Displacement is a complex problem that affects the lives of millions worldwide, and these changes often have social, psychological, and economic consequences. To uproot oneself physically from home and land is a process that is not only physical but also deeply emotional and cultural. Perumal Murugan’s novel Rising Heat (Trans. by Janani Kannan, 2020) portrays a rural family forced to abandon their ancestral land to make way for a city due to the impact of displacement. The novel reveals the painful effects of this change not only on the younger but also on the older generations, showing actions of displacement through identity, community, and family. This paper draws on the interdisciplinary frameworks of trauma studies, postcolonial theory, and ecocritical studies to examine how Murugan’s novel reflects the broader social and psychological violence resulting from land loss. This paper argues that the emotional scars that persist over the long term, especially the psychological disintegration experienced by the protagonist of the novel, a child who witnesses the disintegration of his community’s culture. Moreover, the article discusses the power of the government and corporations in perpetuating these dislocation cycles, providing evidence that such powers exploit vulnerable or marginalised groups under the guise of progress and development. This article also offers a vivid picture of how displacement not only wipes out a place but also a person’s identity and sense of belonging.