Translation kills original and organic flavour of the text: Ishwor Kadel

Poet and Novelist Ishwor Kadel

Ishwor Kadel, a poet and novelist, is the former President of Village of English Writers (VIEW), an organization working to promote Nepali writing in English. Writer Kadel’s collection of English poems Baya was published in 2013, and his English novel Echoes was published in 2014. The Editor of Cactus, Gopi Sapkota recently had the conversation with him about Nepalese writing. Following are the excerpts:

What are you writing nowadays?

Nowadays, I am writing poems in English and Nepali language. Writing in Nepali has become a must to me. Working with the poets and writers and organizing poetry recital programs in Nepali, I slowly developed my habits in writing in Nepali too. I am also writing a novel in English side by side.

You have been writing poetry and fiction. Which is your favourite genre?

I have been working on both of the genres since the beginning though it started with poetry. In fiction, I find kind of freedom to write and to express what I want to. In poetry, freedom is there too but one must be aware of its length. On the other hand, we find the matter for poetry very often but for fiction, one needs long time to develop and conclude it. I think, poetry gets more sympathy than fiction.

Could you please tell us about the reader’s responses you got from your books Baya and Echoes?

I got mixed kind of response from the readers for my poetry and fiction. But what I got from these two books is experience. It is very difficult to become bestseller. To reach into the minds and hearts of readers needs more patience, hard work, dedication for creation and develop one’s reading culture very much. In fact, I never expected cheaper kind of praises on my writing and what responses I got from my readers helped me identify my strengths and weakness as a poet and a novelist. Considering my strengths and weaknesses, I am working on my writings these days.

There are very few writers in Nepal writing in English as compared to writing in native Nepali language. How do you see the readership for Nepali writing in English?

Gopi ji, readership in English is very low compared to Nepali language. If one writes in Nepali, the book reaches on everyone’s (Readers) hands and a couple days and nights will be enough to complete the text. At least, even beginners can have access of the books and language and content in it. But it needs time as well as courage to begin a book in English in our context. As I write in English, I do not have more readers like Nepali writers do but what I wish is I could have few but qualitative readers who could understand my writings.

How do you see the present status of Nepali writing in English?

Slowly and gradually, the university graduates and even undergrads have developed thirst for reading books. When I visit bookshops in Bharatpur and Kathmandu, I see young generations entering into the bookshops and buy books both in English and Nepali. But to grow as a successful writer in Nepal it takes more than a decade. But we need some writers writing in English or translating Nepali works in English.

How do you think we can uplift the Nepalese writing to influence at the international level?

Well, it has become cliché to say that translation is the one and only way to take our literature into the international arena. Yet, it is the truth. Secondly, the more important task to achieve this goal is of our government. Let me tell you Gopi ji, the ISBN number we get for our books is just a fake number. The government gives us ISBN number for our book but it does not enter the ISBN number to make it globalized. If we type ISBN number of our book in google, it does not recognize it. Is not it sad?

You have been engaged in translating Nepali writing into English. Could you please tell us about its scope and challenges?

Translation gives any piece of work a wide scope. It has been growing side by side with the original writing. But as a translator, one can never get satisfied with his own translation. Translation kills original and organic flavour of the text. A same piece of text can have more than one translation but each of them lacks something.

Could you explain some of the activities of the VIEW?

VIEW is a literary organization in Chitwan specially for organizing literary programs, publishing literary journals and magazines in English. It has already organized some poetry recitals of published poets and young poets from schools. Recently, VIEW has decided to publish a literary magazine in 2019.

What is your plan for future as a writer?

I have not made any specific plans because I am the least organized man. I hate plans because the time I make plan, it starts to deteriorate. But I know one thing that I won’t stop writing till my last breath.

What would you suggest to the new writers?

Every writer has his or her own style of writing and don’t try to follow the foot print of any other writers. But read as many books as you can from the writers from your country or abroad. Reading books is not optional for those who want to grow as writers.