Book Review - Khabuj by Benyamin

Name : Khabuj

Author : Benyamin 

Publisher : Fineprint Publications 

First Published : 2015 

Pages: 166

Genre : Fiction, Novella, 

Language : Nepali 

Translator : Dinesh Kafle

Original Text : Aadujeevitham (Malayalam)

Book Blurb 

Najeeb's dearest wish is to work in the Gulf and earn enough money to send back home. He achieves his dream only to be propelled by a series of incidents, grim and absurd, into a slave-like existence herding goats in the middle of the Saudi desert. Memories of the lush, verdant landscape of his village and of his loving family haunt Najeeb whose only solace is the companionship of goats. In the end, the lonely young man contrives a hazardous scheme to escape his desert prison. Goat Days was published to acclaim in Malayalam and became a bestseller. One of the brilliant new talents of Malayalam literature, Benyamin s wry and tender telling transforms this strange and bitter comedy of Najeeb s life in the desert into a universal tale of loneliness and alienation

With a life like and gripping story aided by a brilliant use of language, this book certainly takes the reader in such a painful and terrible journey that unfortunately many people do take in real life under various unfortunate circumstances. 

Theme 

Najeeb is a poor man from Kerala who wishes to go for foreign employment so that he can support his family better, that he can put a smile on his mother's face and do something for his wife as well. He hopes to earn a little fortune in some years and spend life happily thereafter. But destiny had other plans. In Saudi Arabia, he is kept in slave like conditions in the boiling deserts among goats. While he doesn't know enough Arabic at first , he gathers slowly what his condition has turned to be. All he can do is dream of his little village, his family. Tortured and frustrated, he spends countless days looking after goats ,learning how to keep them and even starts naming the goats as his friends.The time he spends in such conditions seem simply hellish and sends a chill down the spine to any reader. 

The story of how Najeeb spends his days in such terrible conditions, how he makes friend with another person names Hameed who's also from his state and how they try to escape from such hell is the theme of Khabuj. Will they ever be able to escape from their goat farm in the middle of nowhere where only sands can be seen in different directions. Will they be caught by the authorities ? Or will the authorities help him? 

Writing 

The book is superbly written. Although its often said that the true essence of literature is somewhere lost in between translations, this book made me think a little about it.If the translation is this beautiful, how would the original text be ! The beauty of words truly bring out the pain that the protagonist is suffering as if you were to feel it yourself. It is no wonder why the book is often labeled as one of the greatest in Malayalam literature of recent times. As for country like Nepal where large mass of youth leave the country for foreign employment, it is easily relatable. 

Dialogue 

As it reads more of a story told in first person , there were very fee dialogue to judge upon. But the dialogue as they are reflect ,in their entirety, the beauty of literature and agony of the ongoing story.They are sensible and feel like of the real world. 

My Rating 

Cover : 3

Plot : 4 

Writing : 4

Overall : 3.5 

Recommendations 

Honestly, I can't think of any sort of readers who ought not to read this masterpiece. And that says it all. And as a Nepali, it's must read. One of my favourite books of all time.