The Book Brahma Literature Festival, an annual event cantered on the theme "The Soul of South," is making headlines as the first major literary festival without any foreign literary works featured. Now in its second day on Saturday, the festival has drawn considerable attention for its focus on promoting regional literature and fostering cultural exchange through translation.
A key highlight of the festival is the Publishers Copyright Roundtable, where authors from different languages discuss their works with each other. If they find mutual interest, they may seek permission to translate each other’s books into their respective languages, thereby encouraging the flow of literary culture across linguistic boundaries.
Speaking with News Trail, Purnima Tammireddy, Founder-Director of Elami Publications, explained while translating a book into another language is a prolonged process that can take up to a year. Initially, we must thoroughly read and understand the book if someone approaches us for translation. Once the translation is approved, it takes an additional five months to print, publish, and release the book into the market. Sometimes, the entire process extends beyond a year.
Discussing the significant challenges in translation, Purnima highlighted the complexities around copyright. Often, we hear about a book but face significant hurdles during translation, particularly with copyright issues. For instance, if an author has passed away, we must obtain permission from their family members, which can be challenging to secure. Even after obtaining permission, finding a suitable translator is difficult, as not everyone can translate all languages. For example, translating Tamil into Kannada is particularly challenging; it often requires an English version of the Tamil book first, making the process more manageable.
She further added that the new AI tools fail to capture the nuances of literary language, emphasizing that human intervention is crucial for accurate translation.
In addition to the discussions, the festival also featured a performance of protest songs that addressed issues like inequality, exploitation, and the desire for peace. The performance emphasized the role of art in fostering awareness and promoting human values.
The festival has attracted around 15,000 visitors over the past two days. Alongside the literary events, a book exhibition with 60 stalls and food counters have been set up for attendees.
