Tale of a Tamarind Tree

Author: Sundara Ramaswamy
Publisher: Penguin
Year: 1995
Language: English
Pages: 185
ISBN/UPC (if available): 014024610X

Description

One of the finest to come out of contemporary India, this novel tells the memorable tale of the tamarind tree, of the lives of men and women who sought its shelter, and of their greed, goodness, selfishness, sacrifice, love and hatred.

It was a very old tree and from a distance it looked like an old woman, crooked and bent, grey, lost in a world of her own, reliving memories of happy days . . .

The tamarind tree stood at the crossroads, a blind observer of everything going on its shade, indifferent provider of shelter, the mute witness of a generation's rise and fall. It was a benevolent presence that sustained itself till it fell victim to man's greed and was wantonly reduced to a bare stump.

Translated into English by S Krishnan from the original in Tamil titled: Oru Puliyamarathin Kathai

TRANSLATOR: S Krishnan taught English literature at Madras Christian College and Annamalai University. An editor, reviewer, and columnist he edited Malgudi Landscapes, a selection from RK Narayan's works.