Jnanpith recipient, author and social activist Mahasweta Devi, who died on Thursday, has left an indelible impression on the minds of Kannada readers and theatre lovers, through many translations and theatrical adaptations.
According to noted writer and critic H.S. Raghavendra Rao, the credit of introducing Ms. Mahasweta Devi to Kannada goes to writer Baraguru Ramachandrappa, who headed Karnataka Sahitya Academy in 1993. He invited her to a literary programme in Karnataka. Following her visit, her short story Stanadayini was first translated into Kannada by writer H.S. Srimathi and was published in ‘Aniketana’, the academy’s journal.
Prof. Rao said that Ms. Mahashweta Devi’s translations introduced to Kannada literature the life and suffering of tribal communities, which are not adequately represented in its own literature. “She combined activism and writing, which was a great inspiration,” he said.
Ms. Mahasweta Devi’s Aranyer Adhikar was translated by J. Kumarappa, who worked in the National Library, Kolkata, into Kannada as Kaadina Daavedara . B. Sujnanamurthy of Hampi University has also translated the same work into Kannada as Yaaradee Kaadu ?
Ms. Srimathi translated Dopdi, Mattu Itara Kathegalu , 1084 Tayi, Rudali , besides translation of a few short stories and interviews. On what inspired her to translate it into Kannada, Ms. Srimathi said: “Mahasweta Devi stayed with our family during her first visit to Karnataka. On learning that I was interested in translations, she gave me a blanket permission to translate all her works into Kannada. Her word of encouragement made me translate some of her important works.”
Writer Deepa Ganesh has also translated her Rudali into Kannada and the same was staged by Samudaya theatre group. Similarly other theatre groups staged theatrical adaptations of Dopdi, Rudali and Hajar Churashir Maa.
