Lost in Translation? Not Quite.

I still remember the first time I sat with a 400-page Hindi manuscript, commissioned by a global publisher for its English edition. The author was a poet and social reformer rolled into one. Her prose was dense, poetic, and soaked in regional nuance. My job? To carry that flavour across the linguistic border without spilling the essence.

Over the past decade, I’ve worked on translations in Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Urdu, Tamil, and even Santhali. Each language offered a new flavour of emotion, rhythm, and culture. Translating them into English—while exciting—often felt like trying to explain the concept of "rasa" to someone who’s never had jaggery.

The Richness of Indian Languages: Where Do I Even Begin?

Indian languages carry rhythm, caste codes, region-specific metaphors, and centuries of lived experience. Translating them isn’t merely linguistic work; it’s anthropological, emotional, and often, political.

Take Malayalam, for instance. The word "manaslu (മനസ്സ്ഉ)" can mean mind, heart, or soul depending on tone and context. In English, I’d often debate if I should go with "consciousness" or "emotional state" or leave it as it is with a footnote.

Then there’s Telugu. The phrase "Cheppi undocchu kadaa! (చెప్పి ఉండొచ్చు కదా!)" is often used in dramatic tones. The English equivalent, "You could have said it!" lacks the inherent emotion.

Even something as simple as "bhaiya" in Hindi isn’t just "brother". It’s respect, familiarity, distance, or a subtle social hierarchy, depending on usage.

"The Synonym Trap"

Trust me, you think you know English until you translate. One recurring challenge? English has no exact equivalent for many Indian terms.

1. "Jugaad" is not merely "hack". It carries a sense of innovation within limitations.
2. "Sanskriti" isn’t just "culture". It refers to civilizational ethos, rituals, and behaviour.
3. "Akalmandi"? That’s street-smart intelligence with life experience thrown in—not just "wisdom".

I’ve spent entire afternoons digging through 10 synonyms, building test sentences, to land on a phrase like "improvised innovation" for jugaad. Sometimes, I retain the original word and italicise it, because translation is not substitution. It’s storytelling.

Funny Bones in Footnotes: The Humorous Side of Translation

Humour is a minefield in translation.

I was once translating a Marathi short story where the protagonist says, "Tyācē ḍōkē ṭhīka nāhīyē. (त्याचे डोके ठीक नाहीये)" (His head isn’t right). It’s a phrase used to describe someone eccentric or crazy. I translated it literally—"His head isn’t fine"—and the editor responded, “Did he bump into a ceiling fan?”

Another time, in a Bengali folktale, the character calls someone "paka mishti (পাকা মিষ্টি)" (ripe sweet). I rendered it as “He’s a mature dessert.” We had to pause the project that day because we laughed for hours.

Lesson? Language is culture, but also comedy.

What Helped Me Translate Better

1. Reading the Author’s Mindset: I read all available works by the author before starting. This helps me understand their tone, rhythm, and emotional cadences.
2. Listening to Regional Speakers: For languages I don’t speak natively (like Santali or Bengali), I’d sit with community speakers, listen to readings, and ask about idioms.
3. Collaboration with the Author (if alive): Co-working with the author helps to resolve ambiguities. They can tell you if that "crow on the terrace" is metaphorical or literal.
4. Context, Not Words: Instead of translating sentence by sentence, I focus on paragraphs or sections. That ensures thematic integrity.
5. Music, Film, and Pop Culture: I consume songs, films, reels, and dialogues in the source language to understand contemporary voice.

Tips for Aspiring Translators

1. Learn to Let Go: Not every word has an English equivalent. Focus on intent.
2. Don’t Be a Dictionary: Translation is transcreation. Don’t get stuck on direct word swaps.
3. Read Translations Actively: Observe how other translators handle tone, rhythm, and culture. Annotate.
4. Master Both Languages: You can’t translate unless you're deeply comfortable with both source and target languages.
5. Retain Some Original Terms: Words like "guru", "karma", "adda", and "panchayat" are now globally accepted. Use italics or footnotes if needed.
6. Respect the Untranslatable: Sometimes, it’s okay to leave mystery. Language isn’t math.
7. Build a Feedback Loop: Editors, native speakers, and even your grandparents can give valuable input.

Recommended Translated Works That Do It Brilliantly

Here are some shining examples of Indian literature translated into English:

1. "Tomb of Sand" by Geetanjali Shree, translated by Daisy Rockwell – The first Hindi novel to win the International Booker Prize (2022).
2. "Poonachi" by Perumal Murugan, translated by N. Kalyan Raman – Originally in Tamil. A fable-like novel that shows linguistic precision.
3. "The Hour Past Midnight" by Salma, translated by Lakshmi Holmström – Deeply rooted in the Tamil Muslim female experience.
4. "Aalo Aandhari" by Baby Halder, translated by Urvashi Butalia – A haunting personal narrative, originally in a Bengali-Hindi mix.
5. "The Collected Stories" by Saadat Hasan Manto, translated by Aatish Taseer and Khalid Hasan – Urdu’s firebrand storyteller gets his due.
6. "Bhaskara Pattelar and Other Stories" by Paul Zacharia, translated from Malayalam – Preserves layered humour and character.

The Bottom Line: It’s More Than Just Words

Translating Indian languages into English is like trying to catch the moonlight in a jar. You won’t always succeed—but when you do, it’s magic. You bring worlds to new readers. You give stories a second life.

My advice to translators? Dive deep. Laugh at your mistakes. Celebrate the chaos. And remember: it’s not just about crossing the language barrier. It’s about building bridges across cultures.

Happy translating!!!