Tamilian Author Perumal Murugan’s ‘Pyre’ Nominated for International Booker Prize 2023 Longlist.

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1 Tamilian Author Perumal Murugan’s ‘Pyre’ Nominated for International Booker Prize 2023 Longlist.

1.2 Other Books Nominated in the Booker Prize Longlist

In a proud moment for Indian literature, Perumal Murugan’s ‘Pyre’ which was translated into English by Aniruddhan Vasudevan, has been added to the International Booker Prize 2023 Longlist.

Congratulations to Perumal Murugan and Aniruddhan Vasudevan for their #InternationalBooker2023 longlisting for ‘Pyre’.

Find out more about the book: https://t.co/R6nrxFdFme pic.twitter.com/Ah5SV8pCyB

— The Booker Prizes (@TheBookerPrizes) March 14, 2023

The book Pookuzhi (Pyre) is an excellent and compelling novel. It covers the story of young love in rural Tamil Nadu in the 1980s. The book also explores the issue of social discrimination and casteism and the journey that follows. Perumal, in this book, has stayed true to his writing style; he explores important questions around us through a simple story.

The 56 years old writer is a prominent voice in Tamil literature. Perumal Murugan is a celebrated writer and poet in India who has penned several acclaimed works across genres such as novels, short stories, and poetry. His writing delves into themes such as caste, gender, and rural life in India, and is widely appreciated for its intense emotional impact and its nuanced portrayal of the social and cultural complexities of rural India. Murugan’s works are regarded as a reflection of the challenges and realities faced by the marginalized sections of society, and he is recognized for his ability to capture the essence of rural life in his writing.

His book ‘Madhorubagan‘ (One Part Woman) faced a lot of controversies, and people blamed the book for disrespecting their deities and women. The wide-scale protests made Murugan declare his ‘death’ as a writer in 2015. However, his comeback with the novel ‘Poonachi: Or the Story of a Black Goat’ in 2016 ended the self-imposed silence. The book was praised critically for its clever metaphorical plot.

Aniruddhan is an anthropologist who translates between Tamil and English.

Why is this such a huge deal?

This is the first time that the Tamil language has appeared on the longlist. With 11 languages represented in the list this year, it is the first time Tamil has been a part of the list.

The Booker Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world. The prize was first awarded in 1969 and has since become an important cultural event, attracting worldwide attention and launching the careers of many renowned authors.