India, April 4 -- In The Day the Earth Bloomed (translated by J Devika), Manoj Kuroor imagines jallikattu, the sport of taming bulls in Tamil Nadu, as it took place in the Sangam era, which spanned from 3rd century BCE to 3rd century CE. Kuroor's novel is dedicated to the singing and dancing community of those times, and the presence of this sport implies the importance it holds in the history of south India. In this 2000-year-old tradition, bulls with rewards hung between their horns are let into the arena through the vaadivaasal (gate). Whoever subdues the bulls, snatches the reward.

Appupen and Perumal Murugan have adapted Vaadivaasal by CS Chellappa into a graphic novel for contemporary readers. A renowned Tamil writer, journalist an...