New in Translation: South Asian Literature in Translation: A Preview of Notable 2021 Titles

Abstract

Notebook 9 new in translation South Asian Literature in Translation A Preview of Notable 2021 Titles by Jenny Bhatt SOUTH ASIA—which, per the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation definition, includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan , and the Maldives—is the most linguistically diverse region with more than 650 individual languages across six major language families: Indo-Aryan, Dravidian, AustroAsiatic , Tibeto-Burman, Tai-Kadai, and Great Andamanese. That figure does not include the many language isolates or dialects that are impossible to fully account for. Over the last decade or so, we’ve had a profusion of literary translations from many of these languages into English . While this has amply proved that some of the best literature from the subcontinent has been and continues to be written in non-English languages, there is a lack of global visibility and, indeed, demand for these works. Below is a small selection of notable 2021 books in English translation—as highlighted by their publishers—from Assamese, Gujarati, Marathi, and Tamil. While most will be initially released first in India, several will also be published in the US and the UK. Indira Goswami Five Novellas about Women Trans. Dibyajyoti Sarma Niyogi Books These impactful narratives, translated from the Assamese, depict the lives of the rural poor, the circumstances of widows, the plight of the urban underclass, and the various social constraints under which such people are forced to live. The deft use of language, striking imagery, and strong characters are hallmarks of Indira Goswami’s writing. Manada Devi An Educated Woman in Prostitution: A Memoir of Lust, Exploitation, Deceit Trans. Arunava Sinha Simon & Schuster India The 1920 Bengali classic Shikshita Patitar Atmacharit is Manada Devi’s life story. During her time, she became one of Bengal’s most powerful women. The book, translated from the Assamese, covers her upper-middle-class Calcutta roots, elopement with her lover at a young age, abandonment on getting pregnant, seeking refuge in a brothel, and more. 6 WLT SPRING 2021 Kaajal Oza Vaidya Krishnayan Trans. Subha Pande Amazon Westland (EKA Editions) Krishnayan is Gujarati literature’s biggest best-seller, having sold over two hundred thousand copies. The story starts when Krishna is injured by Jara’s arrow, per Hindu mythology, and chronicles Krishna’s last moments on earth. The most important women in his life—Radha, Rukmini, Satyabhama, and Draupadi—appear before him. The novel delves into their relationships with Krishna and what they meant to him. Sane Guruji Shyamchi Aai Trans. Shanta Gokhale Penguin Random House India (Puffin) Pandurang Sadashiv Sane, known as Sane Guruji to his students and followers , was a Marathi author, teacher, social activist, and freedom fighter. This seminal Marathi classic is a poignant account of a life of poverty, hard work, sacrifice, and love for one’s mother. Writer and translator Shanta Gokhale is a winner of the Tata Literature Live! Lifetime Achievement Award. Perumal Murugan Four Strokes of Luck Trans. Nandini Krishnan Juggernaut From one of India’s most acclaimed and beloved modern writers, this is a collection translated from the Tamil that will delight every admirer of Perumal Murugan and introduce new readers to his hallmark empathy, humanity, and humor. These stories of lives on the margins, of loners and outcasts seeking meaning and happiness, are tender, heartbreaking, and always surprising. Jenny Bhatt (jennybhattwriter.com) is a writer, literary translator, book critic, and the host of the Desi Books podcast. Her story collection, Each of Us Killers, was out in the US in September 2020, and her literary translation, Ratno Dholi: The Best Stories of Dhumketu, appeared in India in October 2020. She lives in the Dallas, Texas, area and teaches fiction at Writing Workshops Dallas. Visit worldlit.org to read a longer version of this piece, with more of Bhatt’s recommendations. WORLDLIT.ORG 7 ...