Book Review: One Part Woman

One Part Woman signifies the God who we call “Ardhnariswar” meaning half man and half woman. It signifies that the world is incomplete without the very existence of both man and woman. And without them the world cannot sustain. One Part Woman is a book written by Perumal Murugan depicting one of the biggest issues of modern day — Infertility. Its a story about a rural couple working as a farmer in Southern Part of India where the woman failed to conceive even after 12 years of nuptial bliss.

The book shows the very pain the couple goes through when they are taunted by almost everyone in the village starting from immediate family members to neighbors and friends to outcasting them in every auspicious occasions just because they failed to produce an heir.  If they retaliate people stop speaking to them. The taunts were provocative enough to cause grief to the already grieved. And they seem to be at fault if anything goes wrong. If the crops doesn’t yield good harvest it is because  a “barren” woman has planted them. Barren or “baaj” as we call in our local language applies to the woman who don’t have a child. The entire book deals with the humiliation and they innumerable offerings to temples to satisfy God and get his blessings. They leave no stone unturned in this process. The ending is not smooth neither does it ends in a happy or positive note.

Ponna and Kali were married for 12 years and from the first month of her marriage she is expecting not to menstruate but everytime she does and cries at the barn. Things doesn’t get change to the slightest even after repeated and numerous offerings to the temples.  And finally Ponna was made to sleep with another man just to see if the problem was with her or Kali. And that thing was considered sacred among the villagers as it was a part of monthly festival.

The book is a good read with a very captivating way of writing but the story loses its sheen at the end. The same humiliation spoken in different ways but doesn’t show any way out. Infertility is no doubt is as grave and as emotionally draining disease where human have absolutely less control. It definitely questions 2 persons their motives of existence. As if you were born to give birth and if you fail you are no human.

Apart from Inertility the book shows the importance of education. At least I believe it to be so. If they were educated they would have consulted a doctor. And not keep doing rounds of temples. Also the people around them would have been considerate on these matters. Lack of education,knowledge adds to their woes.

Personally saying I was disappointed at the end. The end wasn’t half as beautiful as the beginning, The author could have shown how the couple overcame their curse. The word “curse” was used in the book but in general Infertility is not a curse. Its same as Cancer, Heart problems where you can only try to keep things under control but not cure it completely. Probably the author wanted to show that not every couple have kids and that results in the breaking of marriage. The years of trust, love  breaks just because you don’t produce a child. Again would have loved had the couple showed strength of character and dealt with situation firmly and positively.

If I ever wish to rewind

Sitting idly Anita was getting restless. Its been months since she had moved to the city of Charlotte where her husband is now posted for an onsite opportunity. She wasnt working before and hence it wasnt an issue for her to relocate. Her husband is always busy with his office laptop both at office and home. The pressure of work at straight client’s office make him nervous.

All day boredom drove Anita to think everything under the Sun and Moon. She did household chores and occasionaly went out but most of the day she has nothing to do. She wasnt much eager to indulge in social media or internet. Slowly this turned to a little depression. And when her husband Anand returned in the evening and get busy with his laptop Anita would have a splurge of displeasure inside her. She initially thought of talking about this but it yielded no results. Hence started the inevitable argument. At one point it became so drastic that they both decided to part ways and Anita wished to return to India.

Anand, sandwiched between office and home couldnt make out what changed so dramatically in all these months. He simple couldnt understand why Anita would not find something for herself to keep her busy.

A collegue of Anand suggested that he take her to a psychiatric, may be that could ease a bit of situation. But as soon as Anita heard about that she refused thinking Anand thinks her to be mad.

One day Anand left for woark early that morning. They werent in talking terms last few days. There were important meetings scheduled that day and hence he became extra cautious. During lunch hour he sat lonely in a table at cafeteria thinking about how sour his life has turned when he heard a female voice. He looked up to find his client manager Ranjana standing with her plate.

“Hey Anand. Would you mind if I sit with you?” Ranjana smiled
“Yeah sure. Please.”
“You arent bringing your lunch for few days. Is it?”
“Yeah..I dont wish to bother my wife as I always had to leave early in the morning.”
“Oh I see. You must be having a beautiful married life as you both care so much for each other."

Anand smiled and said to himself “I wish.."

“So how long are you married?”
Anand replied “2 years and just after getting married I am posted here."

"But why do I see you spending too much time at office? I see you logging in to the system for more than 12 hours per day. Is there something wrong? We can discuss and sort them."

“Oh no nothing. Its just that I wish to return late at home so that my wife shouldnt be too bothered about dinner. She can sleep peacefully while I can arrange on my own and give her a relief” Anand lied.

Ranjana said “You know its been years since I last saw my husband. We got married 10 years back and soon after marriage I thought I could do a bit more of my studies. I always wanted to study much but marriage came in between. I cracked the GMAT exam and almost fought with my in laws to come to US. My husband was neutral. I came here and started studying. Once I completed I got an excellent offer at a company in California. Few years later my husband came to US on an onsite opportunity. He wanted to shift to my apartment. But I was too busy with my own world and hardly had time for anyting, let alone him. The quest to earn money and more money and most importantly to be very very important cost me my marriage. We used to quarrel a lot just because we never had enough time for each other. Or to say I never had time for him. He left with a heavy heart and we both parted ways.

From then I went to different cities in America doing work and more work but today I realise I have no one when I return home. I wish to leave early but I have no one to talk to , to make dinner for, to go out for movies. I have lots of friends but not life partner. The day I realised his importance it was too late. I wanted to return back but was shocked to see him remarrying. I never again thought of getting married to anyone just out of this guilt.

I am sorry to share all this with you. Actually I got to hear that you and your wife are getting divorced. I wont disclose from where I got the news but just thought of giving you a piece of advice now since I know you for almost a couple of years. Anand we together can make out the priorities of work and complete them on time. I would ask the management to allow additional resources if u need so. But please go home on time and make your marriage work. If there is anything I wish to rewind in my life it is the time I got my huband here. I could now leave everything for him—my job,my money, my position. But he is not there anymore, waiting for me. So please dont repeat my foolishness. She deserves your time,love and respect. Give her that. Atleast give your marriage 1 more chance.

Ranjana was in tears and hurriedly got up and left. Anand knew too well that Ranjana would soon change her mood the moment she arrives back at her desk. But what she told him was simply unexpected.

2 hrs later

Anita was busy surfing the internet and finding out information about divorce filing when the doorbell rang. She went up thinking who the hell has arrived in the afternoon. As she opened the door she found Anand standing there. She left the door open and returned back to her room and started working on the laptop as before. Anand slowly sat beside her and asked “Anita are you sure you will leave me?"

Anita looked up, surprised by what she heard just now. Anand continued “I am sorry for all the things Anita. Can we not give it 1 last try? From now onwards I will return home early and I am thinking of returning to India. We can have our old life back Anita and we can again be happy. For now lets rewind our good old days and forget what went wrong. Please forgive me."

They both hugged each other while tears rolled down their cheeks.

At night Anand messaged Ranjana saying “Thanks Ranjana.Today we rewound our good old days and hence saved the marriage from breaking. I will always be grateful to you for that."

Moral Policing

It was supposed to be a normal day at work. Amidst work I have a habbit of surfing the net and search for either news or do online shopping. Nothing new we all do that thanks to our very convinient smart phones and cheap mobile data. 1 news caught my sight and that was really alarming. A couple was thrashed outside a metro for behaving indecently. And they were thrashed by few old men. Now what the actual scenario was, nobody knows. All that came out was that the couple was hugging and kissing each other which was objectionable to the elderly and hence the assault. The news was circulated in social media and news channels and people took no time to raise an uproar. Facebook site was flooded with people’s views and everyone including celebrities joined them. Facebook,Instagram and twitter became the platform for protest. And there comes the cons. The ignorance of the entire episode led to few people take advantage and release the videos that the couple were almost practising coitus. The elderly objecting them lead to a heated argument and resulted in assault. We dont know whom to believe. There were surveys taken by RJs’ about peoples’ reactions. And everyone condemned the assult. The next day one of my collegues named few cities where people are thrashed with sticks for displaying affction in public. We all laughed at his comments but again as I searched the internet there was only 1 question lurking. Why do you not protest when a girl is raped or murdered? Why do not protest when people pee openly? Why do you not protest when people spit on the streets? Where are those moral polices then? Was it absolutely necessary to thrash a young couple for hugging and kissing (even if they went beyond that). And apart from all these unanswered questions I would like to add few questions to the young couples. Was it absolutely necessary to display your personal life in public? What did you gain by showing this? How do you think people would react if they see you like this? Is it not natural that people can and will protest? If we wish to dawn the hat of a morl police we better do it for the right cause. Or else such things will gain importance and will become a practice.