I've just finished reading Poonachi and I'm unable to go back to my life and do normal things again. This book has affected me in a profound way, twisted my insides and made it impossible for me to ignore so many things. The story of Poonachi the black goat and the unmistakeable connection I felt to her as a female in her suffering, the brilliance of Perumal Murugan's writing and the way he's able to layer so many things into such a simple story spanning only 130 pages, the fact that the author managed to make you care so much about the feelings and emotions of animals, I could go on and on. I carried my book everywhere with me and read through meals and karaoke hours, I was so into it. Sometimes it got so heavy on the heart, it made me feel things and I had to slow down, set it aside. Inexplicably within a few minutes I'd reach out to the book again and want to be buried in her pages. It is the first time in a long time that I've woken up and opened a book straight away from bed, before checking my phone for messages because I couldn't stop thinking about the book even when I was resting.
Perumal Murugan's writing is at such a different level, it makes me feel bad for neglecting Tamil authors and wonder how much I'm missing out on. He's among the top 5 authors I've ever read and he definitely deserves more limelight on the world's stage.
Poonachi amma, you will forever live inside me.
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