Booker winning author Geetanjali Shree’s event in Agra cancelled over 'hurt sentiments'

An event scheduled to be held in Uttar Pradesh's Agra on Saturday to felicitate International Booker Prize winner Geetanjali Shree was called off because of a complaint filed against her prize-winning novel Ret Samadhi.

The complainant, a resident of neighbouring Hathras, alleged earlier this week that the book contains “objectionable comments” about Hindu deities Shiva and Parvati.

As the matter came to light, Shree told the organisers that she was hurt and did not wish to attend any public events for the time being.

“My novel is forcefully being dragged into a political controversy,” the author told the organisers. “The references made in the novel are integral part of Indian mythology. Those who have objections to these descriptions, should challenge the Hindu mythological texts in the court.”

Shree’s Ret Samadhi, translated into English by Daisy Rockwell as Tomb of Sand, has won the International Booker Prize. It is the first Hindi novel, and the first from India as well as South Asia, to win the award, which is for translated works of fiction from around the world.