‘A masterpiece’ – Namita Gokhale
‘A deeply thought-provoking book’ – Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
‘[A] deeply meaningful reimagining of the encounter between Rama and Sabari’ – Arshia Sattar
ABOUT THE BOOK
Sabari’s encounter with Rama is an important episode in the Ramayana. But who was Sabari, a forest-dweller who became Rama’s ardent devotee? In On the Banks of the Pampa, award-winning writer Volga narrates the tale of Sabari, born of aranyavasis, once forced into slavery by a power-seeking state, which she breaks free from. It traces the journey of her spiritual awakening and birth into a voice of dissent for the oppressed and dispossessed. Sabari’s is a narrative entwined with the forest along the Pampa river—one she comes to dwell in and is at one with.
Poignant and piercing, this concluding volume in Volga’s trilogy of feminist retellings of the Indian epics drives us to reconsider the meaning of dharma, and rejects ideologies that legitimize conquest and the exploitation of nature. Powerfully translated into English by Purnima Tammireddy, this is a story of resistance—a story for the times we live in, drawn from the classic tale we know so well.
VOLGA says, ‘I’m truly delighted that my novel On the Banks of the Pampa, translated into English by Purnima Tammireddy, is being published by HarperCollins. This novel explores the violence of kingdoms built on the lives of forest-dwellers and the destruction of nature in the name of civilization. Through the voices of Matanga Muni and Sabari, it challenges caste, untouchability, and human supremacy. Sabari becomes a voice for nature—arguing not for conquest, but for coexistence. I hope this story of resistance and belonging inspires readers to imagine a more compassionate way of living with the earth.’
Purnima Tammireddy, translator of On the Banks of the Pampa says, ‘In an era marked by apprehension about artificial intelligence, Volga’s new novel On the Banks of the Pampa turns the lens inward by questioning human intelligence and the very foundations of our knowledge systems. It gently reminds us that any progress made at the cost of nature and other beings is no true progress at all. Translating this novel has been both an honour and a deeply personal opportunity, because I believe it raises urgent questions about our choices and invites us to confront what we so often choose to ignore.’
Rinita Banerjee, Senior Editor – Literary, HarperCollins India says, ‘It is truly a privilege for us at HarperCollins India to be able to bring to readers On the Banks of the Pampa, a novel by the award-winning writer Volga masterfully translated into English by Purnima Tammireddy. This is a profound reimagining of a tale from the Ramayana, which propels us to think beyond everything that divides us and envision a
world where nature is no less, nor separate from us human beings, and hierarchies of religion, caste, gender carry no weight. We hope readers enjoy this work of fiction while also finding through it a voice that makes such a world possible.’
