Ronit J

Poonachi: Or The Story of a Black Goat is a 2018 Tamil novel written by Perumal Murugan and translated to English by N. Kalyan Raman. Poonachi is an adult novel that explores the Indian socio-political landscape through the eyes of an unsuspecting goat and her fellow animals.

I first discovered this book in 2018 when Books On Toast discussed it in one of their videos. I had picked up a copy back then, but only just got around to reading it. 6 years later, the book still remains as relevant and heartbreaking as it was when it first came out.

Poonachi: Or The Story of a Black Goat Synopsis

Through a seeming act of providence, an old couple receives a day-old female goat kid as a gift from the cosmos. Thus begins the story of Poonachi, the little orphan goat.

As you follow her story from forest to habitation, independence to motherhood, you recognise in its significant moments the depth and magnitude of your own fears and longings, fuelled by the instinct for survival that animates all life. Masterly and nuanced, Perumal Murugan’s tale forces us reflect on our own responses to hierarchy and ownership, selflessness and appetite, love and desire, living and dying. Poonachi is the story of a goat who carries the burden of being different all her life, of a she-goat who survives against the odds. It is equally an expression of solidarity with the animal world and the female condition. The tale is also a commentary on our times, on the choices we make as a society and a nation, and the increasing vulnerability of individuals, particularly writers and artists, who resist when they are pressed to submit.

Poonachi: Or The Story of a Black Goat Book Review

Reading the preface set the grounds for the journey I was about to embark on. Being called the Indian Animal Farm, I had really high expectations for this one. But, did it live up to those expectations? The answer is a resounding YES. Poonachi absolutely exceeded all expectations. It was exactly what I had imagined, and still I was blown.

The book starts off almost like a fairy tale. An asura gives Poonachi to the old man (unnamed for the whole book. In fact, only the animals in the book have names, while the humans remain nameless, faceless characters). This kickstarts an empathetic and heartbreaking journey of survival and subsisting in a land of scarcity. Every small step of the way serves as a hurdle to Poonachi’s survival as the old man and the old woman do all their power to keep her alive. Reading the opening chapters really made my stomach turn, because I realised how privileged my life has been. From something as basic as mother’s milk—the other goats refuse to suckle Poonachi—to being legally registered with the government, Poonachi’s struggles highlight the systemic and cultural difficulties faced by those that society has deemed subhuman.

Is this a commentary for the struggles of the lower castes? Or the poor? Both?

What I liked about Poonachi:

Poonachi’s story fits all the moulds. Especially, Poonachi tells you that before castes, economic status, and other man-made identifiers, we’re all living beings. If an insignificant goat suffers so much in human society, how much better could humans fare? Even though Poonachi is a goat, you can’t help but see yourself in her place as she experiences emotions that are often only acknowledged by human characters.

As Poonachi grows up, we see her discover the world as well as its harsh realities. From puberty and mating to love and societal indoctrination, Poonachi witnesses it all whilst not being able to fully comprehend the complexities and the widespread acceptance of obvious injustices. Her story is gut-wrenchingly tragic, be it the government official’s spiteful ear-piercing that leaves her sick and hurting, to seeing the male kids castrated, to her tragic love story with Poovan. The goats have no say in how they should live their lives. Just like how for centuries the lower castes have been forced to live in accordance to how the upper castes dictated. Given the political landscape of India in the past decade, Poonachi indirectly asks some very hard hitting questions about what kind of world do we want to live in.

I won’t spoil the book for you. But I will say this—READ IT! Whether you see this story from a sociological lens, an economic one, or a political one, Poonachi’s narrative has enough to comment about every facet of Indian society. These are questions that we have to ask ourselves if we ever want our country to grow and evolve.

What I didn’t like:

There really wasn’t anything in the book that I didn’t like. Understanding what the author had set out to do, I think this is the best version of what the book could be. In fact, the only thing I couldn’t understand became clear after reading the translator’s note in the end. Of course, there might be a lot lost in translation, but even then the book left a deep impact on me.

Conclusion:

Poonachi OR The Story of a Black Goat is undoubtedly one of the best reads of the year for me. Right from the opening line in the preface to the last line of the last chapter, this book piqued my interest, kept me glued, broke my heart, and left me with so many ineffable emotions.

Simple, yet visceral, and hyper relevant to Indian society, Poonachi is a must-read for all Indian readers.

My Rating: ★★★★★

More Links:

• Goodreads
• Storygraph

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• Abandoned by the Gods by Ronit J

Have you read Poonachi? What did you think about it? Agree or disagree with my review? Let me know in the comments below!

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