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Goat Days
| File:Adujivitam.jpg First edition (Malayalam) | |
| Author | Benyamin |
|---|---|
| Original title | Aadujeevithamm |
| Translator | Joseph Koyippally[1] |
| Country | India |
| Language | Malayalam |
| Genre | Novel, fiction |
| Publisher | Penguin Books (English)[2] Green Books (Malayalam) |
Publication date | 15 July 2008 |
Published in English | 1 July 2012[3] |
| Pages | 255 |
| ISBN | 978-01-4341-633-3 (English), 978-81-8423-117-5 (Malayalam) |
| Preceded by | Abigeesan (Malayalam) |
| Followed by | Manjaveyil Maranangal (Malayalam) |
Goat Days (original title: Malayalam: ആടുജീവിതം Aadujeevitham) is a 2008 Malayalam novel about an abused migrant worker in Saudi Arabia written by Bahrain-based Indian author Benyamin (born Benny Daniel).[4][5]
The novel is based on real-life events and was a best seller in Kerala.[6] According to media, Benyamin became an "overnight sensation" with the publication of this "hard-hitting story" and is currently one of the top sellers in Malayalam.[2] The original Malayalam version of Goat Days has gone through over 100 reprints.[7]
The novel depicts the life of Najeeb Muhammed, an Indian emigrant going missing in Saudi Arabia. Najeeb's dream was to work in the Persian Gulf states and earn enough money to send back home. But, he achieves his dream only to be propelled by a series of incidents into a slavelike existence herding goats in the middle of the Saudi desert. In the end, Najeeb contrives a hazardous scheme to escape his desert prison. Penguin Books India's introduction describes the novel as "the strange and bitter comedy of Najeeb’s life in the desert" and "a universal tale of loneliness and alienation".[1][8]
The English translation of the novel appeared in the long list of Man Asian Literary Prize 2012 and in the short list of the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2013. It also won the Kerala Literary Academy Award for Benyamin in 2009.[9]
The book is banned in UAE and Saudi Arabia.[10]
Plot[edit]
The book is divided into four parts (Prison, Desert, Escape and Refuge).
Najeeb Muhammad, the protagonist of the novel, a young man from Arattupuzha in Haripad of the Kerala state, is newly married and dreams of a better work in any of the Persian Gulf states. After several endeavours, he finally sets foot in Saudi Arabia. However, at the King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh he gets trapped and is taken away by a rich Arab cattle farm supervisor to look after his farm. He is being used as a slave labourer and shepherd and is assigned to tend goats, sheep and camels for almost three and half years in the remote deserts of Saudi Arabia. He is forced to do backbreaking work, kept him half-hungry and is denied water to wash and suffers unimaginably. The farm's brutal supervisor keeps Najeeb in control with a gun and binoculars and frequently beats him with a bel
And Now Najeeb Had turn into a beast without any cleanliness. (It is described in the story how he became...)
In a country where he doesn't know the language, places or people, he is far away from any human interaction. Najeeb steadily starts to identify himself with the goats. He considers himself as one of them. His dreams, desires, avenges and hopes starts to become one with them. He talks to them, eats with them, sleeps with them and virtually lives the life of a goat. Still he keeps a ray of hope which will bring freedom and end to his sufferings some day.
Finally one night with the help of Ibrahim Khadiri, a Somalian worker in the neighbouring farm, Najeeb Muhammed and his friend Hakeem escapes from the horrible life to freedom. But, the trio fumbles across the desert for days, and young Hakeem dies of thirst and fatigue. Finally, Ibrahim Khadiri and Najeeb manage to find their way to Al-Bathaa , Riyadh, At the Ibraham leaves Najeeb alone. Where Najeeb gets himself arrested by the civil police in order to get deported to India with Hameed, he had met in Kunjikka who helped him for turn to a man and he will help him to get into Kerala. Najeeb gets detained in the Sumesi Prison for several months before being deported to India by the Saudi Arabian authorities, Before this event the boss of Hameed (Arbab) had taken him, and made Najeeb heartbroken. And Najeeb's Arbab didn't tell him as the worker (Najeeb's thought is that he didn't recognize him) But the truth is of the fear towards Najeeb. And Now Najeeb is in his house with his family. Feeling Happy...
Main characters[edit]
- Najeeb Muhammed (Prisoner Number 13858 at Sumesi Prison, Saudi Arabia), the protagonist of the novel, spent three and half years (4 April 1992 – 13 August 1995) in a remote farm in the Saudi Arabian desert. Originally a sand miner from Arattupuzha in Haripad,[11] he is given the visa by a Karuvatta-based friend for ₹30,000 (equivalent to ₹190,000 or US$2,600 in 2019) as a helper in a construction company in Saudi Arabia. Najeeb Muhammed is a real life character.
- Hakeem is a young man, who got trapped under another Arab and lives a life similar to Najeeb. He joins Najeeb to elope from the desert, however, surrenders before death due to hunger and thirst in their perilous journey through the Arabian Desert.
- Ibrahim Khadiri
- Arab owner
- Hameed
- Kunjikka
- Sainu
Meeting real-life Najeeb Muhammed[edit]
Recounting his meeting with the real-life Najeeb, Benyamin reminisces:
But when I heard his tale, I knew this was the story I was waiting to tell the world and I knew this had to be told. Usually we only hear of stories of success from the Gulf. But I wanted to talk about the many who lead lives of suffering and pain.
The reluctant Najeeb who wanted to forget his past had to be coaxed to recount his story.[2]
Translations[edit]
The original book was published by Green Books Private Limited, Thrissur on 15 July 2008. The English translation of the novel for Penguin Books was carried out by Joseph Koyippally, a literature professor in the Central University of Kerala.[2][12][13]
Other translations[edit]
| Language | Title | Translator | Year | Publisher | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arabic | ايام الماعز Ayyāmu l-māʻiz |
Suhail Wafy | 2015 | Maktabat Afāq | 9789996659812 |
| Nepali | खबुज Khabuja |
Dinesh Kaafle | 2015 | FinePrint Books | 9789937893169 |
| Odiya | ଛ୍ହେଳି ଚରେଇବାର ଦିନ Chhēḷi carē'ibāra dina |
Gourahari Das | 2015 | Friend's Publication | 9789937893169 |
| Thai | มนุษย์แพะ Manut phæ |
Nawara | 2012 | Bō̜risat Sansakrit Čhamkat | 9786167356501 |
The translations into Tamil, Kannada and Hindi are due for release.[4]
Film adaptation[edit]
Director Blessy had announced that he would be making a film based on the book, titled Aadujeevitham. However, the author noted, "We are still in the discussion stage. Our plans for a film had to be postponed when we realised that its production cost would not be feasible for a Malayalam film. Now we are planning something on a larger scale and Prithviraj Sukumaran will play Najeeb's role.[2] "
However, in late 2017, Blessy had confirmed the eponymous film adaptation of the book as a Malayalam film. After months of speculation, in January 2018 composer A. R. Rahman confirmed in a press conference that he is making a comeback to Malayalam cinema as a composer with the film.[14][15]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 AllTimeBooks.com or Indianbooks.co.in. "Goat Days By Benyamin (translated by Joseph Koyipally) - Second Hand Books - from AllTimeBooks.com or Indianbooks.co.in and". Biblio.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Saraswathy Nagarajan (12 September 2012). "Arts / Books : 'I write for my satisfaction'". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
- ↑ "Goat Days". Caravanmagazine.in. Archived from the original on 6 August 2012. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Anandan, S. (6 December 2012). "Three Malayalis on the Man Asian longlist". The Hindu. Chennai, India.
- ↑ "aadujeevitham". Indulekha.com.
- ↑ "Words in Migration". outlookindia.com. 17 October 2011. Archived from the original on 11 October 2011. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
- ↑ Ghoshal, Somak (27 January 2013). "Beastly tales: A conversation with Benyamin". livemint.com. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ↑ "Goat Days". Penguin Books India. 15 July 2012. Archived from the original on 22 August 2012. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
- ↑ "Literary Awards". Government of Kerala. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
- ↑ December 27, Trisha Gupta New Delhi; January 6, 2019 ISSUE DATE; December 27, 2020UPDATED; Ist, 2019 18:12. "Books: Fiction should prophesy the future". India Today. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ↑ "From Saudi slave to inspiration: Meet Najeeb, the real life hero of 'Aadujeevitham'". thenewsminute.com. 13 January 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ↑ "Book review: Goat Days - Lifestyle - DNA". Daily News and Analysis. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
- ↑ "Koyippally's Benyamin, an intelligent work of translation- IBN Live". ibnlive.in.com. 14 August 2012. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
- ↑ "After 25 years, AR Rahman to return to Malayalam film industry with Prithviraj's Aadujeevitham". indianexpress.com. 17 January 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ↑ "Confirmed! A R Rahman to compose for Aadujeevitham". newindianexpress.com. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
External links[edit]
- Goat Days at Penguin Books official website
- Buy Aadujeevitham Malayalam Book at Pusthakam.net website
- ബെന്യാമിന്റെ ആടു ജീവിതം അറബിയിലേക്ക് at arabianewspaper.com Malayalam online news
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