The modern short story in a regional language and the function of translations

Discover the Early Classic Stories Series edited by Mini Krishnan, offering a glimpse into a world of complex simplicities.

In 2022, Hindi writer Geetanjali Shree’s novel Tomb of Sand won the International Booker Prize. And last week, Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp, translated from the original Kannada by Deepa Bhasthi, won the prestigious prize. It is the first short story collection to do so.

Recently, there have been several conversations about the modern short story tradition in a regional language and the function of translations. There has also been a perceptible shift from translations as re-possessions to translations for dissemination. A fine specimen of the same is The Early Classic Stories Series (published by HarperCollins), devotedly edited by that gritty champion of translations, Mini Krishnan. It takes us only a few decades back in time but what we confront here is a strange world of complex simplicities and guilelessness.

The first three collections in this series comprise stories translated from Odia (by Leelawati Mohapatra, Paul St-Pierre and K.K. Mohapatra), Malayalam (Venugopal Menon) and Kannada (Susheela Punitha) — covering a century, mostly from the 1890s onwards.

These books share, with deep sensitivity, a flavour of our own lives as we lived then. The translators of all three collections showcase their own empathy as they perceptively mirror our past to us. In an interview with Magazine, they share their thoughts on the key themes in the books and the unique challenges posed by each work. Edited excerpts:

Malayalam translator Venugopal Menon says he could relate to the old value systems through his forebears. “There was a subtle dignity and pride they thrived on despite the inevitable urge to sustain social status. Nevertheless, honour was at a premium. And they seemed to think crime is evil,” he says.

Kannada translator Susheela Punitha, 87, has seen this world first-hand. “It is the world of my grand children that seems stranger,” she quips.

Odia translator K.K. Mohapatra talks of an emotional connect. “What struck us repeatedly was the quiet dignity of many of these protagonists, the ethical depth of their struggles, and the understated but profound critique that some stories offered of their own milieu,” he says. “There is also a tenderness in the telling, that allows us to connect, even across time.”