Review: Vaadivaasal by CS Chellappa, adapted by Appupen and Perumal Murugan

In The Day the Earth Bloomed (translated by J Devika), Manoj Kuroor imagines jallikattu, the sport of taming bulls in Tamil Nadu, as it took place in the Sangam era, which spanned from 3rd century BCE to 3rd century CE. Kuroor’s novel is dedicated to the singing and dancing community of those times, and the presence of this sport implies the importance it holds in the history of south India. In this 2000-year-old tradition, bulls with rewards hung between their horns are let into the arena through the vaadivaasal (gate). Whoever subdues the bulls, snatches the reward.

Appupen and Perumal Murugan have adapted Vaadivaasal by CS Chellappa into a graphic novel for contemporary readers. A renowned Tamil writer, journalist and Gandhian, Chellappa participated in the Indian freedom struggle, founded the literary magazine Ezhuthu, and published over 109 short stories and 50 articles. His novella, published in 1949, is a modern classic. This first fictional account of the jallikattu was earlier translated from Tamil as The Arena by N Kalyan Raman in 2013, amidst the rising discussion on and resistance to the sport with regard to animal cruelty and loss of human life.

At first glance, this seems to be a tale of man vs beast. Pichi, the protagonist, attends the jallikattu in Chellayipuram to defeat Kaari, the untamed bull, who had killed his father a couple of years before. If he manages to do it, Pichi will fulfil his father’s last wish and restore the family’s honour. However, this seemingly simple tale is also a tale of power. Kaari is the prized possession of a wealthy and respected zamindar. People look forward to seeing Kaari in action and the fights that take place during the event are a show of brute force. Despite his intention, the zamindar blesses Pichi and later helps him to get his wounds treated. As the story advances, the reader is bound to ask, are humans crueller than a beast who is kept agitated for an event that leads to the gory deaths of men?

The graphic novel has text only where absolutely necessary. It is Appupen’s illustrations that take the plot forward. He begins by giving the lay of the land: plain lands spread far and wide till the eyes can see, with palm trees in the foreground and background. The landscapes pull readers in before the text introduces the people moving towards the arena. As they near the space, the closeups of their faces and the wide-angle landscapes give the impression of a camera smoothly zooming in and out showcasing the grandeur of the event. The setting and attire of people give the impression that the story is a faithful adaptation of Chellapa’s work. When they step out of grids, the characters seem to come alive as 3D figures.

In black and white illustrations without any onomatopoeic texts, the cheer of the crowd as the bulls thump their way in through the vaadivaasal is almost audible. The illustrations further the readers’ imagination as they adapt the visuals into an auditory clip in their minds. The action sequence between Pichi and Kaari, the bull, is undoubtedly the most vivid one of the novel with each movement, of both man and beast, being highlighted and brought to life. The details of grabbing the bull’s hump, hitting its legs, and bending its horns showcase the intricacies of the sport. Each move makes the blood rush in the readers’ veins as they glide from one grid to another, seeking the result with as much anticipation as the fictional crowd, if not more.

Readers familiar with the works of Perumal Murugan will find themselves musing over the ending. Like many of his books, this one too shocks with its last word or image. It leaves you thinking about the pride that society continues to uphold; pride that’s more important than the lives of men and animals. In adapting this novel, Murugan and Appupen have drawn attention to a jewel of Tamil fiction and have also allowed readers to form an opinion on the ethics of jallikattu. Though the bull is intentionally agitated before entering the arena, one of the rules is that the beast’s blood cannot be spilled. The reader wonders if the cruelty is towards man or beast, and ponders about where she stands on the question of continuing a wildly popular tradition that leads to the loss of human lives.

Vaadivaasal: The Arena is an immersive experience and those unfamiliar with Appupen’s work will be keen to explore his earlier titles like The Dystopic Times, Legends of Halahala, and Dream Machine. Those who are familiar with it will be equally intrigued by the range of illustrations in this volume, which, quite like the earlier ones, encourages visual storytelling. It demonstrates that when the art is accessible, an impactful story can be told with minimal text.

Vaadivaasal not only lets the past into the present, it brings artists and readers together, allowing both to relish different forms of storytelling and expand their worlds.

Akankshya Abismruta is an independent writer.