📝Blog Activity: Experiencing Translation Through Fiction

Introduction

This task was assigned as part of Translation Studies to give us experience in translating a literary paragraph from Gujarati/Hindi into English. The purpose is not only to translate words but also to reflec on issues like equivalence, untranslatability, cultural gaps, and the effectiveness of translation tools. In this blog, I have chosen a paragraph from the Gujarati short story “ Bapani Peeper”  by Harshad Trivedi and translated it into English.

1. Title of the Fiction Chosen

Manasaina Diva (The Lamps of Humanity) by Zaverchand Meghani

( I take this image from google)

2. Original Paragraph 

"માનવતાનું દીવડું એ માણસની સૌથી મોટી સંપત્તિ છે. માણસ ધન, માન-સન્માન કે કીર્તિ મેળવે તો પણ તે ક્ષણિક છે; એ બધું એક દિવસ કાળ સાથે વિસરાઈ જાય છે. પરંતુ માણસના હૃદયમાં જો માનવતાનો દીવો પ્રગટે, તો એ શાશ્વત રહે છે. આ દીવો સમાજના અંધકારને દૂર કરે છે, દુઃખી અને પીડિત હૃદયોને આશાની કિરણ આપે છે. સત્ય એ છે કે પૈસાથી મોટી કોઈ વસ્તુ નથી એવી માન્યતા રાખનાર માણસો અંતે ખાલીપો અનુભવતા રહે છે. પરંતુ જેને પોતાના અંતરમાં માનવતાનો દીવો પ્રગટાવવાનો અવસર મળે છે, તે માણસ ક્યારેય ખાલી નથી રહેતો. આ દીવો માત્ર પોતાને જ પ્રકાશિત કરતો નથી, પણ અન્ય લોકો માટે માર્ગદર્શન પણ આપે છે. આ દીવો કરુણા, પ્રેમ, સહાનુભૂતિ અને સહકારનો પ્રતિક છે. જો સમાજમાં દરેક માણસ પોતાના હૃદયમાં માનવતાનો દીવો પ્રગટાવે, તો સમગ્ર માનવજાતિ માટે અંધકાર દૂર થઈ જાય અને જીવનમાં શાંતિ, સન્માન અને સમાનતા પ્રસ્થાપિત થાય."

3. Translated Paragraph 

"The lamp of humanity is the greatest treasure of a human being. A person may acquire wealth, respect, or fame, but all of these are temporary; sooner or later, time takes them away. However, if the lamp of humanity is lit within the heart of a person, it remains eternal. This lamp removes the darkness of society and offers rays of hope to sorrowful and suffering hearts. The truth is that those who believe money is the highest possession often end up feeling empty from within. But the one who gets the chance to light the lamp of humanity in their heart is never empty. This lamp does not only illuminate one’s own life, but it also serves as guidance for others. It stands as a symbol of compassion, love, empathy, and cooperation. If every person in society lights the lamp of humanity within themselves, then the darkness of the entire human race will disappear, and life will be filled with peace, respect, and equality."

4. Context Behind the Paragraph

This paragraph reflects one of the central messages of Manasaina Diva. The author emphasizes that true value does not lie in material possessions but in the inner light of humanity. It shows how human compassion and goodness can guide society, especially in difficult times.

5. Briefing of the Book

Manasaina Diva is a collection of inspiring stories written by Zaverchand Meghani, a renowned Gujarati writer, poet, and social reformer. The stories highlight human values, morality, and the importance of compassion in daily life. The book celebrates the strength of ordinary people who act with kindness and humanity. Its main themes include love, sacrifice, moral courage, and social harmony.

✍️Reflection Questions

Q1. Is there any translation available on the fiction you chose?
Yes, some stories of Zaverchand Meghani have been translated into English, but not all. Manasaina Diva is more popular in Gujarati, and complete English translations are rare.

Q2. While conducting translative reading, did you encounter any cultural issues or gaps?
Yes, certain cultural expressions in Gujarati, such as metaphors related to lamps, festivals, or rural life, are difficult to translate directly into English without losing their deeper meaning.

Q3. Did the problem of untranslatability or equivalence occur in the chosen fiction?
Yes, the problem of equivalence occurred. For example, the Gujarati word દીવડું (divadu) directly means “lamp,” but in Gujarati culture, it also symbolizes hope, purity, and spirituality. Translating it simply as “lamp” does not capture the full cultural depth.

Q4. Which tools and sources were used while conducting the translation? Were they effective in achieving accuracy?
I used my knowledge of Gujarati, English dictionaries, and some online translation tools to check word meanings. I also use ChatGPT.However, cultural understanding and personal interpretation were more important than literal translation. The tools helped with accuracy but not with capturing emotions, which required human effort.

Q5. Describe your experience as a translator.
The experience was enriching. It was challenging to keep the cultural essence while translating into English. I learned that translation is not just about words but about carrying emotions, traditions, and meanings across languages. This activity helped me improve both my language skills and my cultural sensitivity.

Conclusion

Through this activity, I realized that translation is both an art and a responsibility. It requires sensitivity to culture, values, and emotions beyond literal words. Translating Manasaina Diva gave me a deeper understanding of Gujarati literature and helped me practice how to bring its essence into English. This task improved my awareness of equivalence, cultural gaps, and the true purpose of translation: to connect people across languages and cultures.

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