THE CRY OF A LAMB

Kumari Adhavan, a well known versatile writer, who is an author of nearly a thirty number of excellent Tamil books, has presented the modern poetry collection 'Aattukuttiyin Alaral' (The Cry of the Lamb) as the apex of his poetic journey. He has sensibly, and without pretense, penned his childhood and the lives of people pushed into the void by societal exclusion into poetry. His poems tear apart and hang upside down the mask of the oppressive authoritarian structure that crushes marginalized people from the seats of power. They question the caste inequality and the demonic dance of religious fanaticism fascinating Indian society, determined to cut the very root of its origin. The good news that this book, which has been welcomed and reviewed by various literary magazines including Hindu Tamil Thisai, is being translated into the global language English by Dr. G. J Hamlin attests to the intensity of 'Aattukuttiyin Alaral'. May the world community be rejuvenated by reading this book. May an egalitarian society blossom through it!

- Ponneelan
Sahitya Akademi Awardee