“Even in our darkest moments and encounters with death, it is possible to want to live again and aspire toward a kind of beauty.” These words by Turkish-American author, Merve Emre—she was part of the 2022 International Booker Prize—provide a nuanced gist of the novel Tomb of Sand written by Delhi-based Geetanjali Shree and translated by Daisy Rockwell.
The book won the 2022 International Booker Prize in London on Thursday, a moment that can be noted as a triumph for homegrown literature as this is the first time an Indian language novel (and the first time a Hindi book made it to the International Booker Prize shortlist) has received this prestigious award.
“The International Booker Prize is a big recognition, and it was not something I imagined,” shared Shree after receiving the award, adding, “I am very happy that I became a medium for the world to now take notice of Hindi. People should realise that, just like in Hindi, other Indian languages also have a literary world that they must become aware of.”
Set in Northern India, Tomb of Sand—originally published in Hindi as Ret Samadhi in 2018—is a story that plays with both humour and poignancy while following the story of a widowed octogenarian. After a phase of feeling despondent, the 80-year-old protagonist decides to take on a new lease of life all while confronting her past—including the trauma she faced during Partition.
Calling the original “a magnificent novel”, Namita Gokhale, Indian writer and co-director of the Jaipur Literature Festival, touches upon how it is translated with “skill, empathy and exuberance as Tomb of Sand”. It would be right to say that Gokhale has identified a universal feeling that can be traced in the Indian literary fraternity post this big win, “It is a proud moment for Hindi, the third-most spoken language in the world—and for all of Indian writing.” Satyanand Nirupam, editorial director of the publishing house, Rajkamal Prakashan, reiterated, “It is a big achievement for not just Hindi literature but also for Indian literature.”
This win, though well-deserved, does not come as a surprise to many. In a conversation with us, noted Indian translator, Arunava Sinha, who was unable to contain his joy, shared, “I was absolutely delighted [when I heard the news]. I was 99.9 per cent sure it [Tomb of Sand] was going to win because a book like this comes along very rarely and when it does, you do not really have a choice but to declare it a winner.” This was a feeling, Nirupam mentioned, the team had right from the start, “When it came in the longlist, we were certain it would move past it. We were very confident about this novel when we published it in 2018.”
The beauty of this book lies in its simplicity. Giving us an insight into why he thinks this book is a thorough page-turner, Sinha said, “This is a book that says ‘give up everything else, just come and spend time with me and we will journey, we will travel’. While reading this book, you are forced to acknowledge the writing, the words, the sounds, etc., and that makes for such a satisfying experience, so removed from the way we consume art nowadays.”
One can’t ignore what this recognition means for the Indian literary space—it provides impetus to and encourages homegrown writers and translators. However, this win also gives readers a quick primer on how to look beyond English and celebrate Indian literature. Nirupam said, “The new generation lacked an enthusiasm in or was confused about the rich heritage of Hindi literature. In such a period, this win is only going to attract people towards the language,” Focusing on the Indian literary oeuvre which contains “brilliant and relevant contemporary writing” across languages, Gokhale concluded, “India has brilliant translators who also act as interlocutors and can make this possible! We need to break out of the hegemony of English.”