The Telugu Tableau Through Translation – 2

U Atreya Sarma

Presenter’s Preface: Atreya Sarma U

Globalization has brought people further together thanks to exports and imports, overseas education and employment opportunities. Languages like English, Spanish and French are spoken in a number of countries owing to colonial developments. Writings in those languages are read by people across many countries with elan. And there are languages like Telugu with a rich past and literary treasure but mostly confined to their original geographical locations. If the creativity, thoughts, feelings, aspirations, and cultural distinctions of such language groups are to be appreciated, they have to reach a global audience, and the medium is translation except in the few cases where the interested undertake learning such languages with passion. 

‘The Telugu Tableau Through Translation’ is one such special feature in SETU. This is the second in the series, the first one having appeared in the May 2021 issue.

The current number features two poems and three short stories – all by well-known writers. Dr A Shashirekha Reddy and Dr Chaganti Tulasi are dynamic and energetic mid-octogenarians. Shashirekha, PhD (Sanskrit), retired as Head of Sanskrit in a Hyderabad-based college. Tulasi, PhD (Hindi), a prolific and award-winning writer grounded in rationality, served as Associate Professor in the Odisha Education Service. Both of them are polyglots.

Sarath Chandra is a distinguished fictionist focusing on contemporary issues with a view to social justice and harmony. A number of his stories have won prestigious awards. Dasari Venkata Ramana is mainly a writer for children, and so is Dr Siri who is also into social service, though a dentist by qualification. Both of them, with several honours, are reputed writers, and they have written for adults as well. The two believe in a balanced and symbiotic life.

While the poems in the current Feature reflect concern for eco-harmony with angst and aesthetics, two of the stories showcase the aspirations and turmoil of women protagonists with different backgrounds. The other story is pivoted on human values like honesty which are present or absent across the spectrum of the society.

I thank all these five writers for giving me the chance of reading their work and rendering it into English.

Happy reading! See you with some more aspects in the next instalment.

And let’s all be cautious against the unpredictable vagaries of Mother Nature! Not so much by blaming her but mostly ourselves!

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The Telugu Tableau through Translation – 2: Special Feature

Poetry

A Shashirekha Reddy (Trans. Atreya Sarma U): The Plea of a Clay Pot

Dasari Venkata Ramana (Trans. Atreya Sarma U): Let me flow my own way!

Short Fiction

Chaganti Tulasi (Trans. Atreya Sarma U): The Tale of a Junior Queen

Sarath Chandra (Trans. Atreya Sarma U): A Beauty Queen’s Vision & Mission

Dr Siri (Trans. Atreya Sarma U): The Ogress 

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Setu, July 2022