Rahulsoman at 19:54, 19 September 2021

2021-09-19T19:54:30Z

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{{short description|Malayalam Novel}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox book

| name = Aarachaar
| image = Aarachaar.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = First edition
| alt =
| author = [[K. R. Meera]]
| title_orig =
| translator = J. Devika
| illustrator =
| cover_artist =
| country = India
| language = [[Malayalam]]
| series =
| subject =
| genre = Novel
| publisher = [[DC Books]] (Malayalam)
| publisher2 = [[Hamish Hamilton]] (English)
| pub_date = {{Start date|2012|12|}}
| english_pub_date = {{Start date||}}
| media_type =
| pages = 552
| awards = [[Sahitya Akademi Award]], [[Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award]], [[Odakkuzhal Award]], [[Vayalar Award]]
| isbn = 9788126439362
| oclc =
| dewey =
| congress =
| preceded_by =
| preceded_by_quotation_marks =
| followed_by =
| followed_by_quotation_marks =
| wikisource =
}}
'''''Aarachaar''''' ({{transl|ml|Ārāccāṟ}} {{lit|[[Executioner]]}}; {{trans|''Hangwoman: Everyone Loves a Good Hanging''}}) is a [[Malayalam]] novel written by [[K. R. Meera]].<ref>Meena T. Pillai (30 August 2013). [http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/goddess-of-death/article5072735.ece "Goddess of Death"]. ''The Hindu''. Retrieved 23 March 2014.</ref> Originally serialised in ''[[Madhyamam Weekly]]'' in continuous 53 volumes, the novel was published as a book by [[DC Books]] in 2012. It was translated by J. Devika into English under the title '''''Hangwoman: Everyone Loves a Good Hanging''''' ([[Hamish Hamilton]], 2014).

Set in [[Bengal]], it tells the story of a family of executioners with a long lineage, beginning in the fourth century BC. The protagonist of the novel, Chetna, is a strong and tenacious woman who struggles to inherit this profession.

According to noted literary critic [[M. Leelavathy]], ''Aarachaar'' is one of the best literary works produced in Malayalam and follows the legacy of [[O. V. Vijayan]]'s classic work ''[[Khasakkinte Itihasam]]''.<ref>[http://www.dcbooks.com/odakkuzhal-award-presented-to-k-r-meera.html "ആരാച്ചാര്‍ മലയാളത്തിലെ ഏറ്റവും നല്ല നോവലുകളിലൊന്ന് : ഡോ. എം ലീലാവതി"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140323151417/http://www.dcbooks.com/odakkuzhal-award-presented-to-k-r-meera.html |date=2014-03-23 }}. DC Books. 3 February 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2014.</ref> The novel received the [[2013 Kerala Sahitya Akademi Awards|2013 Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/pdf/Akademi%20Award%20-%202013_final.pdf |title=2013-ലെ കേരള സാഹിത്യ അക്കാദമി അവാർഡുകൾ പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ചു |publisher=[[Kerala Sahitya Akademi]] |date=December 2014 |access-date=28 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613132951/http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/pdf/Akademi%20Award%20-%202013_final.pdf |archive-date=13 June 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/Sahitya-Akademi-award-for-Meeras-Aarachar/articleshow/45583043.cms|title=Sahitya Akademi award for Meera's 'Aarachar'|newspaper=The Times of India|date=20 December 2014|access-date=23 December 2014}}</ref> It was also awarded the [[Malayalam literary awards#Odakkuzhal Award|Odakkuzhal Award]] in 2013,<ref>[http://www.dcbooks.com/odakuzhal-award-to-k-r-meeeras-aarachar.html "കെ ആര്‍ മീരയുടെ ആരാച്ചാറിന് ഓടക്കുഴല്‍ പുരസ്‌കാരം"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140114234501/http://www.dcbooks.com/odakuzhal-award-to-k-r-meeeras-aarachar.html |date=2014-01-14 }}. DC books. 12 January 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2014.</ref> [[Vayalar Award]] in 2014,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/vayalar-award-for-kr-meera/article6493101.ece |title=Vayalar Award for Meera|date=12 October 2014|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=14 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/k-r-meera-gets-vayalar-award-114101100489_1.html|title=K R Meera gets Vayalar award|date=11 October 2014|work=[[Business Standard]]|access-date=11 October 2014}}</ref> [[Sahitya Akademi Award]] in 2015,<ref>[http://english.manoramaonline.com/news/just-in/kr-meera-aarachaar-kendra-sahitya-akademi-award-malayalam.html "KR Meera wins Kendra Sahitya Akademi award"]{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. ''[[Malayala Manorama]]''. 17 December 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.</ref> and [[Muttathu Varkey Award]] in 2018. It was also shortlisted for the 2016 [[DSC Prize for South Asian Literature]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/meeras-hangwoman-in-dsc-prize-shortlist/article7926261.ece|title=Meera’s Hangwoman in DSC prize shortlist|date=28 November 2015|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=5 December 2015}}</ref>

== Plot ==
The story is narrated from the perspective of Chetna Grddha Mullick, daughter of hangman Phanibhushan Grddha Mullick, whose family lives near Nimtala Ghat in [[Chitpur]], [[Kolkata]]. Chetna lives with her father, mother, brother (Ramu da), grandmother (Thakuma) father's brother (whom she calls Kaku) and his wife (Kakima). She is twenty two years old, and had been an intelligent student, scoring distinction in her plus two. However, due to financial constraints, she does not study further. Her mother and Kakima sell tea to make ends meet at home. They live in poverty since the number of executions have only been decreasing in the last few decades. Meanwhile, Phanibhushan remains in significant media scrutiny because of his job, but he is very particular about not having Chetna's photograph in the public eye. This is because of what happened to his son, Ramu da, Chetna's older brother. Phanibhushan had been the hangman at the execution of Amartya Ghosh, who had murdered a Kolkata industrialist Chandresen Ghosh and his three children. Amartya Ghosh's parents came to Phanibhushan, begging to somehow prevent their son's execution. However, Phani is adamant that he cannot let his judgment get in the way of his profession, and refuses to listen to them. Two days after Amartya's execution, his father follows Ramu da, Phani's son, back from college and hacks his limbs. This leaves Phani's only son disabled and depressed. Phani, therefore, is keen that his daughter Chetna get a government job after his retirement since he has no one else who can take care of the family once he is gone. Phani takes great pride in his profession and the lineage of his family, which has for a long time been in this profession.

In late May, the family awaits the result of the mercy petition for Jatindranath Banerjee's execution, so that they would know if Phanibhushan has to be the hangman for his execution or not. Sanjeev Kumar Mitra, a news reporter for CNC, covers the story about Jatindranath's execution. For this reason, he visits Phanibhushan. Chetna is attracted to him due to his charismatic appearance and charming speech. However, he verbally abuses her in private. Mitra helps Phanibhushan to try to convince government officials to give the job of the executioner to Chetna, thereby making her the first hangwoman in the country. Later, he asks Phanibhushan for her hand in marriage which he readily agrees because Mitra is an intelligent journalist whom Phani respects.

==References==
{{Reflist}}
*http://www.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/k-r-meera-bags-sahitya-academy-award-malayalam-news-1.741303

==External links==
* [http://onlinestore.dcbooks.com/books/aarachar ''Aarachaar''] at [[DC Books]] official website

{{Vayalar Awards}}
{{Malayalam Literature |state=collapsed}}

[[Category:2012 Indian novels]]
[[Category:Malayalam novels]]
[[Category:Novels set in Bengal]]
[[Category:DC Books books]]
[[Category:Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award-winning works]]

Aarachaar - Revision history

Rahulsoman at 19:54, 19 September 2021