Narasimha Kumar: “There is a lot of focus on translations now”

The translator of Tiger Lessons by Sannapureddy Venkatarami Reddy on bringing out the book’s uniquely Indian way

How did you come across Konda Polam and what led you to translate it to English?

Translator Narasimha Kumar (Courtesy the subject’s FB page)

I have always loved reading Venkatarami Reddy’s novels and stories for the vivid descriptions and essential humanity conveyed in them. They are stories from rural Rayalaseema. I did the first review of Kondapolam in December 2019. I concluded it with a wish to see such novels translated into English so that this uniquely Indic world view reaches more readers. While thanking me for the review, the author casually remarked that I could be the one to translate it and that spurred me.

There are two aspects of Konda Polam that struck me deeply. Firstly, man vs nature conflicts in classics such as Old man and the Sea and Moby Dick show man as the conqueror, the superior species that subjugates nature. I believe this is a western perspective. In Tiger Lessons/Konda Polam, the shepherds think of themselves as guests of the forest, and are grateful for the sustenance it provides. I felt this fundamentally different way of looking at nature is very relevant to us today.

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Secondly, our epics, Puranas and books like Panchatantra are all stories predominantly based in and around forests. Forest-based gurukuls were the places where students went to acquire knowledge and form character. And yet, in modern Indian literature, stories that occur in the forests are few and far between – Bibhuti Bhushan’s Aranyak, where the forest is being reclaimed and forest dwellers are adored for their simple ways or Jim Corbett’s novels, where it is the western angle again. So, Konda Polam was a refreshingly different and satisfying experience for me as a reader.

Konda Polam was adapted into a film in 2021. Were you familiar with it? Did it play any role in your decision to translate the book?

I started the translation before the movie began filming and completed my first draft a few months before it was released. So, it played no role in my decision to translate. In fact, when I read the novel, I felt it suits an OTT web series format better, with the potential for multiple seasons. I even laid out an episodic order for season 1, just for fun. I watched parts of the movie out of curiosity later.

Tiger Lessons is a vividly descriptive and lyrical book in which each scene has its own rhythm. It’s almost like words are dancing to the tune of the action taking place. What was your process of translating the book like?

I thoroughly enjoyed the translation as it forced me to dig deep into the approaches that work best. It required me to consider multiple ways of conveying the tone, the author’s unique style and the cultural context, and settle on what I felt was the best option for a particular word or sentence. For the names of places like hillocks, brooks, meadows and outcrops, where there was a proper noun, for example, Balappa’s Well, it was quite straightforward. Where the names were evocative – for example, Mead of the Bald Oxen, Frolic Springs, Springs of the Eternal Soul etc – I loved the way it sounded in English. It reminded me of Native American names that sound poetic when translated into English. So, I went with that approach.

I also ended up doing a lot of research on the flora and fauna of the Nallamala hills. There is an old Telugu-English dictionary compiled by Charles Philip Brown, a colonial administrator of the Rayalaseema region, where the Nallamala forest ranges are located. I kept it open on my laptop to ensure I get some of the names of the tools, plants, fruit and geographical formations right. I did have the option of calling the author but I used it more to confirm my interpretation of the local idiom at some places.

In the translators note, you mentioned that the local Telugu idiom of the Nallamala region, the proverbs and witticisms were challenging to translate. How did you approach it?

I hail from the same region as Sannapureddy Venkatarami Reddy and that helped a lot in understanding cultural references, proverbs and witticisms. However, what sounds perfectly humorous or philosophical in Telugu may sound contrived in English, and confuse the reader. The proverb’s intent needs to come through along with the tone, and comply with the natural expressions and structure of English. So, I tried different versions of a proverb or witticism until I felt satisfied. Even then, when the editor/s did their job, they highlighted some of these instances, asking me to rewrite for better clarity. The back and forth with the Bloomsbury editors was quite useful because even if something made sense to me, I realised it was coming across in a subtly different manner to them as readers. I then gave them a detailed explanation and offered my final rewrite of that particular witticism or proverb. The process was quite rewarding as the end product came out well. In fact, those who read the Telugu original and Tiger Lessons, gave very positive feedback about the translation being true to the original in all aspects. I cherish that compliment.

In the Telugu literary world, what is the perception of translation and is there anything that you’d like to change about it?

In Telugu, as in other Indian languages, there is a lot of focus on translations now. We always had classics from other languages being translated into Telugu, but not much the other way. That is changing slowly but surely. When books like Tiger Lessons come out and achieve some recognition, I hope it will motivate more people to take up translations.

In some cases, especially those of younger writers, because of the encouraging words from their peers and seniors in the literary circles, the writers feel the urge to see their books in translation, without first focusing on improving their craft in the native language. I feel there is a dire need for translating the best among any local language literature first instead of simply hoping that quantity will eventually improve quality. Books are competing for attention with visual media.

I would like to see more publishers get serious about translation, and wider discussions about the craft and approach of translation within the Telugu literary world. Some commendable initiatives from smaller publishers are sprouting here and there. Hopefully, they will blossom into a beautiful garden soon.

What are some of the translated works you’d recommend for young translators to read/study as they set on this journey of co-creation?

We have all read European and Latin American stories in English translation. Whether it is Gabriel Garcia Marquez or Jorge Luis Borges or the Russian, French or Japanese masters, we accessed their works through their English translations. Within the Indic literary sphere, we have had translations and retellings of Ramayana, Mahabharata, and the Upanishads in local languages. My advice to young translators is to read these translations again to observe the craft with a critical eye.

I feel a translator should have read a lot of literature in both the languages, and have a decent understanding of the culture and geography where the story occurs.

A good translation should make the reader feel like they are reading a novel written directly in English, but also convey the unique tone, rhythm and texture of the original book. The scent of the native soil should be felt by the reader in the new language too. How did the translator achieve it in the best novels we have read in translation? That is the question young translators should pursue and practice.

Akankshya Abismruta is an independent writer.