Mangaluru: ‘Jana Marl’, the first printed Tulu play, has been translated into English and will be released by month-end.Written by freedom fighter and social reformer Madhava Thingalaya, the play was originally published in 1933.Taranath Gatti Kapikad, president of the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy, told TOI that the idea behind the English translation is to take Tulu literature to the international level, beginning with national outreach. He noted that while Tulu remains geographically limited, translating such works would help them reach a wider audience across the country and, eventually, internationally.
Madhava Thingalaya, freedom fighter and social reformer, who wrote ‘Jana Marl,’ the first Tulu play to be printed
The academy also plans to circulate the translated work among universities and libraries in different states to encourage academic engagement and research, he said.Kapikad highlighted that Thingalaya was a prominent dramatist of his time, despite having lived only up to the age of 21. During his short life, he is said to have written around 30 plays, many of which focused on social reform.He said his works addressed issues such as superstition, lack of education and social evils, while promoting awareness and progressive thinking among people, and were driven by a clear social reform agenda rooted in nationalism, Gandhian ideals and movements.Kapikad added that the themes explored in the play remain relevant today and stressed the need to reintroduce it to contemporary audiences through translation.The English translation has been undertaken by Dr Sylvia Rego, Professor of English at St Aloysius (deemed to be university), who has previously translated books on folktales, plays and others.Dr Rego noted that the play reflects national concerns at a regional level and said that Thingalaya used drama as a vehicle to carry these ideas to the masses. She added that theatre acts as a medium that bridges these worlds.The book is in the final stages of printing, with the academy indicating that the release will take place by the end of the month.
