Murugan prances, hops and skips around the concept of spaces. I am very interested in these problems and emotional complexities that are wrung together in the web of caste kin and property,” he says. It hasn't changed, especially in villages.

There is property, caste and children intertwined. “Marriage is an institution for family, never love. But he has little faith in it as a societal institution. His characters, in love, retain just as much individuality, sense of autonomy, and challenges define them instead of disempower. In Madhorubagan ( One Part Woman) and Pyre, Murugan touches on the affection that is often lost in the narratives of marriage, when recalled in real life. I wanted to be seen and heard,” he says, conscious of these memories, shifting their way through his voice as a strong male writer. That everyone could see and hear who did it. That was a moment of triumph for me because there was a prestige in ringing the bell. One day when there was no one around, I rang the bell. I wanted to ring that bell but I was never tall enough. “There was a rule in my school that only certain people - who were tall - could ring the school bell. I think I learnt how to power through,” he says. I would close my eyes, carry my bag, and run through it. There was no transport and a part of the route was so silent, it was deafening. “We had to walk 4 km to school and the area was dotted with tamarind trees. Poetry is all where it began,” he reminisces.įor Murugan, much of his childhood memories reveal a reserved and aspirational young man. That’s when I knew I wanted to be a writer. I was quiet, I was a loner, I just observed.' My first big break was a little ditty called ' Poonam Nalla Poonai' (Poonam the good cat), written for a Trichy radio station. Trichy radio and Coimbatore radio stations were always reverberating through the house.

“Let the writer do what he does best - write,” the court declared.īack in conversation with Murugan, the writer says, “I learnt my literature by ear, through radio.

One Part Woman by Perumal Murugan