One Part Woman

Author: Perumal Murugan

• Portia flowers always grow more beautiful as they fade.

• There was now an obligation to protect the tree that the son-in-law had planted. Afraid that she would forget to water the tree amidst all her chores, his mother-in-law started washing dishes right under the tree.

• Only when a tree is small can you notice its growth. When it is bigger, it continues to grow, but imperceptibly.

• His father’s face would appear before his eyes, like a mirage in the afternoon sun. That was all he recollected of his father.

• When the body realizes there is no work to do, it throws open its doors to weariness.

• Earlier, there was an urgency and passion to get to know her anew each time. That had dried up now.

• Now even when he took his face close to hers, his mind started worrying, ‘Will it happen at least this time?’ That was enough to put out the fire, and only ashes bloomed in the embers of his passion.

• Do you think we are royalty to have the time and day of birth noted down? What’s the use of a birth chart for someone who rolls in the dust? Even if you rub yourself with oil before rolling, you will have to be content with whatever sticks to you.’

• In hard times, all threads of faith would come together.

• annoyed Kali that though they might have a million things wrong with their own lives, people found great pleasure in poking and prodding other people’s miseries.

• It annoyed Kali that though they might have a million things wrong with their own lives, people found great pleasure in poking and prodding other people’s miseries.

• His mother believed that going to Kaliyur to see the astrologer was the solution to every problem.

• He has given her the left half of his body. It is only when we give half of ourselves—both body and mind—to the woman that we can be good husbands. Even though we are born male, we also have feminine qualities within

• He has given her the left half of his body. It is only when we give half of ourselves—both body and mind—to the woman that we can be good husbands. Even though we are born male, we also have feminine qualities within us.

• ‘Let’s see if you still run around taking care of your husband after a child is born,’ said her mother. ‘Even if I give birth to ten children, he will always be my first child,’ she responded, brimming with pride.

• Perhaps such incessant chatter was the prerogative of youth alone.

• Perhaps such incessant chatter was the prerogative of youth alone. Once he grew up, the brain might have decided that it was all meaningless and erased all memory of that prattle.

• People constantly needed something to gossip about.

• If she fell, he would fall down with her too. It

• If she fell, he would fall down with her too. It might even be possible to live without her. But he couldn’t live with the allegations.

• No one bothered to ask what had provoked such an abuse. ‘Ponna talks too much,’ they said.

• A woman without her husband and an inheritance without an heir are the same, they say.’

• It seemed that people who had children could do anything they wanted—that only they had such rights.

• A dog that steals from his own home can even drop a rock on your head while you sleep,’

• Mastering these temple dances was no small matter. The dancers had to internalize the sounds of the drums and dance accordingly. There were over fifty kinds of rhythms,

• Mastering these temple dances was no small matter. The dancers had to internalize the sounds of the drums and dance accordingly. There were over fifty kinds of rhythms, and there were only a few people who were skilled enough to dance to all of them.

• Not everyone can dance. And when one comes to terms with this, he can go and sit down with the oldies and watch the others dance.

• Not everyone can dance. And when one comes to terms with this, he can go and sit down with the oldies and watch the others dance. In a way characteristic to spectators, he can also criticize the dancers and pass comments. Failed artistes suddenly become critics.

• ‘I can’t deal with marriage and all that stuff. It is enough to come and go as I am. As if it’s not enough to tie a ring around your nose, they want to tie you to a stalk as well.’

• His eyes were bloodshot in the morning. And they stayed so forever after that.

• Once that happens, what do you think is the relationship between the baby crow and its mother? They go their separate ways. “You got your wings, now get out of here, and fend for yourself.” That’s the way to live.

• If you are always worried about what others are going to say, you will always be in trouble.

• If a child is so important to establish oneself as a human being in this world, why shouldn’t she dare to do what it takes to accomplish that?

• Sometimes, her crying made him cry too. So they cried together, lamenting their fate.

• ‘That is the key to happiness, dear girl. Take everything lightly, you will not be assailed by worries. Do not think about who says what. It balances out if we too talk ill of them!’

• Sometimes the food would stay untouched because he would have passed out after all the drinking. In some ways, he was much like the goat who was let out after being kept shut inside for a better part of the day.

• ‘Why do you think we have and raise children? For them to grow up well? No. We do it because we seem to need it for ourselves. That is why we have children and raise them. And then in old age we complain that those children are not taking care of us. This is all plain madness

• Without jumping to a decision immediately, she savoured that happiness of simply having options.