Generally, I welcome author-announcements that they're stopping writing -- if you have nothing more to say, don't force it (as far too many authors who have had success with one book do).
Reports such as B.Kolappan's in The Hindu, that Tamil author Perumal Murugan gives up writing, are something entirely different, however, and one can only hope that it is only a (temporary) cry made out of desperation at what has become an untenable position.
"Perumal Murugan, the writer is dead" he has apparently posted on his 'Facebook'-page and has even gone so far as to have:
A couple of weeks ago some folks started to take offence -- years after the book was first published -- and, as The Hindu reported two weeks ago, BJP, RSS seek ban on Tamil novel, arrest of author. Apparently they were upset that the book describes "traditional free, consensual sex rituals" that are part of temple tradition, and:
Many have spoken up in support of the author -- see A.R.Venkatachalapathy's In defence of the chronicler of Kongu -- and his is surely a voice (or rather: pen) that India should celebrate and encourage -- see N Kalyan Raman on the Kongunadu novels of Perumal Murugan, in Boats against the Current. As is, this is a terrible turn of events.
It would be great to see some sensible political leadership -- voicing support for the author and his books. But populist fanaticism seems the more popular option, so things look pretty grim.
"Perumal Murugan, the writer is dead" he has apparently posted on his 'Facebook'-page and has even gone so far as to have:
urged his publishers [...] not to sell his novels, short stories, poetries and other creative works.What led to this ? Belated outrage over his novel மாதொருபாகன் -- published in English as One Part Woman; see the Penguin Books India publicity page, or get your copy at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk.
A couple of weeks ago some folks started to take offence -- years after the book was first published -- and, as The Hindu reported two weeks ago, BJP, RSS seek ban on Tamil novel, arrest of author. Apparently they were upset that the book describes "traditional free, consensual sex rituals" that are part of temple tradition, and:
In their petition, the BJP, RSS and other Hindu outfits said that in many pages the author had denigrated Lord Shiva and the women devotees who visited the temple during the car festival. The cited the narratives in pages, 87, 116, 117, 118, 129 and 172 of the book were in bad taste. They demanded the arrest of both the author and the publisher.It's so silly that one almost has to laugh -- except they're dead serious, managing first to hound the author out of town and now to this. Particularly troubling: the BJP isn't just some extremist 'Tea Party' fringe: they're the ruling party in India.
Many have spoken up in support of the author -- see A.R.Venkatachalapathy's In defence of the chronicler of Kongu -- and his is surely a voice (or rather: pen) that India should celebrate and encourage -- see N Kalyan Raman on the Kongunadu novels of Perumal Murugan, in Boats against the Current. As is, this is a terrible turn of events.
It would be great to see some sensible political leadership -- voicing support for the author and his books. But populist fanaticism seems the more popular option, so things look pretty grim.