The 8th Volume (2017-2018) of a reputed Indian journal published in Kanpur in Madhya Pradesh, edited by Dr Neeru Tandon, ILLUMINATI, has come our way. Running to 130 + pages with front and back pages in colour, this journal carries very valuable researched articles that would satisfy the needs of those readers wanting to know details of literature in English published in our neighouring country. Proclaimed as a “Transnational Journal of Literature, Language and Culture Studies”, their horizons are indeed wide and encompass a variety of writing.
The first seven volumes were on Culture and Literature, Social Issues, Indian Drama in English, The Second Coming of Indian Fiction in English, Feminisms in India: Theoretical Formulations, Literature of New Millennium and Short Story in Theory and Practice.
Dr NeeruTandon had written an excellent essay on translation and its methods which is very useful to translators of creative writing from one language to the other.
As we know, in India English translations of major works in various Indian languages are available in no time. In Lanka, literature is available in the three languages -Sinhala, Tamil and English. But not many are translated into either Tamil or English. While a lot of translations are available in Sinhala from other languages, only a handful of Tamil works are translated into Sinhala and vice versa. Since Sinhala Only was introduced in the mid-1950s, the learning and study of English in Lanka has declined. So, translations into English from Sinhala and Tamil works is almost nil. Similarly, writing in English by writers in Lanka are seldom known to Sinhala and Tamil readers. They all remain in watertight compartments.
Literature is one way of understanding the cultures of the “Other”. It minimises ethnic prejudices.
This Journal has three components: Translation, Poems and Book Review. I found in each of the sections interesting information and illumination.
The articles I liked best are on Google translation, Machine Translation, Translating the Translator, Satirical Deconstructionism, Genesis of Indian Cinematic Adaptation, and the poems. Almost all contributions are an exhaustive study.
May I add an English translation by me of a Tamil short story written by Kalaivathy Kaleel is also included in this issue. Much effort has gone into making this issue a valuable resource publication.
Very essential notes on contributors are also added, Call for Research Papers on Feminist Theatre are solicited for the next issue.