Experiencing Translation Through Fiction
Introduction:
This task has been assigned by Archita Ma’am as part of our classroom activity for Unit 3 & 4: Translation Studies. The purpose of this activity is to give us hands-on experience in translating a paragraph from Gujarati or Hindi fiction into English. Through this exercise, we not only practice the skill of translation but also reflect on important aspects such as equivalence, untranslatability, cultural gaps, and the effectiveness of translation tools. This blog is my response to the given task.
(1) The titel of the Fiction chosen :
'The Beautiful river of Narmada' By Amritlal vegad
(2) Original Paragraph (Source Language)
“નર્મદા નદીના કિનારે ચાલતાં ચાલતાં મુસાફર પોતાને એક અજાણી જાદુઈ દુનિયામાં અનુભવ કરે છે. નદીનો હરિયો પ્રવાહ, કિનારે ઊભેલા ઘન જંગલો, ઘાટો પર ભજતા ઘંટના નાદ અને દૂરથી સંભળાતો આરતીનો સ્વર—આ બધું મળીને નર્મદાનું એક જીવંત ચિત્ર રચે છે. ગામડાંઓના લોકોની સાદગી, તેમની નજરમાં નદી પ્રત્યેનો અવિશ્વસનીય વિશ્વાસ અને જીવનનો સરળપણો પ્રવાસીને આંતરિક શાંતિ આપે છે. નર્મદા માત્ર પાણી નથી, તે એક પ્રાચીન કથાનું પ્રતિબિંબ છે, જ્યાં દરેક લહેર એક નવો અર્થ આપે છે અને દરેક વળાંકમાં નવી આશા છુપાયેલી છે.”
(3)Translated Paragraph (Target Language: English)
“Walking along the banks of the Narmada, a traveler feels transported into a world of wonder. The river’s green flow, the thick forests standing guard at its edges, the ringing of bells on the ghats, and the distant sound of evening prayers—all merge to create a living portrait of Narmada. The simplicity of the village people, their unwavering faith in the river, and their uncomplicated way of life offer the traveler a deep sense of inner peace. Narmada is not just water; it is a reflection of an ancient legend, where every wave carries a new meaning and every bend hides a new hope.”
(4) Context Behind the paragraph :
This passage describes the traveler’s spiritual and aesthetic journey along the Narmada River. It captures the harmony between nature, faith, and human life. The paragraph signifies how the Narmada is more than a natural resource—it is a sacred presence that shapes culture, belief, and inner peace.
(5) Briefing of the Book :
(1) Short Summary :
The book સૌંદર્યની નદી નર્મદા is a travelogue that beautifully portrays the author's journey along the banks of the sacred Narmada River. It combines vivid descriptions of nature, cultural traditions, folk stories, and the spiritual essence of the river. The author shares not only his observations of landscapes and people but also his deep emotional and spiritual connection with the river, making it both a personal and cultural exploration.
(2) Author :
Amritlal Vegad (1928-2018) was a renowned Gujarati and Hindi writer, painter, and traveler. He is best known for his travelogues on the Narmada River.
Vegad's writing style blends art, literature, and spirituality. His works often reflect his love for nature, Indian culture, and especially the timeless charm of the Narmada. He received the Sahitya Akademi Award (2004) for his travelogue Narmada: Udgam se Samudra Tak.
(3) Plot :
The book is a travelogue describing the author's parikrama (circumambulation) of the Narmada River. Amritlal Vegad journeys on foot along the banks of the holy river, capturing not just its natural beauty but also the lives, culture, myths, temples, forests, and people around it.
His writing combines personal experiences, observations, folklore, and historical references, creating a vivid picture of the river's physical as well as spiritual landscape.
(4) Main Themes :
Love of nature and beauty, Spirituality and Pilgrimage, Relationship between humans and rivers , Culture and Heritage Travelogue and Life View.
(5) Significance :
The significance of "The Beautiful River Narmada" is that it celebrates the river's natural beauty, spiritual depth, and cultural importance, highlighting the connection between humans and nature.
(6) Signifie ( meaning) :
Narmada becomes a symbol of eternal beauty, purity, and spirituality. It represents the union of art, nature, and devotion. For Vegad, the river is not only water flowing through land, but also a philosophy of life calm yet powerful, ordinary yet divine.
Reflection Questions :
Q1. Is there any translation available on the fiction you chose?
Ans. Yes, some of Amritlal Vegad's works have been translated into Hindi and English, though not all are widely available.
Q2. While conducting translative reading, did you encounter any cultural issues or
gaps?
Ans. Yes. Cultural concepts like परिमा (circumambulation) or घाट (ghat) have no exact English equivalents. They needed contextual explanation or direct borrowing.
Q3. Did the problem of untranslatability or equivalence occur in the chosen fiction?
Ans. Yes, especially with spiritual and cultural expressions. For example, calling Narmada simply a "river" weakens its cultural and sacred connotation. "Living culture" was used to balance meaning and equivalence.
Q4. Which tools and sources were used while conducting the translation? Were they effective in achieving accuracy?
Ans. I used Chat GPT, google lens, and google translate. They were helpful but not always enough for capturing deeper meanings.
Q5. Describe your experience as a translator.
Ans. Being a translator seemed easy in my opinion, but after this experience, I realised that the work of a translator is not easy. When translating words and paragraph, great care must be taken to ensure that their meaning is preserved. But translating increases vocabulary and knowledge.I had to face many problems while translating.
Conclusion :
I learned a lot through this task.There are many difficulties in translation, such as some words that could not be translated. So, if l say from my experience, l had difficulty in translating. Also, the rest of the experience was also good.