https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Goat_DaysGoat Days - Revision history2026-07-31T00:36:02ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Goat_Days&diff=204523&oldid=prev>Vice regent at 17:00, 11 July 20212021-07-11T17:00:22Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{redirect|Aadujeevitham|the Malayalam film based on this novel|Aadujeevitham (film)}}<br />
{{short description|2008 novel by Benyamin}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}<br />
{{Infobox book<br />
| name = Goat Days<br />
| title_orig = Aadujeevithamm<br />
| translator = Joseph Koyippally<ref name="biblio1">{{cite web|author=AllTimeBooks.com or Indianbooks.co.in |url=http://biblio.co.uk/books/509775462.html |title=Goat Days By Benyamin (translated by Joseph Koyipally) - Second Hand Books - from AllTimeBooks.com or Indianbooks.co.in and |publisher=Biblio.co.uk |access-date=2012-07-26}}</ref><br />
| image = Adujivitam.jpg<br />
| image_size = 200px<br />
| caption = First edition (Malayalam)<br />
| author = [[Benyamin (writer)|Benyamin]]<br />
| illustrator = <br />
| cover_artist = <!--Joy Gosney--><br />
| country = India<br />
| language = [[Malayalam]]<br />
| series =<br />
| subject = <br />
| genre = Novel, fiction<br />
| publisher = [[Penguin Books]] <small>(English)</small><ref name="thehindu1">{{cite news|author=Saraswathy Nagarajan |url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/books/article3888796.ece |title=Arts / Books : 'I write for my satisfaction' |work=The Hindu|date=12 September 2012 |access-date=2012-10-18 |location=Chennai, India}}</ref><br />Green Books <small>(Malayalam)</small><br />
| pub_date = 15 July 2008<br />
| english_pub_date = 1 July 2012<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.caravanmagazine.in/Story/1433/Goat-Days.html |title=Goat Days |publisher=Caravanmagazine.in |access-date=2012-07-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120806061723/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/Story/1433/Goat-Days.html |archive-date=6 August 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> <br />
| media_type = <br />
| pages = 255<br />
| isbn = 978-01-4341-633-3<br />
| isbn_note= <small>(English)</small>, 978-81-8423-117-5 <small>(Malayalam)</small><br />
| oclc =<br />
| preceded_by = Abigeesan <small>(Malayalam)</small><br />
| followed_by = Manjaveyil Maranangal <small>(Malayalam)</small><br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''''Goat Days''''' (original title: {{lang-ml|ആടുജീവിതം}} '''''Aadujeevitham''''') is a 2008 [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]] novel about an abused [[Foreign workers in Saudi Arabia|migrant worker in Saudi Arabia]] written by [[Bahrain]]-based [[India]]n author [[Benyamin (writer)|Benyamin]] (born Benny Daniel).<ref name="Anandan">{{cite news| url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/three-malayalis-on-the-man-asian-longlist/article4169108.ece | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu | first=S. | last=Anandan | title=Three Malayalis on the Man Asian longlist | date=6 December 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=aadujeevitham|url=http://www.indulekha.com/aadujeevitham-benyamin|website=Indulekha.com}}</ref><br />
<br />
The novel is based on real-life events and was a best seller in [[Kerala]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.outlookindia.com/printarticle.aspx?278550 |title=Words in Migration |publisher=outlookindia.com |date=17 October 2011 |access-date=2012-07-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111011123912/http://outlookindia.com/printarticle.aspx?278550 |archive-date=11 October 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> 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.<ref name="thehindu1"/> The original Malayalam version of ''Goat Days'' has gone through over 100 reprints.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.livemint.com/Opinion/POMekzI7Lf7gwH8FmLfJ4O/Jaipur-Literature-Festival--Beastly-tales-A-conversation-w.html|title=Beastly tales: A conversation with Benyamin|first=Somak|last=Ghoshal|date=27 January 2013|website=livemint.com|access-date=9 April 2018}}</ref><br />
<br />
The novel depicts the life of Najeeb Muhammed, an [[Indians in Saudi Arabia|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|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".<ref name="biblio1"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.penguinbooksindia.com/en/content/goat-days |title=Goat Days |publisher=Penguin Books India |date=15 July 2012 |access-date=2012-10-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120822105621/http://penguinbooksindia.com/en/content/goat-days |archive-date=22 August 2012 }}</ref><br />
<br />
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 Sahitya Akademi|Kerala Literary Academy Award]] for Benyamin in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kerala.gov.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3065:aboutkerala-literary-awards&catid=271:about-kerala&Itemid=2379 |publisher=Government of Kerala |title=Literary Awards |access-date=18 August 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140701184347/http://kerala.gov.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3065:aboutkerala-literary-awards&catid=271:about-kerala&Itemid=2379 |archive-date=1 July 2014}}</ref><br />
<br />
The book is [[Book ban|banned]] in [[United Arab Emirates|UAE]] and [[Saudi Arabia]].<ref>{{Cite web|last1=December 27|first1=Trisha Gupta New Delhi|last2=January 6|first2=2019 ISSUE DATE|last3=December 27|first3=2020UPDATED|last4=Ist|first4=2019 18:12|title=Books: Fiction should prophesy the future|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20200106-books-magazine-leisure-1631591-2019-12-27|access-date=2020-12-18|website=India Today|language=en}}</ref><br />
<br />
== Plot ==<br />
The book is divided into four parts (Prison, Desert, Escape and Refuge).<br />
<br />
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 [[Arab states of the Persian Gulf|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<br />
<br />
And Now Najeeb Had turn into a beast without any cleanliness. (It is described in the story how he became...)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
Finally one night with the help of Ibrahim Khadiri, a [[Somali people|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]] <br />
, [[Riyadh]], At the Ibraham leaves Najeeb alone. Where Najeeb gets himself arrested by the [[Legal system of Saudi Arabia#Law enforcement|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 [[Immigration detention|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...<br />
<br />
== Main characters ==<br />
[[File:Benyamin speech.ogv|right|thumb|290px|Benyamin about his novel ''Goat Days'']]<br />
*[[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 mining|sand miner]] from Arattupuzha in [[Haripad]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thenewsminute.com/article/saudi-slave-inspiration-meet-najeeb-real-life-hero-aadujeevitham-74701|title=From Saudi slave to inspiration: Meet Najeeb, the real life hero of 'Aadujeevitham'|date=13 January 2018|website=thenewsminute.com|access-date=9 April 2018}}</ref> he is given the visa by a [[Karuvatta]]-based friend for {{INRConvert|30|k|year=1992}} as a helper in a construction company in [[Saudi Arabia]]. [[Najeeb Muhammed]] is a real life character.<br />
* ''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]]. <br />
* ''Ibrahim Khadiri''<br />
* ''Arab owner''<br />
* ''Hameed''<br />
* ''Kunjikka''<br />
* ''Sainu''<br />
<br />
== Meeting real-life Najeeb Muhammed==<br />
Recounting his meeting with the real-life Najeeb, Benyamin reminisces:<br />
:: {{cquote|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.}}<br />
The reluctant Najeeb who wanted to forget his past had to be coaxed to recount his story.<ref name="thehindu1"/><br />
<br />
== Translations ==<br />
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.<ref name="thehindu1"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/review_book-review-goat-days_1738590 |title=Book review: Goat Days - Lifestyle - DNA |work=Daily News and Analysis|access-date=2012-10-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://ibnlive.in.com/news/goat-days-an-intelligent-translation-by-koyippally/282279-40.html |archive-url= https://archive.today/20130126042743/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/goat-days-an-intelligent-translation-by-koyippally/282279-40.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= 26 January 2013 |title= Koyippally's Benyamin, an intelligent work of translation- IBN Live|publisher= ibnlive.in.com |date= 14 August 2012|access-date=2012-10-26}}</ref><br />
<br />
===Other translations===<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|-<br />
! Language<br />
! Title<br />
! Translator<br />
! Year<br />
! Publisher<br />
! ISBN<br />
|-<br />
| [[Arabic language|Arabic]]<br />
| ايام الماعز <br />''Ayyāmu l-māʻiz''<br /><br />
| Suhail Wafy<br />
| 2015<br />
| Maktabat Afāq<br />
| 9789996659812<br />
|-<br />
| [[Nepali language|Nepali]]<br />
| खबुज <br />''Khabuja''<br /><br />
| Dinesh Kaafle<br />
| 2015<br />
| FinePrint Books<br />
| 9789937893169<br />
|-<br />
| [[Odiya language|Odiya]]<br />
| ଛ୍ହେଳି ଚରେଇବାର ଦିନ <br />''Chhēḷi carē'ibāra dina''<br /><br />
| [[Gourahari Das]]<br />
| 2015<br />
| Friend's Publication<br />
| 9789937893169<br />
|-<br />
| [[Thai language|Thai]]<br />
| มนุษย์แพะ <br />''Manut phæ''<br /><br />
| Nawara<br />
| 2012<br />
| Bō̜risat Sansakrit Čhamkat<br />
| 9786167356501<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
<br />
The translations into [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[Kannada language|Kannada]] and [[Hindi]] are due for release.<ref name="Anandan"/><br />
<br />
== Film adaptation ==<br />
{{Main|Aadujeevitham (film)}}<br />
<br />
Director [[Blessy]] had announced that he would be making a film based on the book, titled ''[[Aadujeevitham (film)|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.<ref name="thehindu1"/> "<br />
<br />
However, in late 2017, Blessy had confirmed the eponymous film adaptation of the book as a [[Malayalam cinema|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/ar-rahman-to-return-to-malayalam-film-industry-with-prithviraj-aadujeevitham-5028303/|title=After 25 years, AR Rahman to return to Malayalam film industry with Prithviraj's Aadujeevitham|date=17 January 2018|website=indianexpress.com|access-date=9 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/malayalam/2018/jan/17/confirmed-a-r-rahman-to-compose-for-aadujeevitham-1756945.html|title=Confirmed! A R Rahman to compose for Aadujeevitham|website=newindianexpress.com|access-date=9 April 2018}}</ref><br />
<br />
== See also ==<br />
* ''[[Aadujeevitham (film)|Aadujeevitham]]''<br />
* [[Arabikkatha]]<br />
* [[Gaddama]]<br />
* [[Jhumpa Lahiri]]<br />
* [[Bharati Mukerjee]]<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
<references /><br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120822105621/http://penguinbooksindia.com/en/content/goat-days ''Goat Days''] at [[Penguin Books]] official website<br />
* Buy [https://www.pusthakam.net/book/aadujeevitham-by-benyamin-malayalam-book-buy ''Aadujeevitham Malayalam Book''] at Pusthakam.net website<br />
* [http://arabianewspaper.com/malayalam-news/read/3637/aatujeevitham-of-benyamin-to-get-arabic-version.html ''ബെന്യാമിന്റെ ആടു ജീവിതം അറബിയിലേക്ക്''] at [[arabianewspaper.com]] Malayalam online news<br />
<br />
{{Malayalam Literature |state=collapsed}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia]]<br />
[[Category:Novels about slavery]]<br />
[[Category:Malayalam novels]]<br />
[[Category:2008 Indian novels]]<br />
[[Category:Novels set in Saudi Arabia]]<br />
[[Category:Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award-winning works]]<br />
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