{"product_id":"the-wanderer","title":"The Wanderer by V. Shinilal - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eTranslated by the joint-winner of the JCB Prize for Literature 2021.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Sampark Kranti Express is travelling from Thiruvananthapuram to Chandigarh. It’s pulling a vintage steam engine called the Wanderer, which will be exhibited in the Republic Day parade in Delhi. This train travelling across the length of India carries a cross-section of the Indian populace. One of its travellers, Karamchand (named so after Mahatma Gandhi), through the intersection of his observations along the journey, his memories, and the history of the places the train passes through creates a fantastic, parallel journey along the one he is already on.\u003cbr\u003eLandmarks in the history of India—the construction of railways in India by the British, the notorious Portuguese sailor Almeida’s attacks on ports in Kerala, the 1857 mutiny, the Chauri Chaura incident, the Godhra riots find mention in the novel.\u003cbr\u003eAmong the travellers on the train are John, a British wildlife photographer; three TTEs; an Indian woman carrying a Pakistani man’s child; a sex worker who is a rape victim; Gujarati pilgrims returning from Rameshwaram; even Narendra Dabholkar, with whom Karamchand discussion the ideas of nation and nationalism, though Dabholkar is killed en route.\u003cbr\u003eV. Shinilal’s award-winning political novel, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eThe Wanderer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e talks about reservation, farmer suicides and many other burning issues. The themes of caste, class and gender are depicted through different characters as well as the structure of the train. Karamchand’s statement, ‘a train is a small biopsy section of India’ perfectly sums up this very pertinent novel.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eV. Shinilal is a popular, contemporary Malayalam novelist and short story writer. He hails from Nedumangad, near Thiruvananthapuram and works for the Indian Railways.\u003cbr\u003eHis major works include the novels \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eUdal Bhauthikam, Adi, 124\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eIru\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and the short story collections \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eChola, Buddhapadham, Garisappa Aruvi Adhava Oru Jalayathra\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eNaroda Patyayil Ninnulla Bus.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eShinilal is a recipient of the inaugural Karoor Award (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eUdal Bhauthikam\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e), Padmarajan Award (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003e124\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e) in 2021. He is the winner of the O.V. Vijayan Award in 2023. His works have been translated into many other Indian languages. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eSampark Kranti (The Wanderer)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e was awarded the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for the best novel in 2022.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eAbout the Translator\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNandakumar K.’s co-translation of M. Mukundan’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eDelhi Gadhakal, Delhi: A Soliloquy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, won the JCB Prize for Literature in 2021. His other translations are: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eA Thousand Cuts (Attupokaatha Ormakal)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, the autobiography of Professor T.J. Joseph; \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eThe Lesbian Cow and Other Stories\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e by Indu Menon; \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eIn the Name of the Lord (Karthavinte Namathil)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, the autobiography of Sr Lucy Kalappura; \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eElephantam Misophantam (Aanaththam Piriyaththam), Anthill (Puttu)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eBlackened (Karikkottakkary)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e by Vinoy Thomas; and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eZin\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e by Haritha Savithri. Nandakumar is the grandson of Mahakavi Vallathol Narayana Menon. He lives in Dubai and works for a shipping line as a business.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Westland","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41999595536450,"sku":null,"price":599.0,"currency_code":"INR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0263\/4884\/7170\/files\/227918661.jpg?v=1740132169","url":"https:\/\/koolskoolbookstore.com\/products\/the-wanderer","provider":"KoolSkool The Bookstore","version":"1.0","type":"link"}