The anti-Sikh pogrom of 1984 is often invoked in political discourse but I did not know enough about all the literature that is available on the subject. So, I took my editor’s prompt as a trigger to research the documentation. Here are my findings. I am disappointed by how Punjabi did not really fully respond to the events and am impressed by how Hindi, English, even Assamese, Malayalam and Tamil have responded. Writing this article helped me create my own list, I do hope it serves as a map for your readings.
PS: My thanks to Rajesh Sharma, Daljit Ami, Surjit Singh, Nirupama Dutt, Chaman Lal, Deepinder Kaur, Abhirami Sriram, Kumar Anupam for immense help with information and guidance with this article. I am sorry I could not include everything but I am enriched by your support.
Please read.
Tags: 1984 anti-Sikh Pogrom, Assamese, english, Hindi, Malayalam, punjabi, Tamil
Oh! I wish you, my reader, knew Punjabi. I would have given you examples. But let me try to abstract:
When I started writing Sepia Leaves in English I realised that the dialogue did not come out anything like I could recognise as real. I worked on it and learnt from other writings that a conversation in a work of fiction does not have to be real. It should create reality. I try to do that in my writing. But now that I am translating Sepia Leaves into Punjabi I am surprised at how when I am writing a scene I can almost see it in my mind’s eye. Earlier too I could see it, but it was silent. I had to give it words. Now I see it in dolby sound.
At the same time, since the dialogue in Punjabi comes from the English version and is filtered through my understanding of how it should create reality I am almost achieveing both: reality and creating reality. It is a sense, a sense that what I am doing works for the translation. But it is also a satisfaction that I am getting it accurately.
I learnt Punjabi very late in life. Almost when I was four or five years old. For some reason my parents wanted me to start with English and Hindi. Still, when I am doing the Punjabi I am feeling closest to the story. Closer than ever before. I now think that maybe in the English version the centuries of langauge and its politics came in between me and my writing.
Tags: conversation, dialogue, english, punjabi, reality, sense, Translation
On a whim I have started translating Sepia Leaves into Punjabi. I knew I would do it some day but I never knew I would myself suddenly start doing it. I have done about 15 pages until now and I am enjoying it.
I feel the act of translating is opening up both languages to me like never before. The reason is this: when you translate you try to find word, phrase, sentence, paragraph, expression, thought, intention, emotional content, equivalents in another language. That separates your thoughts from your expression in the primary language and it begs you to use the language in which you are translating in a way which comes closest to your thought and not in the way it is expressed in the primary language.
Your thought starts standing independent of the rules and limitations of the two languages you are using: the primary language of the text and the language in which you are translating. That puts your thought in direct contact with your subconscious disregarding the way in which one language or the other is trying to control your thinking. That frees me up, frees my thoughts. Then, I try to look for rules of the language and express the thoughts in the chosen language.
Wonderful. Indian writers who mostly function is different language spheres must try doing this. I am sure it will help the writing, whether in English or in a native language.
Tags: english, idiom, punjabi, thoughts, Translation