MUP releases English translations of two Kannada books

Manipal Universal Press (MUP) released its 129th and 130th books, translations of two major Kannada works at the MGM College.

Releasing the translation work titled ‘A Shrine for Sarasamma’, noted historian and translator Prof Surendra Rao said, “Sarasammana Samadhi, though written in the 1930s, remains relevant in today’s world for the way it questions the tyranny of patriarchy.”

“Publishing a translation of this major work of Kota Shivaram Karanth by MUP is a welcome development. This comes as the only window to Karanth’s work for non-Kannada readers and therefore, is a commendable work,” he added.

Releasing another work of translation, ‘The Other Face’, Prof Mahabaleshvara Rao spoke of the pains and pleasures of translation.

The questions, such as to whom and to what should a translator remain faithful, are difficult to answer, he maintained.

Elaborating the process of translation, he wondered if the focus should remain more on being faithful to the original text or to the target language and the reader or to a translator’s conscience and that it is a matter of choice.

Translator of ‘The Other Face’, Prof N T Bhat said that men change, but the human nature does not, and that is reflected in the work ‘Mukhantara’. Though it was challenging to translate this saga of a community across generations written in a particular dialect, it was a pleasure to find ways of navigating through the language.

Author of Mukhantara, Dr Na Mogasale, present on the occasion, shared his experiences of writing this voluminous work and said that he drew inspiration by talking to people in the community and by a careful observation of the surroundings.

Presiding over the programme, Prof Neeta Inamdar, the chief editor of MUP, said the team was striving hard to bring out quality works of translation, though it has been challenging to get approvals of the original authors and publishers at times. Translation works are not just the shadows of the original but are a different face to the original, she added.