The Book Brahma Literature Festival kicked off Friday at St. John’s Auditorium in Koramangala. A lively panel on language and translation dived into “Linguistic Hegemony: Indian Languages and the Federal Imagination, ” featuring writers and academics like M. S. Ashadevi, O. L. Nagabhushana Swamy, Keshava Guha, and N. S. Madhavan.
M. S. Ashadevi praised 12th-century poetess Akka Mahadevi, calling her one of the most modern writers. She noted the difficulty in translating Mahadevi’s works, not due to their age but their advanced thought and ideology. Ashadevi stressed the importance of deeply engaging with the poetess's language and metaphors to challenge patriarchal norms effectively.
O. L. Nagabhushana Swamy highlighted the challenges of translating Kannada literature into English. He called English a “powerful rich relative, ” which can make non-speakers feel inferior. He explained that translating into Kannada allows more creative freedom, whereas English poses distinct challenges.
Keshava Guha offered a different view, saying English isn't seen as a colonial language by many young people today. Instead, it’s a key tool for jobs and global communication. “They don’t associate English with England or British, ” he noted, indicating a shift in perception among the youth.
Guha also pointed out that English lacks the institutional backing that regional languages have in India. While English dominates business and commerce, it doesn’t hold the same literary status. Writers in Kannada, Tamil, or Malayalam benefit from audiences who understand their cultural context.
N. S. Madhavan discussed migration's impact on language, noting how communities adapt. In Kerala, locals are learning Hindi to communicate with workers from states like Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, while workers’ children are picking up English for education access. “Many people in my State have now learnt Hindi, ” he said.
Madhavan stressed English's role in accessing scientific literature and encyclopedias but advocated for preserving regional and foreign languages like Russian, German, and Portuguese. He highlighted the need for balanced language learning that respects both global and local heritages.
Festival director Satish Chapparike, at the opening ceremony, called the event a celebration of Indian literature’s richness, especially from South India. He noted India’s linguistic diversity, saying, “India has been always a country of many languages, many histories and many ways of seeing the world. But diversity is not an obstacle to our unity.”
The festival’s first day also featured actor and director Ramesh Aravind’s solo session, “Every journey deserves to be told, ” and a screening of Vagachi Pani by Natesh Hegde. The event will continue exploring language and identity over its three-day run.
