Rohini Chowdhury "

   Published by Puffin India,Tales from the Kathasaritsagara is a collection of nested stories from author and translator, Rohini Chowdhury. The lesser-known tales are a treat not just for kids but also adults. Rohini tells us more about this book of unique tales.

How did you enter the world of translation?

Growing up in the multilingual world that is India, translation was an inevitable and inextricable part of my life. We move effortlessly across languages, often without even realising that we are doing so. The UK – where I have now lived for the past 23 years – is, by contrast, a staunchly monolingual world. I realised very soon that my daughters would most likely grow up to be more comfortable in English than in any Indian language, and it became very important to me that they should be able to access and read the stories I grew up with – if not in the original language, then at least in English. And so I began translating, little stories I had heard in my childhood, and then, seriously, the Panchatantra, from the original Sanskrit into English. But these were all still personal projects, meant only for my daughters.

At that time, I also began reading Hindi literature, in particular the Bhakti poets. And I also had the great good fortune to meet Dr Rupert Snell, who was then at SOAS, and who introduced me to the Braj Bhasha text, Ardhakathanak, the autobiography of Banarsidas, merchant, poet, and Jain spiritual thinker. The Ardhakathanak – which has the distinction of being the first autobiography in an Indian language – is a fascinating text, spanning as it does the reigns of three Mughal emperors, Akbar, Jahangir and Shajahan.  I was captivated, and suggested to Ravi Singh (Speaking Tiger – but who was then with Penguin) that Penguin bring out the Ardhakathanak in translation. “Why don’t you translate it for us?” said Ravi. I was taken aback – I was not a translator! But Ravi was very persuasive, and with his and Dr Snell’s encouragement, I took it up, translating the Ardhakathanak first into modern Hindi and then into English in free verse. And so began my journey as a literary translator, with the encouragement and support of two wonderful people, Ravi Singh and Dr Rupert Snell.

Which languages do you work with as a translator?

I translate primarily from Hindi – modern and pre-modern – into English.

How do you choose which works to translate? Can you tell us a little bit about some of your translations?

I prefer to translate works that appeal to me at a personal appeal and which also hold a place of significance in Hindi literature. For instance, the Ardhakathanak, which, in addition to being remarkably interesting, also has the distinction of being the first autobiography in an Indian language. I have also translated Babu Devaki Nandan Khatri’s Chandrakanta – first published in 1888 in serial form, and then in a single volume in 1891, the novel was a runaway success and modern India’s first bestseller. Written in spoken Hindi, it is still extremely popular. Interestingly, it has been constantly in print since its first publication. One of my favourite books is Jainendra Kumar’s Tyagpatra – which I have translated into English as The Resignation. Jainendra, one of the giants of Hindi literature and Premchand’s ‘successor’, first introduced the psychological into Hindi literature, exploring through his writings the inner conflicts and turmoil of the individual rather than the wider social issues that had been Premchand’s concern. In Tyagpatra, he tells the story of Mrinal, a young woman abandoned by her family, her husband and society, for her insistence on living by the norms she believes in.  And most recently, I have translated Tulsidas’s 16th-century epic, the Ramcharitmanas, a retelling of the story of Ram in Avadhi. The cadences of Tulsi’s poem, unanimously regarded as the greatest achievement of Hindi literature, filled my childhood, and translating his great work has been incredibly rewarding.

 Why did you choose to retell the Kathasaritsagara? Is it a complete translation or an adaptation?  

Somadeva’s Kathasaritsagara is quite a remarkable work. Its title, which means ‘the ocean of the rivers of story’, is no exaggeration, for it contains more than 350 tales told across eighteen books in some twenty thousand stanzas. Some of the stories take us by surprise, such as that of the clever man who made himself a fortune from a dead mouse, or that of the wise doctor who cured the king of a deadly disease by giving him bad news. Others, such as the story of the kind and compassionate King Shivi, make us stop and reflect – on the gods and their ways, on deceit, trickery, and honour. But mainly, the stories entertain and divert. Though the Kathasaritsagara is concerned with life and living, its stories teach no moral lessons. Nor are the tales bound by any dominant theme, religion or point of view, but ramble without plan or any purpose except entertainment through their magical world. This makes the work unique in Sanskrit literature.

The Kathasaritsagara remains unparalleled in its appeal and the undiminished popularity of its tales over the centuries. Its stories are found all over the world – in the more or less contemporary Arabian Nights, in Celtic folklore, and in collections such as the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm. Its influence can be seen in later works such as Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales (1387 CE) and Boccaccio’s Decameron (1353 CE). In continuing to inspire modern writers such as Salman Rushdie with his novel, Haroun and the Sea of Stories, it remains one of the most influential and best-known non-religious works of Sanskrit literature.

Given its influence and importance and the universal appeal of its stories, the Kathasaritsagara is, in my opinion, the perfect introduction to the wonders of Sanskrit literature for young readers. It is also a personal favourite. So when Puffin’s Sohini Mitra asked me whether I would be interested in the retelling, in abridged form, Somadeva’s great work for the Puffin Classics series, I was overjoyed. I could not imagine a more delightful task, nor a more fitting text to be part of the Classics series – and so I accepted at once. It has been one of the most enjoyable projects I have undertaken.

It is not a complete translation – in fact, it is not a translation in the strict sense of the term, but a retelling and adaptation. As I mentioned above, Somadeva’s original work consists of more than 350 stories, told in some 20,000 verses across eighteen books. My retelling consists only of some 50 or so representative stories. Somadeva’s work was not a work aimed at children. My retelling, however, is adapted for and aimed at young readers – and my selection of stories has been primarily directed by that consideration. Also, the original is often long-winded and confusing – Somadeva uses the narrative technique of the frame story, in which stories are contained within stories, sometimes to so many levels that it is easy to forget the beginning. I have retained Somadeva’s basic framed-narrative structure – because that is an important aspect of the work as a whole – but have simplified it considerably, keeping in mind both readability and accessibility for the young reader.

What was the biggest challenge in adapting the Kathasaritsagara for young readers?

Given its length and its often-complicated story-within-a-story structure, the biggest challenge was to pick out stories that were both representative of the text as well as age-appropriate for my target audience while retaining the structure and feel of Somadeva’s original work.

What is your process of translation? Do you create a rough translation of the entire book and then fine-tune the script?

Before I begin translating, I read the entire book, even if I have read it before, from a translation perspective. A key element in translation is to find the right register – once that is established, the translation flows more or less smoothly. So before I embark on translating the full text, I take a sample chapter – or stories, or verses, as the case might be – and experiment on that till I am satisfied that I have found the right register. This usually takes several re-works and can be very time-consuming. Once I am happy with the style, tone, register of this sample, I take up the rest of the translation. And no, I do not create a rough translation first – I polish and fine-tune each day’s work as I go on. I cannot proceed unless the work I have already done satisfies me.

Which is the most difficult book translation you have done so far?

Without a doubt, Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas has been the most difficult. Tulsidas was a man of deep spiritual insight and a poet of extraordinary talent. It has been a challenging – and rewarding – journey to follow behind him. My translation does not do justice to Tulsi’s extraordinary poetic genius. His use of wordplay, his rhymes and alliteration, and the sheer musicality of his poem I have found impossible to capture in English. I have therefore contented myself with being as clear and accurate as possible in my translation, and to convey, to the best of my ability, the scale and grandeur of his great poem.

 Any advice for aspiring translators? What skills/qualities does a good translator need?

Pick a work that you can engage with intellectually as well as emotionally. Translating books is slow work, and can often feel quite onerous. So, make sure you take up only those texts to translate which are meaningful to you.

Patience, persistence, attention to detail, sensitivity to and awareness of different cultures (because translation is not only a bridge across languages but also across the cultures those languages represent and carry), an ear for language and rhythm -these are just some of the requirements of being a translator.

Can one make a living by translating books and other media?

I don’t know about other media, but books – no, not really, not for the majority of translators. There is no money in translation. It is very much a labour of love.

You have also authored several books.  What do you enjoy more? Writing or translation?

I love both. Each has a different joy to it. When I am writing a novel, for instance, I can go as far as my imagination and my writing ability will take me – though I do have to keep in mind the demands of structure, plot etc. The challenge here is to create a brand new work. When I translate, the challenge is different – to create, in another language, the work of another writer, faithfully and in as authentic a fashion as possible. Both are creative, both require commitment, and each gives its own, deep satisfaction. 

 To buy a copy of The Tales of Kathasaritsagara, click here.