Indian writing doesn’t mean Indian writing in English alone, says acclaimed writer from southern State of Tamil Nadu Rokkiah Begum alias Rajathi Salma.
“The first question I usually encounter from organisers as well as authors at international book festivals and similar gatherings is if I’m an Indian writer in English and I am always at pains while explaining that writings have no borders and it’s highly unfair to draw language comparisons when it comes to literary works.”
“Most authors, who I know, usually bear in mind familiar situations, customs and more importantly people of familiar environs in their writings,” she said while explaining how important is the role of a translator in making unfamiliar situations familiar and readable to people of alien languages and cultures.
At least a dozen poems and books of Rajathi Salma, who is on a short personal visit of Doha, have been translated into Spanish and German languages over the last 10 years and some of them have good following among the readers of the European languages.
Salma has come to Doha after a visit of Johannesburg where she attended a literary fest, hosted by BNP Paribas. Tomorrow the author is flying to Lakshadweep to attend a literary fest.
One of her books, Irandam Jamangalin Kathai has been translated into English Hours Past Midnight and was shortlisted for Asian Man Literary Prize in 2004. Besides in English, the book is now available in Spanish, German and Indian languages Marathi and Malayalam among others. Late Lakshmi Holmstrom, a well-known Indo-British critic had translated the book into English to make it a thumping success. Holmstrom passed away last year.
Salma’s poems, One Evening, Another evening and Green Deity too have been translated into European languages and English.
Now she has received a translation offer from the Harper Collins for her book Manamiyangal (The Dreams) by acclaimed Indian writer Meena Kandasamy. “Meena, who speaks my language, has shown remarkable interest in the book and appreciated it wholeheartedly
She feels these days, ardent readers of Tamil Nadu are fortunate to have one of the largest libraries of its kind in South Asia, Anna Centenary Library, with book collections, of nearly one million. “M Karunandihi’s Dravida Munnetra Kazhakam government spent nearly Rs1.25 billion (Rs125 crore) for its construction,” she recalled.
A former Chairperson of the Tamil Nadu Social Welfare Board, Salma spares no efforts to question some of the age-old traditions and customs in southern India, especially those which she feels are biased against women. “I have highlighted some of such aspects in my writings, and more than once I have encountered issues from conservative elements both within the community and outside,” she said while vowing to continue such writings as long as situations warranty that.
Currently, serving as Deputy Secretary of the DMK’s women’s wing, Salma is travelling wordwide to meet writers and women’s activists at literary festivals and similar gatherings. “I was in Johannesburg earlier this month for a programme hosted by an international bank and hence I could not attend the recent Book Fair in Sharjah,” she said while expressing happiness at the recent opening of a major library, Qatar National Library, having a huge collection at the Qatar Foundation. “Hopefully, people would make use of such facilities to improve their reading habits.
THE AUTHOR: Rajathi Salma.
