The Confluence of Ganga and Yamuna: Interpreting the Cultural Nuances Involved in the Writing of "Doob Dhaan"

Abstract

This paper talks about the cultural underpinnings involved in the writings of Anamika, a known name in the world of Hindi poetry. I have tried to interpret and examine few pieces from her collection of poetry named “Doob Dhaanâ€, together with the cultural nuances involved in her writings and while translating it to a western language and still being able to retain that flavour of a particular culture. I have also talked about the perspective of the writer herself regarding the translation and culture in form of a culturally ambivalent woman together with examining the peculiarities and problems of translation with the help of theorists like Eugene Nida, J. C. Catford, Hrish Trivedi, Susan Bassnett and G.N Devy. The purpose is to explore the traces and trajectories of translation of poetry which is completely immersed in cultural ethos. Language displays two components by providing a connotative or the denotative meaning; this is where all the change occurs. Anamika’s poetry is deeply immersed in the culture of Bihar. The title of her work itself comes from the customs and traditions of Bihar. The lives of these women revolve around the culture and customs of Bihar. As people are caught in their day-to-day lives, the women in her poetry are caught in the vicious cycle of traditions and modernity in order to take both the things forward within a single individual. I have also tried to explain on how to retain the culture essence of her poetry together with bringing an insight to the reader regarding a certain culture. Translation is the only method through which this thought can be materialized today. Translation of these ethnic as well as women centric text would help to promote our local writers and make it accessible for everyone to read and understand them and a different culture altogether.