THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Rama and Ravana are going to fight it out in German this time.
The Kerala State Institute of Children’s Literature is taking the initiative in bringing out an illustrated version of the epic in the German language for children.
The German Book Office (GBO) in New Delhi has given the nod for translating the work as part of promoting Indian literature in Germany.
“Since we have got the nod from the GBO officials, we have started looking for a publisher,’’ Institute director Rubin D’Cruz said.
He was participating in an interaction between Malayalam and German writers organised by the Goethe-Zentrum and the Institute here on Tuesday.
GBO had held talks with the Institute during the recently-held Third Thiruvananthapuram Book Fair.
Indian literature, especially Malayalam works, have a new-found interest in Germany with many contemporary works getting translated.
Writer Paul Zacharia, who presided over the interaction, said Germany’s interest in Indian literature, particularly Malayalam works, was a good sign.
“This initiative will pave the way for a good cultural exchange between Kerala and Germany. It helps not only to extend the reach in Germany but also to enhance Malayalam literature,’’ he said.
Professor Heinz Ludwig Arnold, a prominent German critic and publisher, said that “both Indian and German writers are passionate to write about their own cultures. Self-finding is a common factor in both Indian and German literature.’’
German author and translator Martin Kaempchen has so far published nearly 50 books, all focused on India. These include original works and translations from Tagore.
For the first time, he made it possible for one of the modern Malayalam short stories written by Paul Zacharia, ‘Annamma Teacher - a memoir,’ which was directly translated from Malayalam into German by Jose Punnamparambil, to find an entry into the ‘Anthology of India’s regional literature’ edited by the German publishing group Die Horen.
Kaempchen has been living in Shantiniketan for the past 35 years.
Indian-born German Publisher Jose Punnamparambil said that “Indian literature has a good reputation in Germany.’’
He has edited the first German anthology of contemporary Malayalam writing ‘Three blind men describe the elephant’ a collection of short stories and poetry by 21 well-known authors like M.T. Vasudevan Nair, T.P. Rajeevan and Kadammanitta in one volume.
Noted writers D. Vinayachandran and Rose Mary were among those whose attended Tuesday’s interaction.
trivandrum@expressbuzz.com