One Part Woman
One Part Woman is a novel based on ancient cultural practice among Tamil Hindus written by Perumal Murugan. It is the story of a childless couple with a strong desire of having a child, depicted with admirable sensitivity, anguish and gentleness.[1] All of Kali and Ponnas (couple's name) 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 couples 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.
This novel was originally written in Tamil under the name Madhorubagan and then later translated in English as One Part Woman.
Controversy
Some Hindu groups took offence to this book and alleged that Perumal portrayed the Kailasanathar temple in Tiruchengode and its women devotees in bad light. They demanded that the book be banned and sought the author's arrest.
In January 2015, Perumal Murugan, 48, has a post which reads like a suicide note. It is by P Murugan on behalf of Perumal Murugan. “Author Perumal Murugan is dead. He is no God. Hence, he will not resurrect. Hereafter, only P Murugan, a teacher, will live,” it reads. The note thanks everyone who supported the author and upheld the freedom of expression, and announces the withdrawal of all his novels, short stories and poems. It calls on his publishers not to sell his books and promises to compensate their losses. The readers have been advised to burn their copies of his books. The note ends with an appeal to caste, religious, political and other groups to end their protests and leave the writer alone since he has withdrawn all his books.
Petition
The Hindu religious fundamentalist groups and caste based groups have burned copies of novel and threatened the right to free speech of the author. An online petition to Tamil Nadu government have been filed to support writer and freedom of expression on change.org.