Buy at Amazon-IN: https://www.amazon.in/Pyre-Perumal-Murugan/dp/0143429019
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
"Pyre" by Perumal Murugan is a powerful and unsettling novel that boldly explores the destructive force of caste in rural India. Through the deeply personal story of Kumaresan and Saroja—a newlywed couple who elope across caste lines—the book sheds light on how deeply ingrained and blinding caste prejudice can be.
The novel begins with Kumaresan bringing Saroja, his new bride, to his native village, Kattuppati. However, no one in the village knows that Saroja is from a different caste. Kumaresan’s mother is immediately suspicious and distressed by his sudden marriage. Word spreads quickly, and villagers begin to visit their home, more out of curiosity and to mock the couple than to offer congratulations. Despite Saroja's attempts to fit in, her appearance and mannerisms make it hard for anyone to believe she is from their caste.
As days pass, Kumaresan is humiliated and shunned by his own people. Saroja, overwhelmed and isolated, longs for the family and comfort she left behind—her father, brother, and the relatively privileged life she once had. The couple’s love story had begun at a soda bottling facility, where an accident brought them closer. Their secret glances turned into affection, and knowing their families would never accept their union, they chose to elope.
What Saroja doesn't expect is the crushing poverty and hostility she faces in Kumaresan's village. Her mother-in-law is cruel, and the community views the couple as a disgrace. Desperate to escape the suffocating environment, Saroja persuades Kumaresan to move to a nearby town and start a new life by opening a soda bottle shop. She breaks the news of her pregnancy, bringing a rare moment of joy. Kumaresan begins preparations for a fresh start and leaves for the village to wrap things up.
However, things take a terrifying turn. One day, while in the bushes for defecation, Saroja overhears a chilling conversation between her mother-in-law and the villagers—they plan to kill her. Panicked, she sends word to Kumaresan to return immediately. But before he can reach her, the villagers set the bushes where she’s hiding on fire. The novel ends with this harrowing scene—Kumaresan racing on his bicycle toward the flames. The title, Pyre, takes on a gut-wrenching significance in this moment.
Reading Pyre left me horrified, not just by the tragic ending but by the reality that such atrocities—motivated by caste hatred—still happen in many parts of India. Murugan lays bare the cruelty and ignorance that caste can breed, and he does so with unflinching honesty. This novel is not just a love story; it's a searing indictment of a society that still chooses caste over compassion.
