POLICY STATEMENT:
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Short stories, published and unpublished, are acceptable.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 such as 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.
Malathi Nidadavolu
Founder editor.