of discussion in their village. Ponna, especially feels scorned as a woman who is not able to conceive a child. While they are very fond of each other, and have a good understanding, this stresses their relationship. Ponna, in desperation, also suggests to Kali to have a second wife, which he refuses. There are several local remedies and prayers the couple take up. A radical option of going to the chariot festival of the god Ardhanarishvara (half man & half woman) is proposed, where societal taboos around sex are relaxed. Neither of them are comfortable with this, but Ponna says she will consider this if Kali wants. A lot of tension is to follow, with the families also intervening in what they believe is for the best.
This book got into a lot of controversy with groups alleging their communities & practices were being misrepresented and defamed. A court later ruled that the author had the right to write a story such as this. The author, quite obviously, has the right to literary freedom, especially since it does not come across as an ill-intentioned story. But I found the story boring for the most part. The social practice which occupies centre stage is certainly radical & novel, and yet the lead-up to that is poor. The anguish Ponna feels in her not conceiving comes across strongly. However, I found some of the behaviours to be poorly explained, that they come across as perplexing. I am not sure how much of this is due to the translation. Overall, quite underwhelming. I realize though that many have liked the book, so do form your own opinion. I am undecided on whether I will continue with the two divergent sequels to this story.
Read
February 19, 2019Read the full review at Elgee Writes
Though initially written in my mother tongue Tamil, I read One Part Woman in English and I am glad I did that. While I have heard high praises about the original, I am not sure if I could have digested the rawness in the story.
One Part Woman portrays emphatically the society’s stand towards a couple who are childless, or God forbid choose not to have one, especially in the rural areas.
There are a lot of racial and sexual slurs (more than other novels of the genre though), but nothing that called for the riots and calls for banning the book. I think the political and casteists should leave the literary world alone.
Things that worked for me:
I loved the layered and flowery writing style of the author.
All the characters are well thought and fully developed. I loved Ponna’s strong and fierce character.
The book ends in a kinda cliffhanger and continues in the next part, the end worked for me.
The rural life in the south India is perfectly etched.
Things that didn’t work for me:
The rawness in writing goes in hand with a lot obscene sexual and racial slurs. That is one reason I am glad I didn’t read it in my mother tongue.
I didn’t get many of the slurs and slang, despite it being my mother tongue.
There are times the flowery writing might seem overdone and drags the pace.
Bottom-line:
If you want to read a translated work that portrays rural south India then One Part Woman should be your choice. I am definitely reading the part two soon.
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Though initially written in my mother tongue Tamil, I read One Part Woman in English and I am glad I did that. While I have heard high praises about the original, I am not sure if I could have digested the rawness in the story.
One Part Woman portrays emphatically the society’s stand towards a couple who are childless, or God forbid choose not to have one, especially in the rural areas.
There are a lot of racial and sexual slurs (more than other novels of the genre though), but nothing that called for the riots and calls for banning the book. I think the political and casteists should leave the literary world alone.
Things that worked for me:
I loved the layered and flowery writing style of the author.
All the characters are well thought and fully developed. I loved Ponna’s strong and fierce character.
The book ends in a kinda cliffhanger and continues in the next part, the end worked for me.
The rural life in the south India is perfectly etched.
Things that didn’t work for me:
The rawness in writing goes in hand with a lot obscene sexual and racial slurs. That is one reason I am glad I didn’t read it in my mother tongue.
I didn’t get many of the slurs and slang, despite it being my mother tongue.
There are times the flowery writing might seem overdone and drags the pace.
Bottom-line:
If you want to read a translated work that portrays rural south India then One Part Woman should be your choice. I am definitely reading the part two soon.
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June 27, 2018
I am utterly confused by how to respond and I feel as though I should take a few days to reassess my intelligence after reading this. Every single one of my friends gave this five stars with long complex reviews and I just assumed this would be life altering. But I felt the whole time like I was trying to poke into the characters and the plot with a toothpick, and I needed a sword. The biggest issue I had getting into it was that it felt like one second I was reading something intentionally contemporary and then the next it felt like ancient mythology (I now understand why). After sitting with it, re-reading parts, worrying that I was not culturally savvy enough to get this, wondering if maybe I should quit my job (I teach multi-ethnic literature), I finally went back to someone’s review and realized they had mentioned that they had loved all 550 pgs of it....mine was only about 200. Yeah, I completely forgot I was reading a translation. So I don’t know if the reason I felt that it was a bit clunky while I was reading it (emphasis on while) is because I was not reading the original Tamil version, but I do think I would’ve had a different experience if I had the linguistic abilities to do so.
However, and I think this says more about the book than the experience I had while reading it, there are images from the novel that were so beautiful that they have imprinted themselves on my mind. I was outside on my back porch this morning and there was a breeze and I closed my eyes and I was laying on Kali’s cot in the barn listening to the palms rustle. It felt so peaceful. (I’m sure the fact that my dog needs a bath added to the barnyard ambiance:). But to have such a vivid image come back to me, more than two days after I’ve finished the book, is pretty extraordinary, and maybe, just maybe worth at least as much as when you have an incredible emotional/intellectual experience for those 200 pages. Either way, I’m very happy with my imprints....
However, and I think this says more about the book than the experience I had while reading it, there are images from the novel that were so beautiful that they have imprinted themselves on my mind. I was outside on my back porch this morning and there was a breeze and I closed my eyes and I was laying on Kali’s cot in the barn listening to the palms rustle. It felt so peaceful. (I’m sure the fact that my dog needs a bath added to the barnyard ambiance:). But to have such a vivid image come back to me, more than two days after I’ve finished the book, is pretty extraordinary, and maybe, just maybe worth at least as much as when you have an incredible emotional/intellectual experience for those 200 pages. Either way, I’m very happy with my imprints....
January 22, 2015
மேம்போக்கான நாவல்
99% உதிரி பாத்திரங்கள் அப்பட்டமாய் குழந்தையின்மையை நக்கல் செய்கிறார்கள் அல்லது பிள்ளையில்லா சொத்துக்கு ஆசைப்படுகிறார்கள். நாகரிகம் கொடுத்திருக்கும் வரப்பிரசாதமான(?!) இலையமறைகாய்த்ன்மை (subtelity) எங்கே.
காளி மூன்று விதமான உணர்ச்சிகளால் ஆட்கொள்ளப்படுகிறான், பொன்னாவின் மீதான 12 வருடங்களுக்கு மேற்பட்ட உடற்க்கவிர்ச்சி, 12 வருடங்களாய் தொடர்ந்து வரும் குழந்தையின்மை, சமீபத்திது 2 வருடங்களில் தோன்றியிருக்கும் 14ம் திருநாள் தொடர்பான பாதுகாப்பின்மை (Insecurity & Restlesness). கதை நடக்கும் 14ம் நாள் பூவரச மரத்தடியில் மல்லாக்க படுத்திருக்கிறான், பலகாரம் சாப்பிடுகிறான், சாராயம் குடிக்க போகிறான், இடையிடையே மேல் குறிப்பிட்ட முதல் இரு உணர்ச்சிகளால் ஆட்கொள்ளப்படுகிறான். ஆனால் 14ம் நாள் பற்றிய எண்ணம் மட்டும் கடைசி அத்தியாயம் வரை வரவில்லை என்பது ஒரு மிகப்பெரிய நாடக்கத்தன்மை.
காளிக்கும், முத்துதுவுக்கும் இடைப்பட்ட உறவு மற்றும் பேச்சு வழக்கு இயல்பாக இல்லை.
வெகு தட்டையான நாவல். Franz Kafka சொல்லும் அகவெழுச்சி எங்கே (https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/2376...) இந்த நாவல் மொத்தத்தில் தொடுக்கப்பட்ட ஒரு திரைக்கதையின் draft வடிவம் போல் உள்ளது. இதில் கிளைமேக்சுக்கு முன்னால் வரும் குத்துப் பாட்டு போல, ஒரு கூத்து நிகழ்ச்சி வேறு.
நாவலின் பலம் - புறவய வாழ்க்கை பற்றின பதிவு. Tractor, plastic tumbler, two wheeler, mega serial, gas stove என கிராம வாழ்க்கை வேகமாக மாறிக் கொண்டு இருக்கும்போது, பெருமாள் முருகன் கடந்த காலத்தை ஆவணப்படுத்தியிருக்கும் விதம் பிரமிப்பூட்டுகிறது. Bravo!
நடுவாரியான சிறுகதைப் பொருளை, நீட்டி முழக்கி நெடுங்கதையாக்கி நாவலாய் வெளியிட்டு இருக்கிறார்கள். ஏற்கானவே ஆங்கில மொழியாக்கம் இரண்டு பதிப்பு கண்டு விட்டது. நடந்து கொண்டிருக்கும் ஒரு மாத பிரச்சினை இதை ஒரு modern classic ஆக மாற்றப்போகிறது :-/
November 25, 2020
This book made me realise just how important getting married and bearing children of your own is, in order for you to be a "respectable" member of society in India. Perumal Murugan's novel explores the travails of a couple who have trouble conceiving a child. This leads to a lot of ridicule from society and suffering on their part. Kali and Ponna leave no stone unturned in their effort to have a heir. Visiting every temple and performing every ritual all to no avail. This leads to the final ritual that could be the answer but would also test their relationship.
The description of rural life in a tamil village during the colonial period was very interesting. But the book felt underwhelming in some parts especially in the first half. And the ending left me a bit unsatisfied.
The description of rural life in a tamil village during the colonial period was very interesting. But the book felt underwhelming in some parts especially in the first half. And the ending left me a bit unsatisfied.
January 18, 2015
An enjoyable, involving novel, on the classic novelist's fare of individuals squeezed and pressured by the community they live in.
Kali and Ponna aren't allowed to be happy; expectations are that they must have children, which doesn't happen; slowly this single issue throttles their lives. Often the neighbours don't even mean to be cruel, or advert to That Issue; but the wife Ponna grows more and more sensitive on it and cannot stop herself lashing back at people, which digs her hole deeper; while the very likeable husband Kali has to negotiate well-meant suggestions from the family.
It's sad but there's real humour, notably from Uncle Nallupayyan who takes a contrary stance and manages to be let alone as the local crazy person, by talking outrageously at a village adjudication. Muthu, Ponna's brother and Kali's childhood friend, has his own escape from society in several cleverly hidden camp-outs in the forest.
I did wish for a glossary. People address each other by affectionate or kinship terms -- the translation of which usually emerges, but those of us unfamiliar might want aid. It was easy to read, however. The title is a title of the god, part-male, part-female. Wonderful settings and portrait of daily lives.
Kali and Ponna aren't allowed to be happy; expectations are that they must have children, which doesn't happen; slowly this single issue throttles their lives. Often the neighbours don't even mean to be cruel, or advert to That Issue; but the wife Ponna grows more and more sensitive on it and cannot stop herself lashing back at people, which digs her hole deeper; while the very likeable husband Kali has to negotiate well-meant suggestions from the family.
It's sad but there's real humour, notably from Uncle Nallupayyan who takes a contrary stance and manages to be let alone as the local crazy person, by talking outrageously at a village adjudication. Muthu, Ponna's brother and Kali's childhood friend, has his own escape from society in several cleverly hidden camp-outs in the forest.
I did wish for a glossary. People address each other by affectionate or kinship terms -- the translation of which usually emerges, but those of us unfamiliar might want aid. It was easy to read, however. The title is a title of the god, part-male, part-female. Wonderful settings and portrait of daily lives.
June 16, 2017
Now, this is true historic fiction. Not the likes of Ponniyin Selvan.
Meticulously well-researched, amazingly written and splendidly rich with layers of poetic imagery, philosophy, and raw emotions, Madhorubagan is one of a kind.
It is one of those rare novels that sustain your attention with suspense so torturous that it makes you impatiently rush through the whole book to the ultimate revelation in the very last paragraph. Such impatience, panic & restlessness – I’ve previously felt only while reading a handful of books, The People in the Trees being the most memorable of the lot. It’s no mean feat to write such tales and I grudgingly love such books that engross me into a restlessly eager surrender. I’m planning to read this again at a slower pace to enjoy the brilliant prose & nuances of the territorial Tamil that I sped through.
Madhorubhagan reminded me of Fates & Furies in the way Perumal Murugan unfolded the events – beginnings of happy love, amazing chemistry, the conflict, turbulent events that follow and everything that culminates in a haunting sequence. (Or do all love stories follow the same pattern?)
As you might probably be aware already, Madhorubhagan is the story of a childless couple living in rural India somewhere between the 1850s and 1940s. I tried very hard to ascertain the exact time period of the story but apart from a few clues here and there (they watch a movie in one scene but there’s no electricity and no proper transportation channels. in an exchange a character mentions that India is still under British rule), Perumal Murugan keeps us totally in the dark about the exact time period. It hardly matters.
The social conditions portrayed in Madhorubhagan have not undergone any significant changes in today’s Indian society. I’m pretty sure that people would react towards childless couples in the same way the characters in the book did. (At least in rural India. I’ve witnessed the exact reactions in my own village.) And that’s the biggest asset of Madhorubhagan – it can never seem anachronistic or territorial. All the themes discussed are pretty universal in nature – the way society treats a childless couple, the couple’s yearning for a child, ensuing loneliness & conjugal problems, practical difficulties arising from the lack of an offspring and the desperation to pursue any means that would lead to a child.
Perumal Murugan clearly portrays the POVs of every character without dwelling too much on dull introspection. My favorite thing about Madhorubhagan was the amazing chemistry between Kaali and Ponna. Their love is so natural and I had a hard time digesting the fact that they are merely the products of Murugan’s imagination. Even their smallest intimacies are written with great taste.
After a breezy first half rich with romance, Perumal Murugan drops the bomb exactly at the middle! Cracks form and deepen in the relationship that we so enjoyed reading & what follows is an astounding narrative that fills you with the aforementioned anxiety and restlessness.
Don’t miss this one – it’s guaranteed to be one of the most memorable reads of your lifetime.
P.S: If you know Tamil, I strongly suggest you read the original book. Though One Part Woman is well-translated, it is impossible to feel the raw emotions that Madhorubhagan evokes in a translated version. There is a lot of beauty lost in translation. (I tried reading One Part Woman after finishing Madhorubhagan and found it grossly underwhelming. It's understandable because it’s almost impossible to effectively convey the nuances of a language & its regional idiosyncrasies in any other language.)
Meticulously well-researched, amazingly written and splendidly rich with layers of poetic imagery, philosophy, and raw emotions, Madhorubagan is one of a kind.
It is one of those rare novels that sustain your attention with suspense so torturous that it makes you impatiently rush through the whole book to the ultimate revelation in the very last paragraph. Such impatience, panic & restlessness – I’ve previously felt only while reading a handful of books, The People in the Trees being the most memorable of the lot. It’s no mean feat to write such tales and I grudgingly love such books that engross me into a restlessly eager surrender. I’m planning to read this again at a slower pace to enjoy the brilliant prose & nuances of the territorial Tamil that I sped through.
Madhorubhagan reminded me of Fates & Furies in the way Perumal Murugan unfolded the events – beginnings of happy love, amazing chemistry, the conflict, turbulent events that follow and everything that culminates in a haunting sequence. (Or do all love stories follow the same pattern?)
As you might probably be aware already, Madhorubhagan is the story of a childless couple living in rural India somewhere between the 1850s and 1940s. I tried very hard to ascertain the exact time period of the story but apart from a few clues here and there (they watch a movie in one scene but there’s no electricity and no proper transportation channels. in an exchange a character mentions that India is still under British rule), Perumal Murugan keeps us totally in the dark about the exact time period. It hardly matters.
The social conditions portrayed in Madhorubhagan have not undergone any significant changes in today’s Indian society. I’m pretty sure that people would react towards childless couples in the same way the characters in the book did. (At least in rural India. I’ve witnessed the exact reactions in my own village.) And that’s the biggest asset of Madhorubhagan – it can never seem anachronistic or territorial. All the themes discussed are pretty universal in nature – the way society treats a childless couple, the couple’s yearning for a child, ensuing loneliness & conjugal problems, practical difficulties arising from the lack of an offspring and the desperation to pursue any means that would lead to a child.
Perumal Murugan clearly portrays the POVs of every character without dwelling too much on dull introspection. My favorite thing about Madhorubhagan was the amazing chemistry between Kaali and Ponna. Their love is so natural and I had a hard time digesting the fact that they are merely the products of Murugan’s imagination. Even their smallest intimacies are written with great taste.
After a breezy first half rich with romance, Perumal Murugan drops the bomb exactly at the middle! Cracks form and deepen in the relationship that we so enjoyed reading & what follows is an astounding narrative that fills you with the aforementioned anxiety and restlessness.
Don’t miss this one – it’s guaranteed to be one of the most memorable reads of your lifetime.
P.S: If you know Tamil, I strongly suggest you read the original book. Though One Part Woman is well-translated, it is impossible to feel the raw emotions that Madhorubhagan evokes in a translated version. There is a lot of beauty lost in translation. (I tried reading One Part Woman after finishing Madhorubhagan and found it grossly underwhelming. It's understandable because it’s almost impossible to effectively convey the nuances of a language & its regional idiosyncrasies in any other language.)
July 24, 2018
2/5 stars
DNF at 51%
I feel like I am doing myself and this book a disservice by reading a much shortened, translated version of it. The original book is about 500 pages, and this version is 288.
I peaked at other reviews of this book on Goodreads, because the book got a lot of glowing 5 star reviews (and I just couldn't understand why). But now I know that the translation is the reason.
The original, Madhorubdagan, is poetic, lush and beautiful. One Part Woman is dry, choppy and repetitive. Which saddens me to no end, because I don't speak the language the book was written in, so I guess I will never be able to experience the true beauty of it.
I loved the new cover, I loved the topic and I loved that I had the chance to read something by a foreign author. I wanted to learn more about Indian culture, their religion and customs, but due to the horrible translation I really couldn't.
Sure, all of those things were in the book, but they weren't catered to an average reader - there were no explanations as to who was who, and what god came from where. There were no explanations of temples, or rituals - names were just thrown around and I drowned trying to decipher what means what.
I also really hope that this book is not a correct representation of Indian culture as a whole and its people. Because if it is you will be hard pressed to find one single nice person in India, which I'm sure is not true. In the book they all were just horrible people! Jealous, crude, self-centered and worse. The only person I felt bad for was Ponna, because not only she suffered the most, but also because Kali (in my opinion) was a total prick.
I am sad that I wasn't able to enjoy this book, nor learn anything from it. I firmly believe that if book gets translated it should be translated in a way that is the closest to the original, but also in a way that is accessible and understandable to everyone. People who live in that environment and people who don't should all be able to experience the book in the same way. Otherwise why translate it at all?
Big thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for a digital galley copy provided for a review. All opinions are my own, honest and come from the heart.
My WEBSITE
My INSTAGRAM
My WORDPRESS BLOG
DNF at 51%
I feel like I am doing myself and this book a disservice by reading a much shortened, translated version of it. The original book is about 500 pages, and this version is 288.
I peaked at other reviews of this book on Goodreads, because the book got a lot of glowing 5 star reviews (and I just couldn't understand why). But now I know that the translation is the reason.
The original, Madhorubdagan, is poetic, lush and beautiful. One Part Woman is dry, choppy and repetitive. Which saddens me to no end, because I don't speak the language the book was written in, so I guess I will never be able to experience the true beauty of it.
I loved the new cover, I loved the topic and I loved that I had the chance to read something by a foreign author. I wanted to learn more about Indian culture, their religion and customs, but due to the horrible translation I really couldn't.
Sure, all of those things were in the book, but they weren't catered to an average reader - there were no explanations as to who was who, and what god came from where. There were no explanations of temples, or rituals - names were just thrown around and I drowned trying to decipher what means what.
I also really hope that this book is not a correct representation of Indian culture as a whole and its people. Because if it is you will be hard pressed to find one single nice person in India, which I'm sure is not true. In the book they all were just horrible people! Jealous, crude, self-centered and worse. The only person I felt bad for was Ponna, because not only she suffered the most, but also because Kali (in my opinion) was a total prick.
I am sad that I wasn't able to enjoy this book, nor learn anything from it. I firmly believe that if book gets translated it should be translated in a way that is the closest to the original, but also in a way that is accessible and understandable to everyone. People who live in that environment and people who don't should all be able to experience the book in the same way. Otherwise why translate it at all?
Big thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for a digital galley copy provided for a review. All opinions are my own, honest and come from the heart.
My WEBSITE
My INSTAGRAM
My WORDPRESS BLOG
February 15, 2017
Several friends have reviewed this novel and their overall sentiment seems to be that there are flaws, both in the writer's gaze and in the translation. A friend has read it in the original Tamil and written about how the novel seems to float along on the surface, not going deep enough. Confronted by these viewpoints, I'm inclined to nod my head at the criticisms, most of which seem valid enough. I'll add one of mine for good measure: Kali's (visceral?) anger at his betrayal at the end just doesn't come through. I should have been moved. I wasn't. This could have been something that was lost in translation, I don't know.
But, and here's my defence of Perumal Murugan: For the most part, the novel had me hooked. With descriptions of rural life in the Tamil country, with the food, with the almost naturalist-like cataloging of the flora, the writer's portrait is true, his brush-strokes firm. The story is a simple one and to sustain it enough to tell you more about the melee it takes place in is what makes this novel engrossing. The characters are few and you don't learn about them through intimate studies; you know them by what they do or by their responses to what happens to them. The acid-tongued Ponna, the hard-working Kali, the finder-of-nooks Muthu: We know all of them this way.
One Part Woman has me intrigued and fascinated enough to read the rest of Perumal Murugan's work. Perhaps then I can understand completely the Kongunadu in his head.
But, and here's my defence of Perumal Murugan: For the most part, the novel had me hooked. With descriptions of rural life in the Tamil country, with the food, with the almost naturalist-like cataloging of the flora, the writer's portrait is true, his brush-strokes firm. The story is a simple one and to sustain it enough to tell you more about the melee it takes place in is what makes this novel engrossing. The characters are few and you don't learn about them through intimate studies; you know them by what they do or by their responses to what happens to them. The acid-tongued Ponna, the hard-working Kali, the finder-of-nooks Muthu: We know all of them this way.
One Part Woman has me intrigued and fascinated enough to read the rest of Perumal Murugan's work. Perhaps then I can understand completely the Kongunadu in his head.
June 8, 2017
The controversies shrouding this book, hurting people's sentiment, women, caste and religion at large, so many debates in media, and not much support from expected quarter, were the only reason I was intrigued by this book.
It would have been lovely reading it in Tamil, but I really couldn't wait any longer. Also, if it had the local slang, it would have been difficult to understand. Luckily, reading it in English, made it a quick read.
I rather found it as a take on the society at large, not any particular group or people, our insensitive comments, teases, jokes and ideas, magnifying the imperfections of people around us, while, we do not even bother to better our own selves...
It would have been lovely reading it in Tamil, but I really couldn't wait any longer. Also, if it had the local slang, it would have been difficult to understand. Luckily, reading it in English, made it a quick read.
I rather found it as a take on the society at large, not any particular group or people, our insensitive comments, teases, jokes and ideas, magnifying the imperfections of people around us, while, we do not even bother to better our own selves...
January 21, 2012
பெருமாள் முருகன் எனக்கு மிகவும் பிடித்த ஒரு எழுத்தாளர். இது அவருடைய மாதொருபாகன் பற்றிய ஏன் எண்ணங்களை பற்றிய ஒரு சிறு (biased?) குறிப்பு மட்டுமே. விரிவான அலசலோ, விமர்சனமோ கிடையாது.குழந்தைப்பேறு/குழந்தைஇன்மை பற்றி சமூகம் சார்ந்த பொது நோக்கு குறித்து, ஆணின் பார்வையிலும் பேசும் புதினம் இது. பொதுவாக குழந்தைபேரு என்பது பெண் சார்ந்த விஷயமாக/பிரச்சனையாக பதிவு செய்யப்பட்டிருக்கும் நிலையில், ஆணின் மனவோட்டத்தை பேசும் இந்த புதினம் ஒரு வகையில் 'கங்கணத்தின்' நீட்சி என்றும் தோன்றுகின்றது. இந்த களம் தமிழ்க்கு புதிது, விரிவாக பேசப்படவில்லை என்று தான் நினைக்கின்றேன் (ஹிந்தி நாடகம் 'Surya ki Antim Kiran Se Surya Ki Pehli Kiran Tak இது பற்றியது ,தமிழில் சில சிறுகதைகள் படித்த ஞாபகம் (ரமேஷ்-பிரேம்), நியோகா முறை என்பது முன்பு வழக்கில் இருந்துள்ளது, மகாபாரதம் கூட ஆரம்பிப்பது இப்படிதானே ?)
திருமணமாகி ஒரு பத்து வருடம் கழித்து, குழந்தை இல்லாத ஒரு தம்பதியரின் கதை இது (காளி/பொன்னாயி). நாவல் காளியின் பார்வையில் மிகுதியாக சொல்லப்படுகின்றது. ஒரு இரண்டு நாட்களில் நடக்கும் நிகழ்வுகளுடன் அதனுள் முன்னால் நடந்தவை இணைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. கதை சொல்லும் முறையில் முன் பின்னாக செல்வது எனக்கு பிடித்திருந்தது. பொன்னாயியின் தாய் ஏன் அவளையும் காளியையும் வெகு நேரம் பேச விட மாட்டேன் என்கிறாள், முத்து ஏன் அன்று முழுவதும் ஏதோ வேலையாக வெளியே சென்று இருக்கின்றான், காளி ஏன் இரண்டு வருடங்களாக தன் மாமனார் வீட்டிற்கு வரவில்லை போன்ற கேள்விகள் போகிற போக்கில நன்றாக, இயல்பாக வாசகனுக்கு புரியம்படி, சொல்லாமல் சொல்லப்பட்டிருக்கின்றது. அதிலும் கடைசி அத்தியாயங்கள் பொன்னாயி/காளி இருவரின் மனவோட்டத்தின் படி அவர்களின் (POV ) படி சொல்லி இருப்பதால், நமக்கும் என்ன நடக்கும் என்ற பதட்டம் தொற்றுகின்றது. பொன்னியின் POV வரும் பகுதிகள் ஒரு பெண்ணின் மனவோட்டத்தை, பாலியல் விழைவுகளை நன்றாக கூறியுள்ளன. அவளின் பதின் பருவ எண்ணங்கள் போகிற போக்கில் சொல்லப்பட்டு, வாசகனை கதை சொல்லாததையும் சிந்திக்க வைக்கின்றன. குறிப்பாக பொன்னாயி, அவள் பண்ணை வீட்டில் வேலை செய்பவன் முகத்தை, அந்த இடத்தில் காளியை வைக்க சில காலம ஆனது என்ற இடம், பல பெண்களுக்கும் இது இருக்குமல்லவா. குழந்தை என்று வரும் போது இரு வீட்டிலும் இருக்கும் தாயார்கள் ஒன்று சேர்ந்து அந்த சாமி பிள்ளை என்பதை முன்னிறுத்தும் போது, குழந்தையின் முக்கியத்துவம் சமூகத்தில் எவ்வளவு உள்ளது என்பது தெரிகின்றது. இருந்தும் காளியின் தாயார் இதற்கு ஒப்புக்கொள்வது ஒரு ஆசிரியம் தான். தன் மகன் மேல் குறை இல்லை என்று தான் பல தாய்கள் சொல்வார்கள் அல்லவா?
காளி எடுக்கப்போகும் முடிவு சூசகமாக இருந்தாலும் நமக்கு மனசைப் பிசைகின்றது. ஆனால் இது பற்றி சிறிது யோசித்த போது ஒன்று தோன்றியது. காளி மறுமணம் பற்றி நினைக்கும் போது, அவன் அதை ஒரேயடியாக ஒதுக்கவில்லை, சிந்தித்து இரண்டு பேருடன் குடும்பம் என்பது கஷ்டம் என்பதும் அவன் அதை நிராகரிக்க ஒரு காரணம், ஆனால் தன் மனைவி இப்படி நடந்தவுடன், நடப்பாள் என்று தோன்றியவுடனே அவனுக்கு அதை நினைக்ககூட முடியவில்லை. கணவன்/மனைவி, ஆண்/பெண் இருவருக்கும் உள்ள பாலியல் விழைவுகள் பற்றிய எண்ணங்கள் இன்னும் ஆண் சார்ந்தவையாக தான் உள்ளன என்று புரிந்து கொள்கிறேன். பொன்னாயி மிகுந்த ஆபத்தை குடுக்கும் கல்லை சுற்றல் போன்றவற்றை செய்வது காளி முற்றிலும் தடுப்பதில்லை, அதை ஒரு வகையில் அவன் ஏற்கின்றான்.
என்னை மிகவும் ஈர்த்தது கதையில் வரும் தொன்மங்கள் (பாவாத்தா ) பற்றிய குறிப்புக்கள் தான். அந்த காடுகள், மலைமேல் உள்ள படிக்கட்டுக்கள் பற்றி உள்ள பகுதிகள் நன்றாக உள்ளன. ஆனால் அவை பற்றி இன்னும் சொல்லி இருக்கலாம். கதை பற்றிய blurbஇல் கூறியுள்ளபடி தொன்மங்கள், வரலாறுகள் விரிவாக சொல்லப்படவில்லை. பெருமாள் முருகன் முன்னுரையில் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளது போல இது பற்றி வரலாறாக அவர் எழுத வேண்டும், எழுதுவார் என்று எதிர் பார்கின்றேன்.
இது மிக சிறந்த கதையா, இது நாவலா இல்லையா, இந்த ஆண்டின் மிக சிறந்த படைப்பா என்றெல்லாம் பேசப்படுவதற்கு எனக்கு பதில் இல்லை. புத்தகம் வந்து ஒரு மாதத்திற்குள் இந்த மாதிரியான hyperbole தேவையா என்று தோன்றுகின்றது. காலப்போக்கில் வாசகர்கள் தான் இதை தீர்மானிக்க வேண்டும். இருந்தாலும், மிகுந்த ஆரவாரத்துடன் வரும் படைப்புக்கள், brand ஆக மாறிவரும் எழுத்தாளர்கள் இடையே இந்த மாதிரியான படைப்புக்கள் பேசப்படவேண்டும், பெருமாள் முருகன் போன்றோர் இன்னும் வாசிக்கப்படவேண்டும் என்பது என் எண்ணம்.
திருமணமாகி ஒரு பத்து வருடம் கழித்து, குழந்தை இல்லாத ஒரு தம்பதியரின் கதை இது (காளி/பொன்னாயி). நாவல் காளியின் பார்வையில் மிகுதியாக சொல்லப்படுகின்றது. ஒரு இரண்டு நாட்களில் நடக்கும் நிகழ்வுகளுடன் அதனுள் முன்னால் நடந்தவை இணைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. கதை சொல்லும் முறையில் முன் பின்னாக செல்வது எனக்கு பிடித்திருந்தது. பொன்னாயியின் தாய் ஏன் அவளையும் காளியையும் வெகு நேரம் பேச விட மாட்டேன் என்கிறாள், முத்து ஏன் அன்று முழுவதும் ஏதோ வேலையாக வெளியே சென்று இருக்கின்றான், காளி ஏன் இரண்டு வருடங்களாக தன் மாமனார் வீட்டிற்கு வரவில்லை போன்ற கேள்விகள் போகிற போக்கில நன்றாக, இயல்பாக வாசகனுக்கு புரியம்படி, சொல்லாமல் சொல்லப்பட்டிருக்கின்றது. அதிலும் கடைசி அத்தியாயங்கள் பொன்னாயி/காளி இருவரின் மனவோட்டத்தின் படி அவர்களின் (POV ) படி சொல்லி இருப்பதால், நமக்கும் என்ன நடக்கும் என்ற பதட்டம் தொற்றுகின்றது. பொன்னியின் POV வரும் பகுதிகள் ஒரு பெண்ணின் மனவோட்டத்தை, பாலியல் விழைவுகளை நன்றாக கூறியுள்ளன. அவளின் பதின் பருவ எண்ணங்கள் போகிற போக்கில் சொல்லப்பட்டு, வாசகனை கதை சொல்லாததையும் சிந்திக்க வைக்கின்றன. குறிப்பாக பொன்னாயி, அவள் பண்ணை வீட்டில் வேலை செய்பவன் முகத்தை, அந்த இடத்தில் காளியை வைக்க சில காலம ஆனது என்ற இடம், பல பெண்களுக்கும் இது இருக்குமல்லவா. குழந்தை என்று வரும் போது இரு வீட்டிலும் இருக்கும் தாயார்கள் ஒன்று சேர்ந்து அந்த சாமி பிள்ளை என்பதை முன்னிறுத்தும் போது, குழந்தையின் முக்கியத்துவம் சமூகத்தில் எவ்வளவு உள்ளது என்பது தெரிகின்றது. இருந்தும் காளியின் தாயார் இதற்கு ஒப்புக்கொள்வது ஒரு ஆசிரியம் தான். தன் மகன் மேல் குறை இல்லை என்று தான் பல தாய்கள் சொல்வார்கள் அல்லவா?
காளி எடுக்கப்போகும் முடிவு சூசகமாக இருந்தாலும் நமக்கு மனசைப் பிசைகின்றது. ஆனால் இது பற்றி சிறிது யோசித்த போது ஒன்று தோன்றியது. காளி மறுமணம் பற்றி நினைக்கும் போது, அவன் அதை ஒரேயடியாக ஒதுக்கவில்லை, சிந்தித்து இரண்டு பேருடன் குடும்பம் என்பது கஷ்டம் என்பதும் அவன் அதை நிராகரிக்க ஒரு காரணம், ஆனால் தன் மனைவி இப்படி நடந்தவுடன், நடப்பாள் என்று தோன்றியவுடனே அவனுக்கு அதை நினைக்ககூட முடியவில்லை. கணவன்/மனைவி, ஆண்/பெண் இருவருக்கும் உள்ள பாலியல் விழைவுகள் பற்றிய எண்ணங்கள் இன்னும் ஆண் சார்ந்தவையாக தான் உள்ளன என்று புரிந்து கொள்கிறேன். பொன்னாயி மிகுந்த ஆபத்தை குடுக்கும் கல்லை சுற்றல் போன்றவற்றை செய்வது காளி முற்றிலும் தடுப்பதில்லை, அதை ஒரு வகையில் அவன் ஏற்கின்றான்.
என்னை மிகவும் ஈர்த்தது கதையில் வரும் தொன்மங்கள் (பாவாத்தா ) பற்றிய குறிப்புக்கள் தான். அந்த காடுகள், மலைமேல் உள்ள படிக்கட்டுக்கள் பற்றி உள்ள பகுதிகள் நன்றாக உள்ளன. ஆனால் அவை பற்றி இன்னும் சொல்லி இருக்கலாம். கதை பற்றிய blurbஇல் கூறியுள்ளபடி தொன்மங்கள், வரலாறுகள் விரிவாக சொல்லப்படவில்லை. பெருமாள் முருகன் முன்னுரையில் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளது போல இது பற்றி வரலாறாக அவர் எழுத வேண்டும், எழுதுவார் என்று எதிர் பார்கின்றேன்.
இது மிக சிறந்த கதையா, இது நாவலா இல்லையா, இந்த ஆண்டின் மிக சிறந்த படைப்பா என்றெல்லாம் பேசப்படுவதற்கு எனக்கு பதில் இல்லை. புத்தகம் வந்து ஒரு மாதத்திற்குள் இந்த மாதிரியான hyperbole தேவையா என்று தோன்றுகின்றது. காலப்போக்கில் வாசகர்கள் தான் இதை தீர்மானிக்க வேண்டும். இருந்தாலும், மிகுந்த ஆரவாரத்துடன் வரும் படைப்புக்கள், brand ஆக மாறிவரும் எழுத்தாளர்கள் இடையே இந்த மாதிரியான படைப்புக்கள் பேசப்படவேண்டும், பெருமாள் முருகன் போன்றோர் இன்னும் வாசிக்கப்படவேண்டும் என்பது என் எண்ணம்.
January 16, 2015
tl;dr : Vyasa- Ambika-Ambalika.
What better way to make a book popular than to demand a ban on it. This isn't a book that I would have picked up if it hadn't been for the whole controversy around it. I'm not sure whether I got the sanitised version or the original 'scandalous' version of the book. I would have loved to read it in Tamil, but it would have taken me much longer to finish the book and my curiosity got the better of me. But the translation is quite good. And since those of us from Tamilnadu can relate to the overall setup, it worked for me. (Note to self: Stop picturing every book you read as a movie these days)
Kali and Ponnayi are a childless couple living in a society where the taunts, insults and innuendos are free flowing. Help and advice comes in many forms to them, some well intentioned, some plain sadistic. Ponna is made to drink bitter infusions made with neem leaves that are handed to her by an 'auspicious' widow. (Isn't neem a contraceptive?) She has men making not-so-subtle suggestions offering their services. She does a Fear Factor level walk on a dangerous rock near a temple to bribe the gods. She is deemed unfit for motherhood because she found the stink of a baby's feces repulsive. Surprisingly, she isn't the only one to be 'blamed' here. Though Kali is constantly under the pressure to take a second wife, he is also equally taunted for his 'impotence'. He has everyone from cousins to random neighbours hoping to dip their fingers into his heirless property after his death. More than his love for Ponna, it is the fear of confirming this impotence that doesn't allow him to marry again. Afterall, it is his ancestors who raped a tribal girl and incurred her curse. Yes. It is a difficult life being childless in such a society in that era. Any society in any era actually.
So what does one do when the gods want more than rooster blood and arrack? What does one do when the gods want more than a dangerous walk around their temple? What does one do when the gods want more than your prayers? You have to look beyond god. You have to look at man. Another man. Do it with him thinking of him as god. Kunti did that, Madri did that. Oh wait. That was vice versa. But anyway. Apparently, the results are guaranteed here. And this is what Ponna's mother and mother-in-law finally suggest.
Does she do it? Does she do it? On the fourteenth day of the temple festival, that day when all married women above thirty get the sanction of the gods to lay with random strangers and bring forth 'god's children' into the world. Does she do it? Does she manage to look beyond the face of her husband, look beyond her fears, look beyond society's taunts and find a god to do it with?
Since I was waiting for the 'controversial' part, I did not take the time to savour the book as much I should have. The narration went back and forth a lot, sometimes confusing. Characters like the bachelor uncle Nallupayyan who gave the whole drama the much needed sane voice and Muthu, Ponna's brother, who took Kali to the same temple festival years ago to 'offer their services' give you an insight on the hypocrisy of it all. Small but sharp references to the caste equations in that society add a dash of sting. During the build up to the climax, when Ponna sits in the cart looking at the Chakkli man's baby with so much longing, I hoped that the story would take a more 'scandalous' twist. But I was disappointed.
A good book. Not a great book, and in my opinion it was not a shocking book. But a good book, so read it. If not for anything else, atleast for the sake of supporting freedom of expression. Because is a thing these days.
'Whenever I pass a temple, I touch my throat and then touch my lips with my index and middle finger. That is how my two babies were born' I just remembered someone tweeting that long ago.
And whenever a topic about childlessness comes up, I can't help but remember We Need to Talk About Kevin. Unrelated to this book, but the thought just crossed my mind.
What better way to make a book popular than to demand a ban on it. This isn't a book that I would have picked up if it hadn't been for the whole controversy around it. I'm not sure whether I got the sanitised version or the original 'scandalous' version of the book. I would have loved to read it in Tamil, but it would have taken me much longer to finish the book and my curiosity got the better of me. But the translation is quite good. And since those of us from Tamilnadu can relate to the overall setup, it worked for me. (Note to self: Stop picturing every book you read as a movie these days)
Kali and Ponnayi are a childless couple living in a society where the taunts, insults and innuendos are free flowing. Help and advice comes in many forms to them, some well intentioned, some plain sadistic. Ponna is made to drink bitter infusions made with neem leaves that are handed to her by an 'auspicious' widow. (Isn't neem a contraceptive?) She has men making not-so-subtle suggestions offering their services. She does a Fear Factor level walk on a dangerous rock near a temple to bribe the gods. She is deemed unfit for motherhood because she found the stink of a baby's feces repulsive. Surprisingly, she isn't the only one to be 'blamed' here. Though Kali is constantly under the pressure to take a second wife, he is also equally taunted for his 'impotence'. He has everyone from cousins to random neighbours hoping to dip their fingers into his heirless property after his death. More than his love for Ponna, it is the fear of confirming this impotence that doesn't allow him to marry again. Afterall, it is his ancestors who raped a tribal girl and incurred her curse. Yes. It is a difficult life being childless in such a society in that era. Any society in any era actually.
So what does one do when the gods want more than rooster blood and arrack? What does one do when the gods want more than a dangerous walk around their temple? What does one do when the gods want more than your prayers? You have to look beyond god. You have to look at man. Another man. Do it with him thinking of him as god. Kunti did that, Madri did that. Oh wait. That was vice versa. But anyway. Apparently, the results are guaranteed here. And this is what Ponna's mother and mother-in-law finally suggest.
Does she do it? Does she do it? On the fourteenth day of the temple festival, that day when all married women above thirty get the sanction of the gods to lay with random strangers and bring forth 'god's children' into the world. Does she do it? Does she manage to look beyond the face of her husband, look beyond her fears, look beyond society's taunts and find a god to do it with?
Since I was waiting for the 'controversial' part, I did not take the time to savour the book as much I should have. The narration went back and forth a lot, sometimes confusing. Characters like the bachelor uncle Nallupayyan who gave the whole drama the much needed sane voice and Muthu, Ponna's brother, who took Kali to the same temple festival years ago to 'offer their services' give you an insight on the hypocrisy of it all. Small but sharp references to the caste equations in that society add a dash of sting. During the build up to the climax, when Ponna sits in the cart looking at the Chakkli man's baby with so much longing, I hoped that the story would take a more 'scandalous' twist. But I was disappointed.
A good book. Not a great book, and in my opinion it was not a shocking book. But a good book, so read it. If not for anything else, atleast for the sake of supporting freedom of expression. Because is a thing these days.
'Whenever I pass a temple, I touch my throat and then touch my lips with my index and middle finger. That is how my two babies were born' I just remembered someone tweeting that long ago.
And whenever a topic about childlessness comes up, I can't help but remember We Need to Talk About Kevin. Unrelated to this book, but the thought just crossed my mind.
January 7, 2015
To someone who speaks Tamil but cannot read it fluently this translation is a gift since it allows me to seamlessly empathise with the original - a thought provoking theme, beautiful story telling and a brilliant conclusion. In Perumal Murugan I've found my Tamil Chinua Achebe.
July 21, 2017
My first book by Perumal Murugan, in my quest to read more books by South Indian authors. I was made aware of this books thanks to the great reviews and the controversy surrounding it, where in some religious groups had protested against parts of the book which they perceived had hurt their religious sentiments. It lead to a halt in the book's printing, leading to the author having to give a public apology, which drove him to quit as a writer. While he did get back to writing subsequently, the book was much discussed.
The book is set in pre-independence India, in a tiny hamlet in south India. It deals with the tribulations of a loving couple who are unable to conceive a child and the social and personal implications of it. It is heart-breaking sad at times and incredibly tragic as you feel for them; you are driven to a sense of hapless despair as they have to undergo and face the ridiculous and ignorant notions of the people around them. In a society that is rife with Conservatism, patriarchy, superstition, illiteracy, ignorance,selfishness and a general lack of empathy, the couple have a really hard time to fit in and have to constantly be the butt of jokes and tirades. The reader relates to the helplessness of the two characters as they are ready to do what it takes, despite it being emotionally unhealthy and potentially putting a wedge in their relationship.
The book highlights the issues plaguing society back then and still continues to do so to a certain extent. The way a child is seen as a necessary proof by which a man proves his masculinity and for the woman to prove her virility, the inherent stress that is placed on the need for a child as the societal norm, something that is required from a societal point of view and how the couple is seen "incomplete" without them is sad. Additionally, the way that a traditionally sexually repressed society and the elders are willing to throw all of those ideas out of the window only to get a heir is rife with hypocrisy and selfishness. They do place their intentions as good and for the sake of the couple, but there are bigger forces at play.
All in all, a really good book. It does get a little bogged down in the middle with undue stress on some unneeded details but it manages to redeem itself really well. The characters are incredible, especially the two main ones and as we catch a glimpse of how they think, it feels incredibly realistic and believable.
Can't wait to read other books by the same author.
The book is set in pre-independence India, in a tiny hamlet in south India. It deals with the tribulations of a loving couple who are unable to conceive a child and the social and personal implications of it. It is heart-breaking sad at times and incredibly tragic as you feel for them; you are driven to a sense of hapless despair as they have to undergo and face the ridiculous and ignorant notions of the people around them. In a society that is rife with Conservatism, patriarchy, superstition, illiteracy, ignorance,selfishness and a general lack of empathy, the couple have a really hard time to fit in and have to constantly be the butt of jokes and tirades. The reader relates to the helplessness of the two characters as they are ready to do what it takes, despite it being emotionally unhealthy and potentially putting a wedge in their relationship.
The book highlights the issues plaguing society back then and still continues to do so to a certain extent. The way a child is seen as a necessary proof by which a man proves his masculinity and for the woman to prove her virility, the inherent stress that is placed on the need for a child as the societal norm, something that is required from a societal point of view and how the couple is seen "incomplete" without them is sad. Additionally, the way that a traditionally sexually repressed society and the elders are willing to throw all of those ideas out of the window only to get a heir is rife with hypocrisy and selfishness. They do place their intentions as good and for the sake of the couple, but there are bigger forces at play.
All in all, a really good book. It does get a little bogged down in the middle with undue stress on some unneeded details but it manages to redeem itself really well. The characters are incredible, especially the two main ones and as we catch a glimpse of how they think, it feels incredibly realistic and believable.
Can't wait to read other books by the same author.
July 24, 2018
After almost two years of holding on to "One-part woman" hoping to read the book in Tamil, i finally gave in and read the book in English. This raw portrayal of Ponnan and Kali's 12 year childless plight is written faultlessly painting the beliefs, faiths and life in the villages of Tamil Nadu.
Let's take out the controversy first. The book shows a beautiful bond between Ponna and Kali (sexless names almost suggestive of the book title) despite their childless misery through various anecdotes. Each story explains the mindset of the people in the village who do not think twice before hurling words at the couple. Characters such as the rich single uncle Nallayan also bring some humor in the form of raw/vulgar quotes. A lot of research has also gone into describe the farming practices of the villagers.
The temple festival that is described in some detail is just another now abhorred practice. There is a scene where Kali angrily tells his brother in law how some of the norms of the older days like polyandry-ism cannot be acceptable today. And therein lies the truth. With very strong female characters, the book kind of upholds the spirit of the forgotten forest Devatha and the equal Ardhanari. Almost blasphemously, one clown states how Madhorubaagan/Ardhanaari must feel having male and female together without able to touch each other.
In the times of rising fertility clinics and the evergreen family pressures, this book explains the plight of the childless couple at a time where there was no electricity. They try everything and discuss every option including adoption of an untouchable baby (very forward) but the sharp jabs are relentless. It reminded me of a poem called "Gulzaman's Son" in class IX english book. I am not sure of the timing, but I think I would not have enjoyed the book had I read it any earlier before I became a dad.
Powerful book. Wish I had read it in Tamil.
Let's take out the controversy first. The book shows a beautiful bond between Ponna and Kali (sexless names almost suggestive of the book title) despite their childless misery through various anecdotes. Each story explains the mindset of the people in the village who do not think twice before hurling words at the couple. Characters such as the rich single uncle Nallayan also bring some humor in the form of raw/vulgar quotes. A lot of research has also gone into describe the farming practices of the villagers.
The temple festival that is described in some detail is just another now abhorred practice. There is a scene where Kali angrily tells his brother in law how some of the norms of the older days like polyandry-ism cannot be acceptable today. And therein lies the truth. With very strong female characters, the book kind of upholds the spirit of the forgotten forest Devatha and the equal Ardhanari. Almost blasphemously, one clown states how Madhorubaagan/Ardhanaari must feel having male and female together without able to touch each other.
In the times of rising fertility clinics and the evergreen family pressures, this book explains the plight of the childless couple at a time where there was no electricity. They try everything and discuss every option including adoption of an untouchable baby (very forward) but the sharp jabs are relentless. It reminded me of a poem called "Gulzaman's Son" in class IX english book. I am not sure of the timing, but I think I would not have enjoyed the book had I read it any earlier before I became a dad.
Powerful book. Wish I had read it in Tamil.
July 28, 2025
மாதொருபாகன் மறுவாசிப்பு. இந்த வரிசையில் அடுத்து ஆலவாயான் மற்றும் அர்த்தநாரி.
My review of this book->https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNArP...
My review of this book->https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNArP...
June 22, 2023
In the realm of literary prowess, there are rare gems that transcend the boundaries of fiction and delve deep into the complexities of cultural norms and personal desires. "One Part Woman" is undeniably one such gem. With its emotive storytelling and rich cultural context, this novel ignites a profound introspection on the societal pressures that can suffocate individuality.
Set in a rural Tamil Nadu village during the first half of the 20th century, the book narrates the poignant tale of Kali and Ponna, a loving couple struggling to conceive a child. Their fervent desire for a child is met with unyielding social expectations and the unrelenting taunts of a conservative community.
However, its not just a love story; it talks about a traditional festival where childless women could engage in consensual sex with strangers in the hope of conceiving. Murugan unflinchingly portrays the ethical dilemmas and moral quandaries that surround such practices, intertwining them with the fervent desire for parenthood.
And this very narrative choice is what sparked a firestorm of controversy upon the novel's release.
The novel became embroiled in a legal battle, as conservative factions in Tamil Nadu sought to ban the book for its perceived portrayal of cultural traditions in a negative light. The controversy reached a boiling point, leading to Murugan's decision to declare himself a "dead author." Yet, it is within this controversy that the power of literature and its ability to provoke meaningful dialogue truly shines and gives us a window to the society's hypocrisy - both on paper and in practice.
At the end of the book, my burning desire to "fit in" was replaced with an uneasiness, questioning a loss of freedom that I never really even had to begin with. How many of my choices have been mine and how many I have inherited from the society? Where do these societal norms end and I truly begin?
Set in a rural Tamil Nadu village during the first half of the 20th century, the book narrates the poignant tale of Kali and Ponna, a loving couple struggling to conceive a child. Their fervent desire for a child is met with unyielding social expectations and the unrelenting taunts of a conservative community.
However, its not just a love story; it talks about a traditional festival where childless women could engage in consensual sex with strangers in the hope of conceiving. Murugan unflinchingly portrays the ethical dilemmas and moral quandaries that surround such practices, intertwining them with the fervent desire for parenthood.
And this very narrative choice is what sparked a firestorm of controversy upon the novel's release.
The novel became embroiled in a legal battle, as conservative factions in Tamil Nadu sought to ban the book for its perceived portrayal of cultural traditions in a negative light. The controversy reached a boiling point, leading to Murugan's decision to declare himself a "dead author." Yet, it is within this controversy that the power of literature and its ability to provoke meaningful dialogue truly shines and gives us a window to the society's hypocrisy - both on paper and in practice.
At the end of the book, my burning desire to "fit in" was replaced with an uneasiness, questioning a loss of freedom that I never really even had to begin with. How many of my choices have been mine and how many I have inherited from the society? Where do these societal norms end and I truly begin?
May 23, 2017
A review of its translated version urged me to pick this book. While googling about it, the controversies it created, the author deciding to quit writing after its ban were what appeared in front of me at first. I started reading this one with so many thoughts in mind.
This Tamil novel, published about four year ago talks about a ritual that existed decades ago in tradition.
The story hails from Tamil culture of decades ago in which era the institution of marriage demanded child. OK if you think even today it is true, read ahead! It is a depiction how the society was once and centered around a couple Kali and Ponna who weren't able to meet the expectations of the society by bearing a child. Except for a child, the couple were happy having each other, loving each other the same for twelve long years. This book talks about how cruel the society could be when it comes to a childless couple. We know, "People talk. That's what they do". It is that to which extend their incautious and heartless comments push the couple desperately wanting to have a child. The couple being ready to whatever it takes to bear a child, does everything to please the Gods so meticulously that they were afraid that even a single hint of doubt in the rituals would affect the results it would bring. For all the rituals they were undergoing, Kali worries more about her wife's physical and mental health. In all the instances possible, the author shows the love they both share. How pure their love is! and how sad was that every little lovely conversations they have eventually end with tears. Finally they ended up with falling into trap of the society!
With the current scenario, it is hard to imagine the things the couple had undergone but I could feel that their sufferings then were exact and author hadn't exaggerated a little bit. Such an involving read with the characters and incidents quoted stay with you even after you finished the book. Detailed research that had been done on the rural and agricultural parts! I just adored the slang and the jokes which have their own beauty. The story starts with the beautiful description of Portia flower (Poovarasam poo) and with a few initial passages the author made me feel guilty for not reading my own language enough. Throughout the book, I had so much to co-relate even though I'm not from the same region. These made me learn more about these old wives' tales and I discussed a lot about these with people around. That's how restive I was throughout the days I read this one.
It sums up everything about the regional Tamil culture and mindset of people. Reading books in your mother tongue is a great pleasure even though the vulgarity of the language is very high and in some places it made me grimace. Being the one who takes pride in my mother tongue for its lavishness, I found this book so intimidating with its rich vocabulary. I found every phrase of this poignant and moving. Sad that I picked up this book only after reading reviews of its translated work. This is one such book which should have been celebrated by every fan of Tamil literature for the work done by the author in bringing such a good historical fiction. For having chosen a sensitive topic it was dogged by controversies. Sexual permissive which really existed in tradition once was opposed by people of same belief. Niyoga is a tradition that existed long way back in history. We have stories of Niyoga in the Mahabharata. A custom that was followed but no longer exists. These protesters just tried to kill the freedom of expression and they succeeded when the author announced that he gave up his writing.
I'm not sure about the translated work. But when you have the original work in your own language that is so stunning, why go for another language?! Highly recommended to all Tamil readers for it is one such a book to take pride in. This book took me by surprise and it established an yearning in me to find more such Tamil works.
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