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Perumal's controversial novel ‘Maadhorubaagan’ wins Sahitya Akademi award

Murugan’s Maadhorubaagan was first published in the year 2010.

The English translation of Perumal Murugan’s controversial Tamil novel “Maadhorubaagan” has won the Sahitya Akademi’s Translation Prize 2016.

Titled “One Part Woman”, the translation in English is done by Aniruddhan Vasudevan and the book is published by Penguin.

“We are happy to inform you that Sahitya Akademi has declared its Translation Prize 2016 in English language to Sri Aniruddhan VasudevanAfor his book ‘One Part Woman’ translation of Sri Perumal Murugan’s Tamil Novel Maadhorubaagan,” the literary organisation said in a statement.

Vasudevan will be felicitated with the award along with other winners of the Sahitya Akademi award in 23 languages in a ceremony in June this year.

“The prize in the form of a casket containing an engraved copper plaque and a cash component of Rs 50,000 would be presented at a ceremony in June,” the statement added.

Murugan’s Maadhorubaagan was first published in the year 2010. The protests by Hindu and caste-based outfits have focused on the portrayal of historical traditions related to the noted Ardhanareeswarar Temple in Tiruchengode, where the eponymous presiding deity is part-Shiva and part-Parvati, in one idol. The Tamil title of the book, ‘Madhorubagan’, is translation of the name of the deity (Ardha-naree-eswarar), just as the English title, ‘One Part Woman’, is an allusion to the deity’s form. Following the protests, Perumal Murugan had decided not to write any more, and withdrew all publications.

The Madras High Court last year had quashed a criminal case against Tamil writer Perumal Murugan for allegedly offending religious sentiments with writings on caste on Tuesday. A plea moved by residents of his native town, Tiruchengode to initiate criminal proceedings against him was also dismissed.

In January 2015, he had announced that he is giving up writing after he came under attack for blasphemy from Hindutva for his novel Madhurobhagan which was first published in 2010. Madhorubhagan has been translated and published in English as ‘One Part Woman’. 

(With IANS inputs)

Source: The News Minute