Pyre

Perumal Murugan

Translated from Tamil by Aniruddhan Vasudevan

This novel by the Tamil-language author Perumal Murugan tells the story of two young lovers, Saroja and Kumaresan, who hastily marry and move to Kumaresan’s village. But the lovers harbour a dangerous secret: their marriage is an inter-caste one. Their naive optimism quickly turns to horror after the villagers discover the truth and begin a campaign of outraged persecution. Murugan, who has written novels such as One Part Woman and Current Show, sketches a disturbing picture of innocent love pitted against fanatical prejudice.

Penguin Books, 270 pages, Rs 399