Cover of Vadivasal: The Arena
The crowd saw with breath. This is a quarrel between man and animal. Who will win? Pichi the Boy, Carrie The Fire Bull, or Zamindar who owns the animal? Clouds of mud fly in the air in the form of crowds in Chelipuram Vandal To see (enter the arena)Jallikkattu action live.
Vadivasal: The Arena IsCS Chelappa, published in 1949, was written by a graphic novel conversion of the same name by writer Perumal Murugan with a Bangalore -based Comic Book Actor Appupen, who has also illustrated it.
Appupen stayed in Madurai for three days to soak in chaos in the arena. “You just have to stand in the sun and feel to achieve that mood. So you will think it keeping it in mind. This is what you need. But if you were online on your couch and surfing photo, you are not getting a mood because you are in your comfort field. You have to live with people, you have to see dust and sweat.”
A panel from graphic novel. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Working with Perumal Murugan was one of the main attractions of this project for him. “He was accepting me, and taking my suggestions. I wanted to show myself that I am thinking about the craft of storytelling that he can accept.”
Initially, Appupen created a thick storyboard of 30 pages to show Murugan the nature of the work. “I asked him for his comic, we will not write what we have shown in India in contrast to some comics. We wanted to talk to more informed audiences, behave them better. And they took it seriously.”
The graphic novel medium urged Murugan to think more visually. “I already had an experience of writing the film script. Appupen decided what was necessary and unnecessary according to his images. We had an understanding between each other,” the author says.
As a writer, who wrote The Foreward for the re -published version Vandal In 2004, he was also familiar with Chelappa’s writing, including another book of short stories on Bulls.
Perumal Murugan | Photo Credit: Jothi Ramalingam B
CS Chelappa sees Jalikattu with a different perspective of a writer, says Perumal. “He himself has such a good knowledge about the bulls because he comes from the Iyer family, landlords. And used to pick up many of them. He does not see it through binary of right or wrong. “He is not trying to take a stand for humans or bulls. And it is a form that employs some writers; they stand in the periphery of an event, focusing on the emotions and stories involved.”
In the novel, you look at all your complexity, a fallen champion and Zaminder. “ZamindarNot a bad man. He has great qualities, he appreciates Pichi, who is not trying to become a hero, and is unsafe, “Appupen says. Perumal Murugan has talked more about the situation of a landlord in the British period.” He is a very powerful person; He has about 10 to 20 villages that he adminors. The fear of losing that power is associated with the defeat and victory of his bull. Kari is a symbol of all that. ,
Comic Artist Appupen | Photo Credit: Sudhakar Jain
Regional applause is difficult to remember VandalFrom Pichi and Maruthan, their friends, from their friends, audiences and grandfather who lay eggs to fight them, take their words to Tamil’s Lilt. “Sometimes the editors want proper English, but sometimes a character can talk in a broken English! Now, do not clean it. If it is a bad editor, all your characters will look the same,” says Appupen.
Murugan explains that love for love in this 2,000 year old tradition is an important component. Coming from an agricultural family, Murugan is also familiar with the tradition of Jalikattu. “I know how to raise cattle, what are the features of the bull …” Murugan’s students themselves are Jalikattu players. They have seen them feeding the bull throughout the year, from which they practice for a big day. The tradition spreads into an agricultural set up from an agriculture and a biological relationship between cattle.
Says Murugan, “In the story, even after being injured by Pichi’s father, Bull, does not ask his son not to participate in the game because it is risky. He urges him to conquer his pride and keep his pride alive. Jallikkattu is a culture where a lot of factors come to play: Gaurav, EGO, Revillary and Love.”
Published by Simon & Shoister, the price of the book is ₹ 699
Published – 04 April, 2025 05:19 pm IST
