Book Review of Malayalam novel Aadujeevitham(Life of Goat) by Benyamin

One of my most favorite novel is 'Aadujeevitham' by Benyamin. This novel creates the real life of a Gulf Malayalee who worked in the desert. This is one such book which is full of life and made tears in our eyes. Also, this novel gave a message that lot of sufferings of the normal gulf malayali(pravasi).This was the state award winning novel and is going to be a Malayalam movie.

Benyamin, the novelist's hero is Najeeb,a common Malayali. Najeeb wish to work in a good
environment,send money to home and also he wish to lead a luxurious life. This is the wish of common people. In gulf,Najeeb got trapped. He cheated and reached to the desert where he was assigned to look after sheep and camels under a cruel man 'Arabab'. There,he doesn't know the language,and he is totally far away from the human interaction. These days were an extreme sufferings to him. He had no proper food,no shelter and no way for human basic needs. Through his utter bas experiences in life he turned himself as one of the goats and his life one like a goat. He started talking to them,eat with them and also he shared the experiences of his life to them. He thought that these animals were better that men. But at these says he had a hope which will brings freedom and the sufferings with goat and the brutal 'arabab'. He had a hope in life and the god too....

"The story narrated in the book was the real life of a person" the author said. Benyamin interviewed and extracted the best from the person who suffered the life of Najeeb,in real life. That means the story was a real life experience,not created. But he mixed lot of thoughts and imagination for the better reading. This shows the talent of the writer. There are much characters along with the hero. That is Hakkim and Hameed. Hakkim is an innocent man who spend most of his time with Najeeb before the life with goat. If we tried to understand th life of the hero,definitely it makes tears from our eyes...No doubt....

                                                                                         Parvathy.R.Menon