Bangalore Literature Fest: Classical works in Kannada must go global, says Hampana

Bengaluru: Literature thrives when it reaches audiences transcending boundaries — something translations can enable, but it isn't a privilege that literary works from all languages enjoy. Kannada scholar and littérateur Prof Hampa Nagarajaiah (Hampana) shared the journey behind his ambitious project, Spectrum of Classical Literature in Karnataka-5, a five-volume work that introduces the richness of Kannada classical literature to a global audience.The five volumes, launched by five distinguished writers from across the globe, have already drawn significant attention in academic circles. The work is hailed not only for offering a detailed overview of the nuances of classical Kannada literature but also for elevating the literary tradition on the international stage, particularly through its focus on Kannada poetics.In a conversation with renowned Kannada critic and academic MS Ashadevi, Hampana discussed the inspiration behind the project. "Scholarly activities have taken me around the world, and at various conferences, when I spoke about Kannada poets like Pampa or Ranna, people would ask for translations or references. Unfortunately, there were none." It was this gap in global awareness that motivated him to begin his translation work.Hampana's project focuses on the translation of old Kannada classics, many of which date back to the 5th–13th centuries. He highlighted how earlier Kannada poets often brought epics from other languages, such as Sanskrit and Prakrit, into Kannada. As an example, he pointed to Pampa's Vikramarjunavijaya, an abridged version of the Vyasa Mahabharata that condenses the epic into 1,600 verses."The great age of literature began with translations. When you translate, you bring the soul and spirit of a work into a new language. In these volumes, I've provided a glimpse into what Kannada classics encompass, and I hope this work will inspire further exploration," he said.
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