'If you think Partition happened in 1947 and it’s over, you are mistaken': 'Tomb of Sand' author Geetanjali Shree

Geetanjali Shree, the author of 2022 International Booker Prize-winning novel Tomb of Sand/Ret Samadhi. (Photo courtesy Jaipur Literature Festival)

International Booker Prize-winning author Geetanjali Shree was among one of the speakers at the recently-concluded Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) 2023. Originally published as Ret Samadhi, its English translation by Daisy Rockwell, Tomb of Sand, became the first Hindi novel to be awarded the prestigious honour in 2022.

Geetanjali Shree's 'Ret Samadhi'/'Tomb of Sand', the 2022 International Booker Prize winner.

In a conversation with Shree, who was at the just-concluded Jaipur Literature Festival, she speaks about the book and what she thinks about literature festivals. Edited excerpts:

Do you recall the anticipation and build-up to the International Booker prize? What was running through your mind at the time?

I’m afraid I am too mature a person. It was not a moment I was desperately waiting for. I was very calm about it and for me, the shortlist recognition was already a complete recognition. I was not sitting and thinking ‘will I get it or not?’ That’s not my nature. As it happened, the Booker prize evening is a long evening filled with several hours of speeches and readings among various things. After a couple of hours, I began to feel the tension of the evening. I just wanted it to be announced quickly. When the announcement was made, I did not for a few seconds even hear my name, so I looked quite glazed and blank. My nephew who was sitting in front of me suddenly shot up and started doing the bhangra! When I saw that, I realised something had happened and I looked at the stage and realised our book’s name had been announced.

How was the process of translation and working with Daisy Rockwell?

It was very painstaking but it was very detailed and lovely and I knew I was working with somebody who cares for literature, language and nuances. I knew it was someone who cares for this book and, therefore, I was almost sure that she would be doing a great piece of work.

Partition, as a subject, has been explored time and again by writers. Why do you think writers engage with it ever so often and why it resonates with the readers?

That is because Partition is very much a part of our reality and it is not finished. It has not resolved anything. Partition, in different kinds of new ways, is still keeping alive all kinds of wounds and creating new wounds. If you think it happened in 1947 and it’s over, you are mistaken. It is very much a part of our lives. We are still a divided family, divided people and divided hearts. There are lots of painful stories on both sides and a lot of love which both sides are not able to express to each other. There is a lot of politics and scheming as well which is keeping the Partition going.

You have been a part of JLF earlier as well. How has your experience been at such literature events? Who are the writers you like to listen to?

I like to listen to new writers as well as writers I have already read. I have been associated with the Jaipur Literature Festival from its beginnings. I haven’t come every year but I have come every few years. I have seen it grow from a smaller space, much more for writers writing in English in the beginning to a much more mixed gathering of writers and a huge audience. So, I have really seen it grow from strength to strength and madness to madness. The other thing is that it has inspired so many other literature festivals all over the country. Sometimes, I think it’s too much but then I look at the world which is going so wrong with so many terrible things happening that are dividing people. Even wars are happening in this very modern progressive world of ours. In the middle of that, what is it that is actually trying to bring people together to discuss ideas, literature, arts and love each other and disagree with each other with love but literature fests? So, I have great admiration for all literature festivals now.