Tamil writer Devibharathi on his Sahitya Akademi Award-winning novel
The HinduUdayampalayam’s nights were meant for stories. Neervazhi Padooum is that story — of the people of Udayampalayam in Tiruppur district near Coimbatore, of Kaaru mama, of Devibharathi’s mother and father. “A writer’s job is to find out about lives he knows nothing of,” he says, stating examples of his political novel Natraj Maharaj and the deeply-researched Noyyal, which spans 100 years. “It is the story of the people of Udayampalayam, their lives, their little battles, what they achieve in life, what they do not…more than anything, it holds at its core a sense of virtue that some characters uphold in the end,” says the author, adding that among his favourite characters is Savithri, who is based on his real-life childhood friend. “The publisher is set to bring out the English translation of my novel Nizhalin Thanimai as well,” he adds, pointing out that Neervazhi Padooum will be translated into 21 Indian languages, apart from English, by the Sahitya Akademi.
History of this topic
Neervazhi Padooum, a novel on community barbers of Kongu region wins Sahitya Akademi prize
The Hindu
Sahitya Akademi releases winners’ list
Hindustan TimesD. S. Nagabhushan bags Kendra Sahitya Akademi award
The HinduDiscover Related
.jpg?w=1200&ar=40%3A21&auto=format%2Ccompress&ogImage=true&mode=crop&enlarge=true&overlay=false&overlay_position=bottom&overlay_width=100)
