THULIKA POLICY:

1. I intend to run Thulika as a creditable, literary magazine. Personal attacks, gossip, scandals, and pornographic materials are not acceptable.

2. I am not into any ideology or argumentative ‘–isms.’ Thulika is designed to present a broader spectrum of human nature and human values. The stories published on Thulika could provide guidance.

3. Stereotypical images of India in general, and women in particular, are overplayed in the books and the media. I was hoping that the real individuals come alive in our fiction and add to the understanding of our culture.

4. I started the magazine basically to translate 1960s and 70s fiction since that was the fiction I was familiar with and could relate to. Several of my contemporaries also expressed the same belief that we had produced quality fiction in that era, comparable to any fiction in the world literatures, and that our fiction suffers from lack of exposure to Western readers.

5. After a year and a half, I have noticed that Thulika is meeting the need in two areas—to provide the much desired exposure of Telugu fiction to the Western readers; and secondly, to create an awareness of our fiction among the current generation youth whose medium of communication is English. In that sense it is important that I give priority to the remarkable fiction that is almost forgotten, ignored or never heard of by the current generation Telugu youth.

6. I am not ruling out the current generation writers. I do prefer stories that could be tied in with the views expressed above, and evident in my editorials.

7. Thulika is not a business venture and as such no financial reward is offered.

[Note: I have received an impressive collection of books—a small library—during my recent visit to Andhra Pradesh. It was too large to fit my suitcase and so being shipped via sea-mail. After I receive them, I will read every one of them and start my selection and translation]

Translations:

Short stories, published and unpublished, are acceptable. In the case of the published fiction, permission/s from appropriate sources [Authors/publishers] must be provided by the translators. Also, please include the details of the original source--where and when it was published, if possible. Email your questions for further clarification.

Poetry is not my area of expertise and so I have some reservations, although I don’t rule it out. You are welcome to send in poetry.

Language: Thulika is targeting global audience. In that sense, it is important that translators pay attention to the idiom and phraseology globally used. If the changes are minor, I reserve the right to do so. Or I might contact the translators for suggestions.

One more suggestion: I translate first line by line with the original next to me. Then I read the translation with a foreign reader in mind and check to see if it reads smoothly and makes sense. At times the translator needs to make a judgment call and rearrange the phrases for a smoother reading. Same rule applies in the cases of Telugu words with special meanings, like ‘pativrata,’ idioms and proverbs. Even if you provide footnotes, it could become a hassle at some point.

Recently I read “Sahityanuvadam: Oka pariseelana,” by Dr. Bhargavi Rao. I recommend that prospective translators read it or at least the chapters that dealt with Telugu-to-English translations [chapters 4.2, 5 and the conclusion]. I found the book very informative.

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