Author and award-winning translator Nandini Krishnan said: “So many generations of Tamil speakers and readers have grown up with ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ to think that this work didn’t exist 75 years ago, it’s hard to believe. Confidence. I
Posted Date – 06:15 PM, Wednesday – 4/12/23
Hyderabad: Westland Books announces the release of the first book in a new multi-volume translation of Ponniyin Selvan. With the release of Mani Ratnam’s films “PS-1” and “PS-2”, this Tamil classic hits the news, starring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Trisha Krishnan, Karthi, Vikram and Aishwarya Lekshmi among others.
Author and award-winning translator Nandini Krishnan said: “So many generations of Tamil speakers and readers have grown up with ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ to think that this work didn’t exist 75 years ago, it’s hard to believe. Confidence. I’m one of the many women named after one of the characters. I’ve been quietly working on translations over the years, hoping to capture the nuances of Kalki’s work for English readers. I’m glad this series is here at Eka/Westland Books found a home.”
Karthika VK, Publisher of Westland Books, said: “Nandini’s translation of Ponniyin Selvan is elegant, lyrical, and full of energy. It contains the detail and vastness of the original text, while retaining its rhythm and depth. I am sure that this timeless epic will survive this Translations find a new generation of readers.”
The interest generated by “Ponniyin Selvan” when it was first serialized in “Kalki” and the multifaceted increase in the magazine’s circulation led to the publication of multiple volumes very quickly. Critics have used the term “Kalki Tamil” to describe its style, in which slang alternates with academics, wordplay with ecstatic prose and vivid imagery. Karki’s words are thoughtful, his prose is lyrical, and his language skills are difficult to express in another language.
Nandini Krishnan takes up the challenge of going back to the source text and re-presenting it without compressing or paraphrasing the narrative—a device evident in existing translations. For ease of reading, and because each chapter is a gripping, twisty plot suitable for reading at an airport, each of the original five volumes has been further divided into shorter books for easy holding and portability.
The first book, “The First Flood”, introduces us to the world of the Chola Dynasty, and marries an incredibly compelling story with travelogue and history.
