When I started translating Kalki’s Ponniyin Selvan in 2010, blissfully unaware of the depth and the magnitude of the work, several people tried to dissuade me. One potential publisher even lured me with an offer to translate another work of Kalki. Reason: there were already many translations around. Yes, there were. But most of them, though done with utmost sincerity, failed to create the emotional bond with the readers which the original author had effortlessly done in the Fifties when Ponniyin Selvan was serialised in a popular magazine.
I did not rush up. I did not have a target or deadline. I let the translation work progress in its own pace. That explains the six long years I spent for this project. I read and re-read the first draft a dozen times before handing it over to my editors. There were many points of contention. There were issues where we could not reach a consensus easily. Finally the hard copy was ready for publication in 2016. The publisher had jitters and so did I.
We got ready rough copies of two volumes. I gave it to two of my friends, who had read the original more than sixty times, with a mandate to read them in one go. They did and said “This is the best you can do in English.”
The work culminated not when the book was released by a former Central Minister in 2016, not even when it went for three editions but when an ardent fan of Kalki sent a mail to me in 2019.
“It was as if Kalki himself rendered his great work in English.”
Translators: Varalotti Rengasamy
Release date
Audiobook: 19 July 2022
Ebook: 17 May 2021
When I started translating Kalki’s Ponniyin Selvan in 2010, blissfully unaware of the depth and the magnitude of the work, several people tried to dissuade me. One potential publisher even lured me with an offer to translate another work of Kalki. Reason: there were already many translations around. Yes, there were. But most of them, though done with utmost sincerity, failed to create the emotional bond with the readers which the original author had effortlessly done in the Fifties when Ponniyin Selvan was serialised in a popular magazine.
I did not rush up. I did not have a target or deadline. I let the translation work progress in its own pace. That explains the six long years I spent for this project. I read and re-read the first draft a dozen times before handing it over to my editors. There were many points of contention. There were issues where we could not reach a consensus easily. Finally the hard copy was ready for publication in 2016. The publisher had jitters and so did I.
We got ready rough copies of two volumes. I gave it to two of my friends, who had read the original more than sixty times, with a mandate to read them in one go. They did and said “This is the best you can do in English.”
The work culminated not when the book was released by a former Central Minister in 2016, not even when it went for three editions but when an ardent fan of Kalki sent a mail to me in 2019.
“It was as if Kalki himself rendered his great work in English.”
Translators: Varalotti Rengasamy
Release date
Audiobook: 19 July 2022
Ebook: 17 May 2021
Step into an infinite world of stories
Overall rating based on 82 ratings
Mind-blowing
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mohamed fazil
22 Sept 2022
Magnum opus
Akshaya
24 Jul 2022
I love this book ♥️♥️
Purba
19 Sept 2022
Abysmal translation and very bad narration. The free podcast on Spotify is way better that this garbage.
Yadnesh
29 Sept 2022
I learnt so much about the chola empire from this book.. Its not only informative but also very engaging and entertaining..
Sangam
4 Feb 2023
Amazing narration,
Kiran
24 Aug 2022
Amazing writing .. this book takes you 2000 yrs back with praiseworthy narrative
Sanjoy
17 Nov 2022
Great narration. Thanks 👌 😊 👍
English
India