Bharathiyar in English
Great pals of mine, Agnibarathi and JAB, have created a new blog with a very lofty ideal - that of translating Bharathiyar's Tamil poems into English. Instead of a mere English rendering, they attempt an interesting format, which you can read about here. The blog, Bharathiyaar, has considerable material already, downloadable in pdf. My favourite so far is this extract from the post, Suttum Vizi Cudar Than:
Adaptation:
Of rules do thee to me speak
Do rules stand for passion's peak?
Later I shall do the laws elders seek.
How shall I wait? Here, a kiss on thy cheek.
Translation:
Rules you speak to me kaNNammA
wherefore do we need rules?
Those who are impatient kaNNammA
What do they have as rules?
If the elders agree kaNNammA
Later we will rites marriage seek
Shall I wait more? Look
Here, a kiss on your cheek
Another translation:
Speak not to me of rules or tradition,
I have no need for them.
My heart that flies with the
tempestous winds of passion,
Can I bind it down,
With ties of convention?
Kannamma,
Later, by rules we shall each other wed...
For now-
Let me just kiss your cheek..."
Labels: Adaptation, Appreciation, Bharathiyaar, Bharathiyar, Poetry, Tamil, Translation
Lavanya this is just beautiful! Thanks for the headsup, will check out the blog immediately.
Posted by
Lotus Reads |
5:51 PM, January 10, 2007
Lavanya, thanks a lot for the post! You are a really a dear sweet friend! :)
Posted by
அக்னிபாரதி |
9:45 PM, January 11, 2007
Neat link, L.
Chenthil has tried the same thing - asparkoffire.blogspot.com. And I, in moments of self-delusion (which's always) think I can do the same too. Which has resulted in 3-4 translation, which somehow read not even half as good as the original.
Posted by
Ravages |
7:26 AM, January 14, 2007