Poonachi or The Story of a Black Goat

Monday morning flipkart handed a goat to me. flipkart man chuckled as the goat bleated. "Ye kya hai, Saheb," he asked and me did not know. Rama got it right. Was Poonachi, the black goat of Perumal Murugan. Spent the day with Poonachi somewhere at Odakkan Hill, free and unfrozen. "There are only five species of animals with which I am deeply familiar. Of them, cats and dogs are meant for poetry. It is forbidden to write about cows or pigs. That leaves only goats and sheep. Goats are problem-free, harmless and above, all energetic. A story needs narrative pace. Therefore, I've chosen to write about goats," confesses Perumal Murugan. In fright, closed the doors and windows, lay under the cot and read Poonachi. Switched off mobile. 'Be careful,' warned Rama, Perumal Murugan could get us both in jail. Me read. Fright like sweat dripped away. Yes, am a coward. Of the seventh seed, black Poonachi, ears middle finger long with the top edges flopping. Perumal spreads out a horizon for readers to seat themselves... ' There was a small pit below the hillock where he sat, beyond which lay a stretch of sun-baked fields. He loved to sit there at sunset and watch the spectacle of a crimson blanket spreading over the horizon. On the days when he grazed his goats, as well as on other days, he would leave only after watching the colourful spectacle unfold in the sky. If he happened to miss it, he would feel aggrieved, as though he had been robbed of something precious. 'Sit in the field and gaze at the sky for some time. It will clear your mind,' the old woman would tease him.' On the fifth watch, me was on page 170: What lay there was not Poonachi, but a stone idol.' Me Perumal alone could have imagined the turn. Perhaps, humans are not comfy with miracles. Passion of Poonachi for Poovan, humans cannot stand up for; they make money of seven kids birthed by Poonachi; N. Kalyana Raman, the translator, refers to 'a hoary tradition in the folk culture of Tamil Nadu whereby the memory of an innocent girl destroyed by the random and ever-present violence of the world is worshipped as a deity.' Could be. For me we cannot handle  compassion, compassion of Poonachi,  Poonachi-Poovan desire for each other, compassion of Poonachi for a forest pond, our genes are flawed by hate, dislikes. Did it happen in 2014 or was it always there? Maybe, 2014 turned hatred fashionably heroic. Poonachi is bleating a reminder to me, this morning... Perumal folk style. Thank you Sir. Thank you so much.