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This Hindi novel now holds a place of pride in the International Booker Prize longlist

Set aside everything else and read it now!

The longlist for the International Booker Prize was announced recently and readers in India have much to celebrate as Tomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree, has now made history by becoming the first ever Hindi novel to have made it to the prestigious list. Originally titled Ret Samadhi, the work has been translated to English by US-based artist, writer and translator, Daisy Rockwell.  

Published by Penguin, Tomb of Sand unfolds against a compelling premise, which is at once both relatable and yet unique to the story. After an 80-year old Indian woman emerges from the throes of depression following her husband’s demise, she becomes determined to regain control of her life. This new-found zeal confuses her daughter, who is unaccustomed to this version of her mother (Ma), and does not quite understand it. To make matters even more intriguing,  Ma then insists on going to Pakistan, in order to confront the trauma that she had to suffer through as a teenager caught in the horrifying tumult of Partition. 

Despite its tragic setting however, the book never for once, dwells on the griefs that befall its central character. Instead, Geetanjali Shree’s mastery lies in how she expertly manages to keep the narrative tone lighthearted, even as she addresses important questions surrounding grave concepts such as those of unresolved trauma, feminism, motherhood and more. At its heart however, the book attempts to navigate one simple question - What does it mean to be a woman?