I Have Become the Tide
| Industry | Publishing |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | India |
| Products | Books |
I Have Become the Tide is a novel released in 2019 by Githa Hariharan and published through Simon & Schuster India. This work represents her sixth novel overall and her third that delves into themes related to modern India. Originally issued in English, a Malayalam version was subsequently made available in 2020 by Mathrubhumi Books.
Background
Githa Hariharan is an acclaimed Indian author and editor, recognized for her contributions to short stories, novels, nonfiction essays, and curated anthologies. The title of I Have Become the Tide is inspired by a poem authored by JV Pawar, an excerpt of which serves as the book’s epigraph:
- I am the sea; I rise, I swell.
- I advance to construct your tombs.
- The winds, storms, sky, earth.
- All now belong to me.
- In every fragment of the growing struggle
- I remain steadfast.
Hariharan has conveyed that the novel was born out of her belief that contemporary Indian writers must confront persistent social inequalities impacting millions. In a 2019 conversation with Firstpost, she remarked that the book was composed "with Rohith Vemula, and all the Rohiths of India, in the same room," alluding to social justice activism. She further characterized it as "more than a novel. It is my civic declaration at this juncture in our shared existence."
Overview
The narrative structure comprises three interwoven storylines, each reflecting histories of Dalit resistance against the entrenched caste system responsible for their long-standing social and economic exclusion. One storyline follows a poetry professor investigating the origins of poet-saint Kannadeva. Another focuses on three Dalit students striving for advanced education. The third is set in historical South India and centers on the life of a cattle skinner’s son.
Reception
Sharanya Manivannan, writing for The Hindu Business Line, describes the novel as "essential reading for contemporary India," emphasizing its compelling poetry and candid depiction of persistent animosity. Soni Wadhwa in the Deccan Herald observes that Hariharan "challenges the assumption that poetry and devotion are exclusive to the privileged," presenting a renewed conversation on oppression that refuses submission.
Ragini Mohite from The Hong Kong Book Review underscores the critical role of Dalit narratives amid ongoing violence faced by the community. Saudamini Jain at the Hindustan Times regards the novel as well-intentioned but critiques its trio of interconnected plots as somewhat simplified reflections of real-life incidents involving figures like Rohith Vemula and MM Kalburgi, alongside elements from the 12th-century Bhakti movement.
Latha Anantharaman in The Hindu notes that the struggles experienced by the three students resonate broadly with those encountering discrimination within educational settings. Harsh Mander at Scroll.in highlights how the story culminates with a modern Dalit uprising inspired by the Bhim Army. Ram Sarangan of The Indian Express characterizes it as both an urgent appeal for change and an uplifting tale where acts of resistance merge into an advancing tide.
Publication history
- 2019, India, Simon & Schuster India, , Hardcover
- 2019, India, Simon & Schuster India, , Digital edition
- 2020, India, Simon & Schuster India, , Paperback
- 2020, India, Mathrubhumi Books, , Paperback (Malayalam translation by Johny M. L.)