Comment on Translation or Travesty? Bharati’s Poems in English Translation by Gomathy

Dr Vijaya Bharati,
On a casual search for the etymology of the Tamil word Sabatham, I came upon your blog. When I saw ‘Panchaali’s Pledge’, my reaction was one of letdown and disappointment. Only someone who has no grasp of Tamil language could have come up with that kind of translation. I have not read the translation of the Mahakavi’s works by Ms Usha Rajagopalan. I don’t think I have to. You want to get the energy and the essence of his writing, you have to know not only the language but the history, the environment, the family background and his own personality traits and his interactions. Otherwise, you can simply translate with the help of a dictionary, picking word for word. I think your criticism is fully justified.