ABSTRACT
In this review of the book Operation? Bashai Tudu, containing English translations of two texts by Mahasweta Devi, the reviewer, himself a reputed translator, reflects on different aspects of the publication. He refers to Mahasweta’s own Preface and offers a brief summary of each text, Bashai Tudu (translated by Samik Bandyopadhyay) and “Draupadi” (translated by Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak). The essay also contains an overview of other available English translations of Devi’s work and highlights her own interest in monitoring some of these translations. The reviewer observes that stage versions of Mahasweta’s plays often dilute the political force of her writings. He takes note of internationally published translations of her work, referring to Spivak as Mahasweta’s dwarpalika or gatekeeper to the Western world. Observing that he cannot locate Samik Bandyopadhyay as part of this “operation,” he proceeds to compare the methods of Spivak and Bandyopadhyay as translators. The essay also includes a brief overview of Mahasweta Devi’s trajectory as a writer and dwells on the difficulties of translating the complexities of Mahasweta Devi’s writing.
