<p>Having translated his friend Pawan K Varma's book 'Yudhishtir And Draupadi' into Hindi, veteran lyricist and poet Gulzar says that epics are still relevant in today's life and should not be relegated to the past.<br /><br /></p>.<p>'Yudhishtir and Draupadi' is a long poem in rhymed sonnets based on the encounter between the Pandavas and the Yaksha of the Poisoned Pool. In it, writer-diplomat Varma has given a new interpretation of one of the most important episodes in the Mahabharata.<br /><br />"Epics may seem distant from our modern-day lives, but that is not right. After Pawan wrote this episode from the Mahabharat in relevance with people's lives today, I realised it should reach out to more people," said Gulzar, at a poem reading session at the closing of the Penguin Spring fever in the Capital last night.<br /><br />Gulzar also read from his recently launched book 'Neglected Poems', which reflects his vision of all things big and small in life.<br /><br />Through vivid imagery, the 75-year-old has painted in verse things like the Mumbai rains, weaver, a summer afternoon in Delhi and a human soul.<br /><br />One poem also recalls his friendship with music composer RD Burman, while in another he talks about the pain his daughter Meghna went through to give birth.<br /><br />The book has been translated into English by Varma, who is the Indian ambassador to Bhutan and has written Mirza Ghalib's biography, as well as translated many of his poems.<br />"Translations are very important these days, since an average person can only know 2-3 three languages. We have so many languages in India and poems are being written in as many of them. Also, a translator should be well-versed in both languages, the original and the one in which he is translating," said Gulzar.</p>
<p>Having translated his friend Pawan K Varma's book 'Yudhishtir And Draupadi' into Hindi, veteran lyricist and poet Gulzar says that epics are still relevant in today's life and should not be relegated to the past.<br /><br /></p>.<p>'Yudhishtir and Draupadi' is a long poem in rhymed sonnets based on the encounter between the Pandavas and the Yaksha of the Poisoned Pool. In it, writer-diplomat Varma has given a new interpretation of one of the most important episodes in the Mahabharata.<br /><br />"Epics may seem distant from our modern-day lives, but that is not right. After Pawan wrote this episode from the Mahabharat in relevance with people's lives today, I realised it should reach out to more people," said Gulzar, at a poem reading session at the closing of the Penguin Spring fever in the Capital last night.<br /><br />Gulzar also read from his recently launched book 'Neglected Poems', which reflects his vision of all things big and small in life.<br /><br />Through vivid imagery, the 75-year-old has painted in verse things like the Mumbai rains, weaver, a summer afternoon in Delhi and a human soul.<br /><br />One poem also recalls his friendship with music composer RD Burman, while in another he talks about the pain his daughter Meghna went through to give birth.<br /><br />The book has been translated into English by Varma, who is the Indian ambassador to Bhutan and has written Mirza Ghalib's biography, as well as translated many of his poems.<br />"Translations are very important these days, since an average person can only know 2-3 three languages. We have so many languages in India and poems are being written in as many of them. Also, a translator should be well-versed in both languages, the original and the one in which he is translating," said Gulzar.</p>