Contents ( 18)
This translation, too, has a chequered history. Although the final draft was ready by 1988, the manuscript languished with literary agents in North America for several years, including one in Hollywood who, in the wake of the success of various television mini-series on the Orient in the eighties, took an option on Divya with a view to marketing it in the media as a similar US production. It also survived suggestions by two publishers to rewrite Divya’s story in a less literary language so as to make it more accessible to the average reader.
I acknowledge my indebtedness to Bernard Queenan for his valuable assistance in the work of editing this translation and in retaining the classical flavour of Yashpal’s highly literary Hindi. Bernard’s versatility, flair for phrasing and mastery of idiomatic English underlined his insistence upon the comprehensibility of the final text, and saved this translation from being—to borrow a phrase from Yashpal’s foreword—unforgivably full of errors.
Anand
1Later known as Sialkot.
1Ornament in circular and semi circular shape.
2Red dye used by women to paint their feet.
1 Large scarf worn over shoulders, and by women over the head; similar to Spanish mantilla.
1Stringed musical instrument, similar to a sitar.
1Circular dance, associated with Lord Krishna.
1Green beetle leaf eaten with beetle nut.
1 The wheel of law. It is a Buddhist emblem of Hindu origin. It resembles a wagon wheel with eight spokes, each representing one of the eight tenets of Buddhist belief. The circle symbolizes the completeness of the Dharma, the spokes represent the eightfold path.
1Specifically any of the herd-girls of Brij who were in love with Krishna.
1Ancient name of India.
1Religious ceremony, often includes sacrificial acts.
2Ornamental or ritualistic mark on forehead.
1Now known as Mathura.
1Cylindrical drum, played on both ends.
2Coarse wine, toddy.
1Ancient measure of distance, roughly thirteen kilometres.
1Sacred grass used in religious ceremonies.
1 The southern route, from Mathura towards Avanti (Malva) and Gujarat, along the edge of the Vindhya mountains.
1Hooligans.
1Later known as Sutlej.
1The northerly route of east–west transit and trade, extending from Punjab and the upper Indus to Bihar and the lower Gangetic plain.
2Gold coin of the Vedic era.
1Later known as Patna.
1Flowering tree, Ninsops dengi.
1Flowering tree, Nauclea cadamba.
1Bird, Alectoris chukar.
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This collection published 2009
Copyright © Viplava Karyalaya 1945
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ISBN: 978-0-143-10312-7
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