ISSN 2454-8596 www.vidhyayanaejournal.org An International Multidisciplinary Research e-Journal ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nanhalal as a Translator Anjana Prajapati Assistant Professor, Department of Communication Skills, Marwardi University, Rajkot. Volume II I Issue 4 February - 2018 Page 1 ISSN 2454-8596 www.vidhyayanaejournal.org An International Multidisciplinary Research e-Journal ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A piece of literature when translated in another language extends far beyond the linguistic and communicative realms to the cultural transmission across social, political, religious and peceptional and ethnic generalizations of the people of a particular time at a particular place. It is for this reason that it is necessary to examine the conditions under which the translation has been made. Who translates, what is translated and for whom and how is the translation produced. As in the words of Paul St-Pierre: “...an original text and its translation are dynamically connected to each other, precisely through the criteria governing their relations, rather than in a static, predetermined relation of equivalence. Translation makes visible the existence of such criteria and, in so doing, contributes to an awareness of the elements founding the translating culture, conditioning in the way in which the culture defines itself in terms of - and very often in denial of- another the other.” - Paul St-Pierre Many famous writers, who wrote in the regional languages, shaped the phenomenon of an era by their contribution in the field of regional literature This region is less travelled especially regarding the translations that are made in the regional languages. As in the words of Dr.Sunil Sagar: “We have yet to dwell upon the way culturally central texts were translated and the history around it. We have yet to explore how knowledge texts were rendered and how translators went about their work in this regard. We have yet to decode the translation history of the colonial encounter. The reason why it is vital to explore the translation history is because it will facilitate a better and clearer understanding of the selection of texts, the reception and transfer of texts, translator inclinations and biases, translation scholars and fellow writers and the role they played, patrons and their politics and the over-all historical context in which all this transpired.” – Dr. Sagar Nanhalal lived in the era of Mahatma Gandhi and was contemporary of Rabindranath Tagore. He travelled Saurastra region with Rabindranath Tagore and both adept poets were in direct touch with Mahatma Gandhi. Tagore honoured Gandhiji by giving him the title of ‘Mahatma’ where as Nanhalal wrote a poem on Gadhiji, a first poem on Mahatma Gandhi in Gujarati language. He has given more than100 books to Gujarati literature which includes poems, plays, novels, sort novels, translations and criticism but is widely known for his poems, he is a poet of grandeur and sublimity, for him poetry is the poignant voice of the soul. He is famous for his lyrical poems. Nanhalal was well aware of the Western literature and criticism and thus his works have the traditional - cultural greatness along with the experimental novelties. He was greatly influenced by the writers like Wordsworth, Byron, Shelly, Milton, Tennyson, Mathew Arnold etc. At one instance he mentions that his study in Mumbai University is the major contributing factor in his career as a Volume II I Issue 4 February - 2018 Page 2 ISSN 2454-8596 www.vidhyayanaejournal.org An International Multidisciplinary Research e-Journal ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- poet and a writer; English language for him is the entrance for the world literature, had he not studied the language, many literary terrains would not have been known to him. He believes that the core of the art is method of presentation and unfolding. He is well aware of the literary capability of making one experience the beauty and thus for him the art personifies the aesthetics in man. This approach of him shapes his translation style as a translator and presents simple, meaningful yet aesthetically enriched translation to the readers of Gujarati. Nanhalal is the major poet o Gujarati language, he gave new heights to the lyrical poems in Gujarati language, he is poems have internal source of influence to the subsequent as well as contemporary poets such as Khabardar, lalit, Botadkar, Prahlad Parekh, Rajendra Shah, Niranjan Bhagat, Ushnash, Jayant Pathak and many more including Manilal Desai and Ramesh Parekh due to the poetic element and sheer sublimity in his poems Nanhalal and translation The famous prayer that has found its place in almost every school in Gujarat“અસ鋍યોમાંહથીપ્ર�� ુ ! પરમસ鋍યે�ુંલઈ�,…” ( Lord!, guide us to the light of truth from the darkness of untruth) is Nanhalal’stranslation form Upanishadin simplified Gujarati. Besides, being the major poet and writer of 20th century, little has been known about Nahhalal as a translator. His contribution to translation in Gularati literature gives us insights into his candid and spiritual personality. He has enriched Gujarati literature by translating scriptures and plays from Sanskrit, songs and poems from Bengali and English. His translation is more poetic then prosaic, lyricism in language is his strength, most translations he attempted are in rhythmical forms as in the original text. He does not only present the translated text but also gives reference, offers his own distinct study on the text and mentions who he consulted with while translating. He studied the other translations and researched the opinion of the translators such as Max muller, Hem Chandra Sarkar, Raja Ram Mohanrai and Dr.Dution. Hisexpressive language weaving of cultural references and makes the translation hold its meaning in a discerning manner. His concern for meaning, sincerity and awareness as a translator is seen at many places in the notes and prefaces of his translated volumes where he has discussed the subtle choices he had to make as a translator; how he has weighed one thing over the other, at one such instances he writes,” As it is always an effort to keep the text free from an opinion, I have studied the things before and after a particular piece of the original text, tried to be streamlined to the core chain of thought wherever the meaning seemed complex”. He not Volume II I Issue 4 February - 2018 Page 3 ISSN 2454-8596 www.vidhyayanaejournal.org An International Multidisciplinary Research e-Journal ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- only translated but expressed how he defines translation and what ways he attempted while translating and why in each of his translated text. Translations from languages: 1. ‘ઉપિનશતપંચક’ is a translation from Sanskrit to Gujarati was first published in 1931. 2. His translation of ‘ભગવદ ગીતા’ is into Gujarati from Sanskrit in 1910. 3. ‘મેઘ�ૂતઃ’ is the translation of classic Sanskrit play by Kalidas into Gujarati. It was first published in 1952. 4. ‘શ�ુંતલા � ું સ ંભાર�’ું is again the translation of a play named ‘अिभज्ञानशाकुꅍतलम् ’(Abhijñānashākuntala) one the most popular plays of great Sanskrit poet Kalidas into Gujarati which was first published in around 1926. 5. ‘વૈ�ણવી ષોડશ ગ્ર ંથો’ is also the translation of scripture written by SrimadVallabhacharyaji into Gujarati, first published in 1933. 6. ‘િશક્ષાપત્રી’ is a translation of Sanskrit scripture into Gujarati which was first published in 1987. 7. The poemstitled‘િસ�� ૂનીર�’ and ‘પ્રેમનો સ ંચાર’ which were first published in the book named ‘ક�ટલાક કા훍યો’ , Part-2 is the translation of a Bengali bhajans. Translations from English: He has translated poems of Tennyson and other poets which are published in his poem collection named ‘ક�ટલાક કા훍યો’, the first part of the volume was published in 1910. 1. The poem ‘ગઝલ’ is the translation of the poems by Tennyson. 2. The poem ‘� ુ ંદર�� ુ ંપાર�’ુ ં is translation of Tennyson’s poem ‘The Princess’ 3. The poem ‘સાં黍યતેજ’ is the translation of a poem from ‘Christian Life’ Volume II I Issue 4 February - 2018 Page 4 ISSN 2454-8596 www.vidhyayanaejournal.org An International Multidisciplinary Research e-Journal ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. The poem ‘ઘંટારવ’ is the translation of Tennyson’s poem ‘In Memorial’ 5. The poem ‘��નાંુ ભેદ’ is the translation of Tennyson’s poem ‘The Princess’ 6. The poem’વદ�શની દાઝ’’ is the translation of English poet Scott. 7. The poem ‘�廍લેꋍડ ના �લવાસ’ is the translation of the poem ‘Homes of England’ by Mrs Hymens 8. The poem ‘�જ�દગીના પડછાયા’ is the translation of the poem ‘Select Hymns’ published in 1906 by a club in Mumbai named Students’ Brotherhood. 9. The poem ‘�વરાજનોુ સ鋍કાર’ has some of the lines translated from the poem ‘Akabar’s Dream’ by Tennyson. Until 1980’s Translation Studies was not recognized as an independent discipline and was less travelled area or considered as a marginal activity. In past two decades, the renewal of interest