Not lost in translation

According to the Internet, 'baazigar' literally translates into 'gambler'. But, that hardly does justice to the meaning or the spirit of the inimitable baazigar, does it And how do you translate the word 'jootha' 'Chai-paani' doesn't mean 'tea-water'. And when it comes to regional languages, the search only becomes more nuanced. Has anyone ever found a really satisfying translation for the coy Bengali word 'naeka' or the almost-possessed Tamil word 'veri'

Translations are exciting, tempting and so incredibly elusive. To capture the essence of what is written in one language and express its meaning in another is a remarkable art in itself. And an almost-addictive one, according to Shanta Gokhale who will address the topic at a talk this week.

The writer, novelist, playwright, translator and performing arts and culture critic says, “in the beginning, translation was something I did for friends. Then, before I knew it, I was doing it for myself. And then, before I knew it, it became something I couldn’t live without. Sounds mad Sure. You don’t translate unless you’re mad.”

For more on the mad moments, head to Kitab Khana on 15 April at 5.30