KOCHI: Author Sreekumari Ramachandran on Wednesday said freedom must have limitations at all levels, be it while handling language or in life.“Else, we will not be able to trace our roots when we look back in life,” she said at 22nd Kochi International Book Festival.
“Language usage in modern books is different from ancient usage and hence, it has lost its sanctity. In modern literary works, the language used is very saddening,” Sreekumari said while speaking on the relevance of one's roots and traditions.She also stressed the importance of translated works.
“There is a common notion that translated works are secondary compared to the original. This is wrong. Translations have their own difficulties; a word here or there can change the entire meaning of the text,” she said. She said she attempted translation for her son, who wanted to read books in English. “My son prompted me to try my hand at translations and it paid off,” she said.
Sreekumari said she believed in 'womanism'. “Activism and feminism are different terms and very strong ones too. I do not have much opinion on both, but as a woman, I strongly believe in 'womanism',” she said.