2 days ago

India-born author brings Ghalib's treasure to Americans

Aug 24 2014, 3:28am CDT | by IANS

Washington, Aug 24 (IANS) India-born author Surinder Deol has penned a new English translation of Mirza Ghalib's works to bring the famous Urdu poet to North Americans as also those South Asians who have lost touch with their native languages.

Washington, Aug 24 (IANS) India-born author Surinder Deol has penned a new English translation of Mirza Ghalib's works to bring the famous Urdu poet to North Americans as also those South Asians who have lost touch with their native languages.

Deol, who worked as a World Bank staffer for nearly 25 years before turning a poet and novelist, says he undertook the task "with the objective of bringing Ghalib to those North American readers who have found Persian poets like Rumi and Hafiz interesting to read."

"That is a very large audience. And if I succeed in getting their attention, then my job is done. But I also feel that my book is useful for South Asian readers too," Deol told IANS in an interview.

Published by Penguin-Random House imprint Partridge, Deol's 378 page free verse translation of Ghalib's entire Urdu divan titled "The Treasure: A Modern Rendition of Ghalib's Lyrical Love Poetry" was released here last week.

It's not easy to understand Ghalib even for those who have a normal level of proficiency in Urdu, Deol said, but "My book makes life easy for everyone."

"If you have high school level understanding of English, you can read the whole book and get the true essence of Ghalib's poetry without any difficulty."

"The younger generation of Indians in the US and other foreign countries who do not read Urdu or Hindi scripts or can't speak the language can now enjoy India's most loved poet in a language that they speak every day," he said.

Deol said he was quite satisfied with the result of his efforts to bring Ghalib to American readers as also Indians abroad, but the key factor will be how people react to his work

"Most importantly, I have used a language that is poetic but it is not archaic. Look at the reason why Americans love Rumi in Coleman Barks' translation. It is simple, direct, and touches you at a deep personal level as you read it."

Asked what inspired him to translate Ghalib, who is considered "untranslatable", Deol said "Because I loved Ghalib, I wanted to see his work made available in a good English translation so that he gets the recognition as a great world poet."

"Since I was very impressed with Coleman Barks' free verse rendering of Rumi, I thought of using the same technique for Ghalib.

"My idea was to apply this technique on 15-20 compositions or ghazals as a creative experiment."

"But you know Ghalib's poetry is like red wine that he cherished so much. You start this work and you get intoxicated and you can't leave it." Deol said.

"The task got harder as I proceeded but by then I had become an addict.

That took two solid years of my life. But I have no regrets."

"A book like this takes much longer to find acceptance but I'm very hopeful that my rendition of Ghalib will one day become a popular text for ordinary readers as well as for students of oriental literature," Deol said.

"The Treasure" is available on amazon.com internationally and on FlipKart in India.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at [email protected])

Update

4 weeks ago

Kidscreened

Jul 28 2014 10:41am CDT | Source: kid screen

Amazon turns Video Shorts site into retail gold (Mashable) The battle for Australia's VOD market (Variety) Why Lego's block-based business continues to succeed in a digital age (Public Radio International) Godzilla, US films dominate ...
Source: kid screen Full article at: kid screen

Update

Tweets

RT @InnovAge_News: [email protected]NCOAging research shows older adults who #exercise have positive outlook on #life. t.co/BXX92pZLTI. t.co…
— PalermoPhysio1 27 sec ago.

@FoxNews @HowardKurtz @MediaBuzzFNC It’s unlikely that any person who could be elected president of the United States would satisfy West.
— christwords199 34 sec ago.

"Every day in the United States, people steal $20,000 from coin-operated machines."
— newsfeedna 34 sec ago.

#UFO - Groton United States 09/09/2002 09:30 UTC La:43.701805 Lo:-71.836757 Sphere New Hampshire t.co/DXB4IUeAWq
— multistagecorre 41 sec ago.

Who is this Celebrity?

::::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,,.......`````````````........,,,,,:::::::::,,,,,............`.`...............,
:::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,,........`````````````..........,,,::::::::,,,,,...............`.`..............
::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,,........`````````````............,,,:::::::,,,,.................................
,:::::::::::::::::::::,,,,..........``````````````...........,,,:::::,,,,,.................................
,::::::::::::::::::::,,,,.........``.```````.`..````..........,,,::::,,,,..................................
,:::::::::::::::::::,,,,.........``...`...``...`.``......,:,;;,,,,,,:,,,...................................
,:::::::::::::::::::,,,.........```..............```.:;+#+'''++''';;,,,....................................
,,:::::::::::::::::,,,,..........`.................;'+'+;#+'++#+'+++;:,,,..................................
,,::::::::::::::::,,,,,..........................:+#'+#+###+##+++#+'+'';::,..................,,,...........
,,::::::::::::::::,,,,.........................,++++#'+'';''+'+++##++''''';..............,,,,,,............
,,,::::::::::::::,,,,.........................;'+#+++''++#++'+'++'+##+#'+';:............,,,,,,,,...........
,,,::::::::::::::,,,........................:+#+++++'+''+''+##++++#'+++#'++';;,.........,,,,,,,,,..........
,,,,:::::::::::::,,,.......................:'##+'++''++'''+'''+++++++++''+'''';,........,,,,,,,,,,.........
.,,,,:::::::::::,,,,.....................,,'###'''++';'+'+'++#++++#++++#+++'+;;:.......,,,,,:,,,,,.........
..,,,,::::::::::,,,,...................,,,:'##++';'';;:;;''++#+#+++###+++''+++';:.....,,,,,:::,,,,.........
..,,,,,:::::::::,,,....................,,,;+#+'';';;;::,,;++++++++++++##+#+++';:;......,,,:::::,,,,........
...,,,,,:::::::,,,,....................,,:'##+'::::,,..,,,:;'+++++#+##++#+++'+'';:....,,,,:::::,,,,,.......
...,,,,,,,:::::,,,........`...........,,,'+##';:,,::,.``.,.,:;''+++'''+#+++'+'+';;,..,,,,:::::::,,,,,......
......,,,,,,,,,,,.....................,,:+##+';,,,::,...:,,..,:;;';;:';''+++++++'''..,,,,::::::::,,,,,,....
.......,,,,,,,,,..........`..........,,,'+'#+':,,,,,,.........,:::;::,:;;''+#+++#';;,,,,::::::::::,,,,,,...
..........,,,,,...........`.........,,,:''+++;;:,,,,............,,,,,,,,:;'++++++'+::,,::::::::::::,,,,,,..
........................`..........,,,,:''+''';:,,,...............,,.,,.,,:;'+++#''+,,,:::::::::::::,,,,,..
.....................`.............,,,:'+''#';:::,,,......................,,''++++#',,::::::::::::::::,,,,.
.......................``........,,,,,,;++++';::,,,....................,,,,,,;++##++;::::::::::::::::::,,,,
,...................`.``.........,,,,::#+++++':,,..,.,,....,..........,,,,,,,:'+#'++::::::::::::::::::::,,,
,,....................``.......,,,,,:::+#+##+',,.,,::,,,,,,,....,,,,,,,,,,,,,,;'++#+:::::::::::::::::::::,,
,,,.................`.``......,,,,,:::;+#+##+;,:;'++++';::,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,:;'+##+'::::::::::::::::::::,,
,,,,,.................`......,,,,,::::'#####+,:+++#####+';::::::,:,,,,,,,,,,,:;'++++;::::::::::::::::::::,,
,,,,,,,......................,,,,:::::;####+',;++++++++#+'';;;;;;;;::::,,,,,,:'+##++:::::::::::::::::::::,,
:,,,,,,,,...................,,,,::::::'##+#+,,:'+#######+++';;;'++##+#+':,,,,:;++#++:::::::::::::::::::::,,
:::,,,,,,,,,................,,,:::::::;####:.,:'##########+'::;'''+#+##++;,,,,''#+#'::::::::::::::::::::,,,
:::::,,,,,,,,,..............,,:::::::.`+##+:,,:'#+##;'+###+,,,;''####+++'+':,,;++++:::::::::::::::::::::,,,
:::::::,,,,,,,,,............,,:::::::'.,##',,,;':,,:::'+#+,..,:'#######'''':,,';++#::::::::::::::::::::::,,
:::::::::::,,,,,,...........,,,:::::,++,++',,,,..,;'''''',...,,+#####;'#':::,,'+'#+::::::::::::::::::::,,,,
::::::::::::::,,,,..........,,,:::::,+.:++:,,,,,,;'+';:,.....,,:'++'';'+#;,,,,'+++#,::::::::::::::::::,,,,,
:::::::::::::::,,,,..........,,,::::::.:+'::,,,.,,.......,....,,:;'::,,,+',.,,'+##+:,:::::::::::::::,,,,,,,
::::::::::::::::,,,..........,,,:::::...''::,,,......,.,,,...,,,,:;+';:,:;:,,,'+++';,,::::::::::::,,,,,,,,,
::::::::::::::::,,,,..........,,,::::,;';':,,,,,....,,,,.....,,,,,,::;;:,,,,,:+++##,.,,,:::::::::,,,,,,,,,,
:::::::::::::::::,,,...........,,,::.'++'';:,,,,...,,,,,.....,,,,,,,,,::,,,,,:'++#':;.,,,,,,:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
:::::::::::::::::,,,,..........,,,,,,'++.;;:,,,,,,,,::,...`...,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,:'+'';;;,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
::::::::::::::::::,,,............,,,,:';,''::,,,,,,:;;.........,,,,,,,,,,,,,,:;';;::;;..,,,,,,,,,,..,,,,,,,
::::::::::::::::::,,,,,...........,,:.;.,,'::,,::::;+;,,,,,,..,,.;:,,,,,,,,,,:;',,,,';................,,,,,
:::::::::::::::::::,,,,............,.:..,;;::,::::''+:;';;;':,,,.;':,,,,,,,,,:':;,:,:;.................,,,,
:::::::::::::::::::,,,,...............,::':::::::'++;,:#+';;,+#::;+'::,,,,,,,,';+';,:,................,,,,,
::::::::::::::::::::,,,,.............,,,:';:::::;'+':,,;#+;:;'';:;'+;::,,,,,,:;'++',:................,,,,,,
:::::::::::::::::::::,,,,.............;,..,:::;:'+':,,,:;++''';::;;++;::,,,,,;,:+++,,.................,,,,,
:::::::::::::::::::::,,,,...............''':,:::'',:,,,,,'++'::::;;'+'::,,,,,;,:;+;,..................,,,,,
::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,,..............'+:,:::+,::,,,,,,,;;:,::::;'':,,,,,,:,:::,,................,,,,,,,
:::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,,.............++:::::+:';;'';;;';;;:,:::;:+;,,,,,,:.,,,:,.............,,,,,,,,,,
::::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,,...........,';:::::;;'+###+++++;;'';::;:#;,:,,,:;::,,,,,,,.,....,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
:::::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,,..........:,.::::::;;##+;,,;';;;:'+#'';+;,;,,,;:,:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,:,
::::::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,,,..........,::::::;;:#',,.,,,.,,'###';':,:,,:;:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,,,........,,:::::;;:,;;####':'.,;##';;;,::,,,:::::::::,,,,,,,,,,,,,:::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,,,,......,,::::::,,.,:;++##+##+'::;';,::,,,:::::::::::::::,:::::::::::::::
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,,,,,,,.,,,;:::;:,,,,,,,,,:;::;,::;;:,:,,,,::::::::::::::::::::::::::::,::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,,,,,,,,::::::,,,,:;::::.:,,,,:;;,:,,.,:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::,,,
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,,,,,,:::::,,:::'';;;:,,,,::;:,,,,,,::::::::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,,::,:::::;;''';;::,,,:::,,,,,,.::::::::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,
;;::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,,::,,,,::;;''';;;:,::::::,,,,,,::::::::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::'+##,,,,,:;,,,,:;;;;''';:::::::,,,,,,,::::::::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,,
::;:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::'+####,,,:,:;:,,,,,,::;;;;;:::,,:,,,,,,,::::::::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,,
;::;::::::::::::::::::::::::::::,'######,,,:::;;,,:,,,.,,,:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,::::::::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,,
::;:::::::::::::::::::::::::::`+########,,,::::'::,::,:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,::::::::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,,
;::::;;:::::::::::::::::::::,,+#########,,,,:::'';;;;;;;;:,,,::,,,,,,,,,,,::::::::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,,
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::`,##########+,,:::::;''''''''';;:::::,,,,,,,,,,::::::::::::::::::;:::::::::,,,,,
;:;:::::;::::::::::::::::.`:##########++:,,::::;'++''''''';;;;:,,,,,,,,,,:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,,
;;;:;;;;::::::::::::::::...###########;':::::::;'+++'''''';;;;:,::,,,,,,,;;:::::::::::::::::::::::::,,,,,,,
;;;;;;;;;;;:;;::::::,``...,##########';+;::::::;'+++++';;;;;:::::,,:,,,,,';:::::::::::::::::::,:,,,,,,.,.,.
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;::::.```.,,,:#########+::+'::::::;;++++++'';;;;:;::,:,,,,,,+``:::,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,......
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;::````.,:,,::#########+:;+'::::;:;;'++++++';;;;;:::,,,,,,,,:``,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.,.......
;;;;;;;;;;::;:....,,,:,,::;;########+:;+;::::::;;'++';;++'';;;::,,,,,,,,::.',,,......,,,,,,,,,,,,,,........
;;;;;;;:::::.....,,,:,:::;;;########+:;';;:::;;;;'++';;;++'';;:,,,,,,,,,;;#+':........,.,,,,..,,.,.........
;;;;;;..```........,:::;:;;;'#######+::;;;::;;;;;;'+';';;+;:;::,,,,,,,,,;''#''.........,...................
;;;;;;;:,::,,....,::::;;;;;;;#######'::';;::;;;;;;;+'''''';;::,,,,,,,,,,:'++#....`````.....................
;;;;;;;;;;,,.,:;;;;::;;;;;;;;;##+###';:+;;;;;;;;;;'++'+++';::,,,,,,,,,,::'+;.``````````...,................
;;;;;;;;':,,'+'+#++'''''';;';''':'##;;++';:;;;;;;'''+++++';::,,,,,,,,,,;:+',.``````````....................
;;;;;;;;';;#..::;;'+##+++++'''+'###+'++++;:;;;;;''''++++++';,,:,,:,,,,,::+',.```````````...................
;;;;;;;;;;,....::;;'''+##+#++++''####++++::+';;;;'''+++++++'::,,,:::::;::''',````````````..................
;;;;;;;;:.,:::,.,:;;;''''+++####+++#+++''::;''''''''+++++++++;,,,';;::#::''';.````````````.................
;;;;;;,,:::::::::,,;;;'+++'+''+#+##++++'+;:;;;'''++++###+''+++:,++;,,,:::+;;:.``````````````....,,,,,......
;;;;.,.```...,,,,:,,::;;'+++'#+;'+#+++++++:;;'';;;;;;;''''++++;:'+;:,:+::+':,.```````````..```.,,,,,,,.....
;;,.`````..:::,..,:;::::;''++'+#+;'+++++++;:''';;;;;;'''''###+'+#+;;:#'::'+:..````````..,,..````,,,,,,,....
,``....,,:,.,::;;;;;;;;:;:;'++';++;;'+++++;;';;;;;;;;'''''##'''#+;;;'#;::''....`````..,,,..``````.,,,,,,...
`````...,:::,.,,::::;;;::;;:;+++''+;;+++++';'::::;:;;;''''+#';'#+;;:,;::;'+,..`````..,,,,....``````..,,,,..
```.,:::::::::,.,,,:::;;;::;;;'+++++;++++++;;;;:;;;;;;;''''#+'+#+;;;::::'++,`````...,,,,.......`````...,...
``.,,,,:::::::::,,,,,:::;;;;::;;++++++'++++;;;;;;;;;;;;''''#+'#+;;;;;;::+'+.``....,,,,,.....,,,.````.......
,..`.,,::::::::::::,,,::;;;;;;;:::;###+++++';'';;;';;;;;;';#+++#;;;;;'::+';....,,,,,,,...,,,,:,..`.`.,.....
,,::,..,,,,::,:::::::::::;;;;;;::::;'#++++++;+#''''''''';;;+###';;;++:::++,..,,,,,,,.....,,::::,...,`:,....
,,::::,..,,,:::,::::::::::;;;;;;;;;:;;++++++;'++++++++++';;+###'''++#::;++:,.,,:,,,....,,,:::::,.,,:.::....
:.,::::::,,,,::::::::::::::;;;;;;;;;;;++++++;;++++'''++++''##++++++#+::'++:::,,,........,,:::::,.,:::.;,...
:,,:::::::::,,::::::::::::::;;;;;;;;;;++++++;;++++'''''++++###'+''++;::++':::::,,.`....,:,:::::,.,:::.;;...
;:.:::::::::::,::::::::::::::::;;;;;;;+++++++;+'+++''''++++##`+'''++:::'+':::,,,,,.....,,::::::,.,:::,:;,`.
;:,,:::::::::::::::::::::::::::;;;;;;;'++++++;''''''''+''++##`#'''++:::'+;:::::;,,:,...,,,:::::,.,::;::;;.`
;;:,,::::::,:::;:::::::::::::::;;;;;;;'++++++;;;'''''''''++##`#'''++::;'+::::::,,,,::`..,,:::::,.,::;:,;;,`
;;::,:::;;;:,,::::::::::::::::;;;;;;;;'++++++';;;;''''''''+##``;'++;::;++::::::::,,,::`.,,:::::,,::;;:,;;;`
;;::,:::;;;;::,::::::::::::::::;;;;;;;'+++++++;;;;;;;''''++##.,;'++:::'++:::::,,:,,,,:...,,::::,,::;;;.;;;.
;;;::,::;;;;;::,,::::::::::::::;:::;;;;'++++++;;;;;;;;;;'''##:;.'++::;'++::::::,,,,,,,,,.,::::,,,::;;:,;;;:
;';::,::;;;;;;::,,::::;:::::::::::::;;;'++++++;';;;;;;;;'''##+'.'++:::'+'::::::,,,,,,,,,,,,:::,,,::;;;,;;;;
;';'+;,::;;;;;;::,,:::::::::;;:::::::;;'++++++;';;;;:;;;;''###;';+;;:;'+:::::::::,,,,,,,,::,::,,,::;;;,;;;;
;';'+':,:;;;;;;:::,,:::::::;:;:;::::::;'++,;'';';;;;;::;;''###.'`+:::+'+,::::::::::,,,,;,,:::,:,,:;;;;:;;;;

Click ASCII Image to Reveal Celebrity

Update

United States Youtube Videos

Tour the States - Official Music Video
2,889,434 views

Top 10 United States Landmarks
121,866 views

Does ISIS Really Pose A Threat To The United States?
24,121 views

See all United States videos

Don't miss ...

Ad Balla Homepage

IANS
The Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) was established in 1986, initially to serve as an information bridge between India and its thriving diaspora in North America. Today it is a full-fledged, 24 by 7 agencies putting out the real-time news from India, South Asia and news of interest to this region around the world.

blog comments powered by Disqus

Latest stories

Too much make-up not good for youngsters: Expert
Los Angeles, Aug 26 (IANS) Parents are being urged to ensure that their children aren't using too much make-up particularly if they're young as it can lead to major skin problems, says an expert.

Breakup updates on Facebook ruining relationships
New York, Aug 24 (IANS) Has your ex-partner conveyed all personal details of your breakup to common friends on Facebook, leaving you embarrassed? Well, you are not alone.

India-born author brings Ghalib's treasure to Americans
Washington, Aug 24 (IANS) India-born author Surinder Deol has penned a new English translation of Mirza Ghalib's works to bring the famous Urdu poet to North Americans as also those South Asians who have lost touch with their native languages.

1,200-year-old tomb discovered in China
Beijing, Aug 23 (IANS) Archaeologists said Saturday they have discovered a tomb with well preserved wall paintings, dating back more than 1,200 years, in northwest China's Shaanxi province.

Wait! Before you go...

Gallery: Kate Upton 13 images

360° Coverage : India-born author brings Ghalib's treasure to Americans

India-born author brings Ghalib's treasure to Americans

Washington, Aug 24 (IANS) India-born author Surinder Deol has penned a new English translation of Mirza Ghalib's works to bring the famous Urdu poet to North Americans as also those South Asians who have lost touch with their native languages.

India-born author brings Ghalib's treasure to Americans