Oriya
literature undoubtedly is rich and precious. Oriya classics like Fakir Mohan
Senapati’s ‘Rebati’, ‘Chha Mana Atha Guntha’ are admired by every Oriya reader.
However, these valuable literary works will get proper justice when it will be
read by multiple number of readers. And it is possible when these will be
translated to mainly English and other languages. Some of the renowned Oriya works have been
translated so far, and have earned accolades.
However, there are still many to be translated or transcreated. Eminent
scholar Prof. Ananta Charan Sukla's celebrated Oriya translation of Aristotle's
Poetics (Aristotle - Anka Kabyatatwa) published in the late 1960s is a rare and
outstanding work. Besides, the leading translators of the state believe Gopinath
Mohanty’s ‘Paraja’, translated by Professor Bikram K Das as the best piece
since the work received utmost international recognition. Some authors are also
of the view that a translation work gets recognition not on the basis of its
content, but only when it grabs some award. The blogger discussed with some
notable writers of the state, who have translated/transcreated some seminal
Oriya works and earned accolades.
Educated at
Ravenshaw College, Odisha and Merton College, Oxford, Jatindra K Nayak is Professor of English at Utkal University,
Bhubaneswar. He has won Hutch-Crossword Indian Fiction Translation Award, 2004
and KATHA Translation Award, 1997. He was an attending speaker at Jaipur
Literature Festival in 2012 and is Adviser, Dhaka Translation Centre. Nayak feels
the English translation of Gopinath Mohanty's ‘Paraja’ made by Professor Bikram
K Das and published by Oxford University Press and Faber has received global
recognition. “The translation is brilliant and has been reviewed in major
journals and magazines in India and abroad. Other examples include English
translations of Fakir Mohan Senapati's ‘Chha Mana Athaguntha’, Chandra Sekahar
Rath's ‘Yantrarudha’, Lakhmikanta Mohapatra's ‘Kanaamu’ and JP Das's ‘Desa Kala
Patra’, he said.
When asked
whether he finds any bottle neck in translating Oriya classics in other
languages he said, “Oriya classics should be translated into English and major
Indian languages. Support of the government and other agencies can make the
task easier.”
Now, we have
some good translated or transcreated literatures. But does these works have
carved a niche for itself? Nayak observes, “Translation has certainly made Oriya
literature more visible nationally and internationally.” He feels Sarala
Mahabharat, Dandi Ramayan should be translated into English. “Some Oriya
autobiographies should also be rendered into English, Bangla and Hindi. Essay
is another literary form that should receive the attention of translators in
Orissa,” he added.
Nayak has a
noble suggestion to promote translation. “I would emphasise the need to train
translators in Odisha and the need to encourage high school students to
translate stories, poems, novels and essays and plays. It is a pity we have not
been able to take advantage of a renowned translator like Prof Bikram Das in
Orissa. He could have mentored many young translators if we could have given
him an opportunity to do so,” he said.
“Very few
outside Orissa admire Oriya translation works. Because, the attempt to showcase
and promote the best of Oriya literature in English translation in a systematic
and consistent manner does not exist among us,” feels Supriya Prasanta, who has a number of translation works to her
credit. she is an editor and translator from Bhuabneswar. She edits ‘Indian
Literature Today’, an online journal that publishes the best of Indian
literature in English Translation. She
has received the Charles Wallace Translation fellowship for translating Oriya
women's autobiographical writings into English. She has been a resident at the
British Centre for Translation, United Kingdom. Her translations include
classics such as Upendra Kishore Das's ‘Malaajahna’ ( The Dying Moon, Rupantar
2006), Mohapatra Nilamoni Sahoo's ‘Abhisapta Gandharab’ ( The Fallen Gandharba
and Other Stories, Odisha Sahitya Akademi, Forthcoming). She has recently
co-edited ‘Sparks of Light: Short Stories by women from Orissa’, 1899 to the
present ( Athabasca University Press, Canada 2016).
When asked
whether there is any difficulty in translating Oriya classic works she said, “ No. As a translator, I get the
utmost joy through translating a text which is considered 'difficult'.” She feels there are many valuable Oriya
literary works yet to be translated. In her words, “There are many works which
are yet to be translated such as works of Sarala Das, Fakir Mohan Senapati,
Reba Ray, Kanhu Charan, Gopinath Mohanty, Basanta Kumari Patnaik, Bama Charan
Mitra, just to mention a few. If there's a sincere, collective attempt to
promote Oriya literature in English translation, more readers (belonging to
different places of the globe other than Orissa) could appreciate Oriya
literature.”
Have the
Oriya translation works carved a niche for itself within the national and
international readers’ forum? Supriya doesn’t feel so. She answered, “I don't
think Oriya translation works have created a niche for themselves. But yes, a
few works such as Gopinath Mohanty's ‘Paraja’ ( Oxford University Press, 1984)
translated by Bikram K Das, or Chandrasekhar Rath's ‘Astride the Wheel’ (
oxford University Press 2003) translated by Jatindra K.Nayak have been noticed
as these books received Sahitya Akademi and Hutch Crossword awards respectively.
It is a pity, good works are not noticed because they are good works, but when
they fetch awards to the authors/translators concerned!”
Not only
Jatindra Nayak and Supriya Prasant, even Chittaranjan Mishra feels that ‘Paraja’,
written by Gopinath Mohanty and translated by Bikram K. Das is the widely
accepted translation work. Mishra is a proffessor in English at B.J.B. Autonomous College,
Bhubaneswar. He studied M.A (1980) at Ravenshaw College, Cuttack (Utkal
University) and earned his M.Phil.(1983) and Ph.D. in English from Sambalpur
University (1988). He is the author of Harold Pinter: The Dramatist,
the first Indian book on Pinter. He has translated four Pinter plays into
Oriya, published in two volumes. He has also authored six anthologies of poems
in Odia and one in English. His Odia book on Literary Theory in the West (2005)
is one of his important publications. He has published his poems and papers
in European Connections, Notes on Contemporary Literature(NOCL), USA,
Indian Literature, Kavya Bharati, Indian Journal of
English Studies, Dibrugarh Journal of English Studies, Atlantic
Literary Review, Rock Pebbles, Indian Age,
e-journals like museindia, writers lifeline and the major journals of Odisha. His
translation works are ‘Priyatama’, ‘Party Time O Anyanya Nataka’, ‘My Dear
Kanha’ etc.
Mishra
feels, “Translation
of Fakir Mohan Senapati’s novel “Chha
Mana Athaguntha” has gained prominence in global academic circles.
Entitled “Six Acres and A Third” it has
been translated by Rabi Shankar Mishra,Satya P Mohanty, Jatindra K Nayak and
Paul St-Pierre.As a Penguin publication it has contributed immensely to draw
attention of readers from across the globe. U.R.Anantha Murrthy views the
publication as “a significant event not only Indian literature,but world
literature.” Besides, ‘Yantrarudha’, a novel by Chandrasekhar Rath, translated
as 'Astride the Wheel' by Jatindra Kumar Nayak is a mile stone in the journey
of OLIET(Odia Literature in English Translation).Dr. Nayak has also translated
Atma Jibana Charita, the autobiography of Fakir Mohan, as 'Story of My Life'
that was translated by John Boulton as
MyTimes and I in the past.”
About difficulty faced in translating Oriya literary
works Mishra said, “Difficulties are but natural when one undertakes a
translation of Oriya classics into English. The primary difficulty lies in
structuring Odia sentences into English as regards grammar .Since the cultures
and histories are different he has to search for equivalence and analogies. But
that again leads to more discrepancy. To maintain artistic coherence he
sometimes deletes portions that seem untranslatable. A classic in translation
should strive at being considered a classic in the other language. Taking more
of liberty with the Oriya text in the name of transcreation may lead to a
complete distortion of the original text. Moreover texts of classic status are
usually from past worlds. Readers of the present times may not understand the
subtleties of the historical contexts if the language employed in translation
does not adhere to parameters contemporary discourse.”
Mishra pointed out a few translations those have
earned accolodes. He said, “Oriya translations have drawn global visibility.
Jayanta Mahapatra and Bibhu Padhi have translated number of Odia poets in
internationally reputed journals. Leelawati Mohapatra and Kamalakanta Mohapatra
have translated important Odia short stories. Gangadhar Meher’s Tapaswini and
other poems have been translated into English by Dr.Madhusudan Pati. Mary
Mohanty has translated poems and novels of Kuntala Kumari Sabat. Such works
have boosted Odia cultural affirmation. But endotropic translation (translation
into Odia) needs to be paid more attention to.
“A lot many works need to be translated as they
merit attention. Visibility of the seminal literary Odia texts in English
translation will not only help building an Odia identity but enrich the Odia
diaspora to promote their cultural solidarity abroad,” he added.
