I have high regard for writers and readers of Malayalam: Vivek Shanbhag

Vivek Shanbhag, an acclaimed Kannada writer, expresses his admiration for Malayalam literature and the readers at the Kerala Literature Festival.

When Vivek Shanbhag read Vaikom Muhammad Basheer for the first time, in English, he was so impressed that he wanted to learn Malayalam. The acclaimed Kannada writer, whose novella Ghachar Ghochar proved a big hit with its translation into multiple languages, is an admirer of Malayalam literature.

“Poovan Banana (Poovanpazham) was the first story by Basheer that I read, and then Pathumma’s Goat (Pathummayude Aadu), and I loved them so much that I should learn Malayalam so that I could enjoy the originals,” Shanbhag told The Hindu here on Friday. “I found his Walls (Mathilukal) very moving. I have also enjoyed reading the translations of works by other Malayalam writers such as M.T. Vasudevan Nair, Zacharia, and K. Satchidanandan.”

Shanbhag, a speaker at the ongoing Kerala Literature Festival (KLF), has high regard for the Malayali readers, too. “I know that Malayalis are great readers, and in that regard Kerala is a unique State,” he said. “The only other place I have seen such a strong habit of reading is the UK, where people ask each — ‘What are you reading now?’.”

He said he liked keep coming back to the KLF for that reason. “Having attended several literature festivals, I could say that the KLF attracts the best audiences,” he said. “At other festivals, people go there for a variety of reasons, but here people come to see the writers, listen to their speeches, and buy their books.”

Shanbhag is glad that he is finding new readers through translations. “More than the writers, it is the readers who are benefiting from translations as they get to see a new world from the writers of other languages,” he said. “I write for my Kannada readers.”

He is glad, however, that his Ghachar Ghochar reached places that he did not expect it to. “Like Malayalam writers, I also grew up reading works in languages like English, French, and German, so when my novel was translated into those languages, I was happy,” he said. “I feel connected to their world.”