A gathering of friends and literature enthusiasts filled up the hall of South Asian Free Media Association (Safma) office to listen to the translator speak about his latest release. Speakers at the event discussed literature in Pakistan and the fine art of translation.
Eshai started his speech with how most literature available for youngsters in book stores in Pakistan is in English. “Children in Pakistan and Pakistanis abroad do not know much about art, literature and culture of Pakistan,” he said. With such a book, this can be the first step.
Eshai took a year an a half to compile and skim through some of the finest writings of Sadat Hasan Manto and translated 18 of his (Manto’s) work and three of his mentors work in the book.
He told The Express Tribune that the art of translation was challenging. “Each and every word can be translated but brings out a different meaning. I had to be very careful about the selection of the right words,” he added.
Manto as a person, Eshai thought, was misunderstood. He stated that Manto’s fiction, non-fiction, radio and stage plays, contribution to Bombay Film Industry all of it is not available to us. “This was a search for the man from within for what he wrote,” said Eshai.
“Ills that he talks about, the attitudes, relations, anarchy, everything is exists,” he said.
“He presented to you the real face of your society and if you can fix it then you may” said Eshai.
Sharing his views poet Harris Khalique said “Manto was brave in dealing with taboos. The more we read, the more we understood”.
Eshai plans to launch his second edition of Manto’s writings in his next book which He said will be out by next year.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 29th, 2014.
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