Book: A Man Eater in Kasan Kadu

Author: Balamurugan K A

Publication Details: Notion Press, December 22, 2023

ISBN-13: 979-8891869912

PP: 170 

Genre: Fiction 

It was long overdue! The book opens with Gayathri Balamurugan’s beautiful yet horrific pencil art depicting the opening mouth of hell, a tiger. It’s intensely opening, to say the least! Beyond the artistic depiction, the author’s heartfelt tribute to Jim Corbett and Kenneth Anderson is a testament to his deep appreciation for their work. 

About the Book: 

The novel has 20 chapters, each depicting a single event—one, two, three, twenty. An assistant professor’s foreword tries to bring out the best of the story in glimpses. The story opens with a significant episode of a tiger going loose. What more could you ask for? And then, the hunt begins. However, it is the other way round: a tiger on its hunting spree, killing people one by one without being noticed until one day. It may be a long read. 

Writing Style: 

The novel is like a novel. You cannot expect fast jumps from scene A to scene B. The novelist Balamurugan follows a process: a description of the place, people, and natural richness, followed by the primary business (of telling the story). While it suits those who may have read the novels by R K Narayan or (a level above) Raja Rao, readers who have dealt with contemporary fiction might find navigating through this story of a man-eater a little tricky. 

The episodes of hunting by the tiger are vivid and well-sketched. Readers will find those moments enjoyable, even with the fierce action sequence of someone’s life slowly succumbing to the brutal, masculine strength of the tiger! 

“The tiger sprung on him from below, got his chest below the arm, and started pulling him out. Since the attack was sudden, his left hand lost its grip, and Muthu fell out of the window.”

(E-book 69)

With these details, you see, reading the work becomes surprising. It’s almost as dramatic as finding a tiger out of the bushes when you are not expecting something like this to happen! The author takes charge of the narrative and seldom lets his grip loose, except when he overdrives the depiction and surface painting before putting the actual colours of the story on the pages. 

Something I Truly Appreciate: 

The novel offers a vivid description of the village life in Tamil Nadu. How people live, socialise, get together, solve problems, stand for each other, and reel through different life episodes are all details in the novel by Balamurugan. I want to mention one episode. In chapter eight, there is a description of an attempted robbery at Velmurugan’s house. Not only his bravery and the quick wit of the family, it is also remarkable that the author cared to mention how the villagers turn up to the aid as quickly as possible. A simple description of the village life is the strength of this novel. I hope many will appreciate this fact. 

Summarised, Argued, and That’s IT!

I suggest reading this novel. Anyone who loves to read a work of fiction adorned with quality language, a splendid story told in episodes, and a detailed description of a tiger’s men-hunt should read this book by Balamurugan K A. A Man Eater in Kasan Kadu is a novel worthy of your time. It might be over-stretched and prosaic at times. However, that’s a splendid tool of fiction used by the author to paint the canvas green with the rustic life of Tamil Nadu, something we entirely miss in modern literature (mostly). 

You can get a copy from Amazon India. Click here to go to Amazon.

Madhav for Indian Book Critics