International Journal of Research (IJR) Vol-2, Issue-1 January 2015 ISSN 2348-6848

Translated Works in Indian Writing in English

Ritu Rani & Kaithal [email protected]

Abstract: Translation has been defined variously at have translated their own works into the different times in the past. For some, it is the target language in which , falsifier of the original for others, it is a Rabindranath Tagore, and Manoj Das are carryover of meaning from source language worthy of detailed consideration. to target language and still, for quite a few, Rabindranath Tagore is one of Indian writers it is a transference of meaning from source who has won Nobel Prize for literature for language to target language. All these translated works. This is because he has definitions are partially true but inadequate transcreated his own work into English- to describe the meaning of translation in the Tagore translated his works from Bengali full sense of the terms. All the latest theories into English. have rejected the notion of original being The first and the foremost among the Indian primary and translation as secondary. There writers is Girish Karnad, who has is no such dichotomy between the original immensely contributed to the field of and the translated text, for the original is translation. Girish Karnad first writes his itself a translation of ideas, notions and so plays in Kannada and then translates ( on. If the notion of translation has changed rather, transcreates) them into English, and over the years, what should be the role of a that is why, he is taken to be an Indian translator. English dramatist. His plays have not only Translator like the critic has been translated into English but in some other traditionally considered as inferior to Indian languages. Karnad‟s plays are written the creative writer. But now, thanks neither in English, in which he vainly to the post- structuralists, the critic is dreamt of earning international literary fame taken as co- creator and criticism as as a poet, nor in his mother tongue Konkani, co- creation. Can we envisage such a instead they are composed in his adopted role for a translator? What are the language Kannada. Initially, his command qualifications of a translator? What on Kannada was so poor that he often failed are the qualifications of a translator? to distinguish between short and long He must know two languages – the vowels. When Karnad started writing plays, source language and the target Kannada literature was highly influenced by language- equally well. A creative the renaissance in western literature. Writers writer or a critic can perform his role would choose a subject which looked well by being monolingual but a entirely alien to manifestation of native soil. translator must be bilingual.Not only C.Rajgopalachari‟s version of the that, he must have inwardness with Mahabharat published in 1951, left a n both the languages. Otherwise, he indeliable impact on him and soon, cannot be a good translator. sometime in the mid 1950s, one day he The translators have played a significant role experienced a rush of dialogues spoken by in literature generally, and in Indian Writing characters from Mahabharat in his adopted in English in particular. In Indian writing in language Kannada. English, there are some self-translator who

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International Journal of Research (IJR) Vol-2, Issue-1 January 2015 ISSN 2348-6848

Eventually, Yayati was published in 1961, Ramanujam, brought him the Karnataka when he was 23 years old. It is based on the Sahitya Academy Award for the most story of king Yayati, one of The the creative work of 1989. It was directed by J. ancestors of Pandavas, who was cursed into Garand Wright, as part of the celebrations of premature old age by his preceptor, the 30th anniversary of Guthrie Theatre, Shukracharya, who was incensed at Yayati‟s Minneapolis. The Theatre subsequently infidelity. Yayati in turn asks his sons to commissioned him to write the play, Agni sacrifice their youth for him, and one of Mattu Male. Though before it came them agrees. It ridicules the ironies of life Taledanda which used the backdrop, the rise through characters in Mahabharata. It of Veerashaivism, a radical protest and became an instant success, immediately reform movement in 12th century Karnataka translated and staged in several other Indian to bring out current issues. languages. Karnad made his acting as well as screenwriting debut in a Kannada movie, Samskara based on a novel by In a situation like that Karnad found a new U.R.Ananthamurthy and directed by approach like drawing historical and Pattabhirama Reddy that won him first mythological sources to tackle President‟s Golden Lotus Award for contemporary themes, and existentialist Kannada cinema. Over the years he had crisis of man, through his characters locked acted in a number of Hindi and Kannada in psychological and philosophical conflicts. movies. He also played the role of Swami‟s His next play was Tughlaq, about a rashly father in the T.V. series Malgudi Days based idealist 14th century Sultan of Delhi. on R.K.Narayan‟s books. Muhammad bin Tughlaq, and allegory on the Nehruvian era which started with Vijay Tendulkar is also one of the most ambitious idealism and ended up in prominent figure among the Indian disillusionment. This established Karnad, playwrights whose contribution in the now 26-years old, as a promising playright drama is immense. He has translated a in the country.It was staged by the National number of work from Marathi language into School of Drama Repetory under the English. With his advent on the literary direction of , with the actor scene, he began his career with the play, Manohar Singh, playing the visionary king Amchyavar Kon Prem Kamar(Who Will who later becomes disillusioned and turns Love us?) After that, he wrote the play bitter, amidst the historic Purana Qila in Gruhastha(The Housekeeper), in his early Delhi.It was later staged in London by the 20s.These works translated from Marathi for the festival of into English and earned him name and fame India in 1982. in the world of literature. After that, in 1956 Hayavadana was based on a theme his another translated work from Marathi to drawn from TheTransposed Head, a 19940 English entitled, Srimant was published.This novella by Thomas Mann, which is work jolted the conservative audience of the origionally found in the 11th century times with its radical storyline, wherein an Sanskrit text Kathasaritsagar. Herein he unmarried young woman decides to keep her employed the folk theatre form of unborn child while her rich father tries to Yakshagana. A German version of the play buy her a husband in an attempt to save his was directed by Vijaya Mehta as part of the social prestige. repertoire of the Deutsches National Tendulakar‟s early struggle for survival and Theatre, Weimar. Naga- Mandala was based living for sometime in tenements in Mumbai on a folk tale related to him by A.K. provided him first hand experience about the

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International Journal of Research (IJR) Vol-2, Issue-1 January 2015 ISSN 2348-6848 life of urban lower middle class He brought The play is a political satire created as a new authenticity to their depiction in musical drama set in the 18th century Pune. Marathi theatre. His translation of the It combines traditional Marathi folk music Marathi plays changed the storyline of and drama with contemporary theatre modern Marathi theatre in 1950s and 1960s techniques, creating a new paradigm for with experimental presentation by theatre Marathi theatre. This play demonstrates groups like Rangayan. . Tendulkar‟s deep study of group psychology Tendulkar wrote the play and brought him a Jawaharlal Nehru Gidhade(The Vultures) in 1961, but it was Fellowship for a project entitled‟ An not produced until 1970. It was , later on, Enquiry into the pattern of Growing translated into English. The play has been Violence in Society and the Relevance to set in a morally collapsed family structure Contemporary Theatre”. and explored the theme of violence. In his Apart from all the above discussed further creations, Tendulkar manifested the translated plays by Vijay Tendulkar, in theme of violence in its varied forms: 1991, he wrote a metaphorical play, Safar, domestic, sexual, communal and political. and in 2001 he wrote the play, The Masseur. Thus, the translation of the present play After that he wrote two novels- Kadambari: proved to be a turning point in Tendulkar‟s Ek and Kadambari Don- about sexual writings with regard to establishment of his fantasies of an ageing man. In 2004, he own unique writing style. wrote a single act play, His Fifth Woman- Based on a 1956 short story, Die his first play in the English language- as a Panne(Trap) by Friedrich Durrenmatt, sequel to his earlier exploration of the plight Tendulkar wrote the play, Shantata! Court of women in Sakharam Binder which was Chalu Aahe(„Silence! The Court is in performed at the Vijay Tendulkar Festival in Session”0. It was , later on , translated into New York in 2004. English and presented for the first time in Rabindranath Tagore is also one of those 1967 and proved as one of his finest Indian writers who contributed a great deal creations. in the field of translation. Originally he was In his one of the translated plays, Sakharam a Bengali poet, philosopher, artist, Binder is also a popular play which deals playwright, composer and novelist who with the topic of domination of the male earned equal name and fame after translating gender over the female. The protagonist of his works in English as he earned in writing the play is a man devoid of ethics and in his native language. He is India‟s first morality, and professes not to believe in Nobel Laurete who won the 1913 Nobel “outdated” social codes and conventional Prize for literature. He composed travelled marriage. He accordingly uses the society the text of both India‟s an Bangladeshi‟s for his own pleasure. He regularly gives respective national anthems. He travelled them shelter to abandoned wives and uses widely and was friend with many notable them for his sexual gratification while 20th century figures such as W.B.Yeats, remaining oblivious to the emotional and H.G. Wells, Ezra Pound and Albert Einsten. moral implications of his exploits. He While he supported Indian Independence, he justifies all his acts through claims of often had tactical disagreement with modern, unconventional thinking and comes Gandghi. His body of literature is deeply up with hollow arguments meant in fact to sympathetic for the poor and upholds enslave women. universal humanistic values. In 1972, Tendulkar wrote another, even Author of Gitanjali and its profoundly much more acclaimed play, Ghasiram sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse, he Kotwal which deals with political violence. became the first non- European to win

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International Journal of Research (IJR) Vol-2, Issue-1 January 2015 ISSN 2348-6848

Nobel prize in literature. In translation his and resisting linguistic strictures. His poetry was viewed as spiritual and translation of his into English of novels, mercurial; however, his elegant prose and stories, songs, dance-dramas, and essays magical poetry remain largely unknown spoke to topics political and personal. outside Bengal. Tagore introduced new Gitanjali, gora, and Ghare-baire(The Home prose and verse forms and the use of and the World) are his best known works, colloquial language into Bengali literature, and his verse, short stories, and novels were thereby freeing it from traditional models acclaimed- or panned- for their lyricism, based on classical Sanskrit. He was highly colloquialism, naturalism, and unnatural influential in introducing the best of Indian contemplation. His translated compositions culture to the West and vice versa, and he is were chosen by two nations as national generally regarded as the outstanding anthems. creative artist of modern South Asia. In this way, various writers have contributed Through his translation of Bengali literature, a great deal to the development of translated Rabindranath Tagore has modernized works. Bengali art by spurning rigid classical forms

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