If it is a good translation, it shouldn't sound like translation at all. The reader must almost feel that he is reading the original text only. This sort of effect is achieved by easy fluency of style appropriateness of vocabulary, the characteristic turn of phrase and tonality of expression.
Sri Viswanatha is a great literary genius. It is not that easy to translate him. But, if one reads these translations of his short stories by Mrs. Mulukutla Yoga, one feels happy that they are quite good. The passion with which she has done these translations, the spirit of dedication, family pride, and pleasure with which she has undertaken the whole project, the enormous interest and care that have gone into the job to perform it effectively can easily be seen when we go through these translations.
As said earlier when we read most of them we feel as if we were reading the original compositions. She has never striven for unnecessary ornamentation or showy embellishment. The wonderful thing about the book is that people who knew Sri Viswanatha personally or those who have read most of his works feel his presence all the time as they read these translations. It means the book has successfully carried the imprint of the literary Titan throughout. And this is not a small achievement. Sri Viswanatha is highly original and innovative in his approach. He does not always use the same technique in every story. Also his thematic range is as varied as it is extensive from psychological perversion in Bhavana Siddhi of the protagonist to look like a woman and be more beautiful than his wife to a highly abstract and philosophical dissertation in 'Adyantamulu', from humorous and satirical attacks on our half-backed knowledge and imperfect information in 'Zoo' to brutality and cunning of the Shahis in Allake Fakir and Goli Mahal. But Mrs. Yoga handles all these different themes with ease and deftness. She doesn't use pedantic and high-brow language, but translates in home-spun spoken English which is at once easy and intimate.
I very much appreciate her work and congratulate her on her achievement. I specially appreciate her affectionate and respectful and justifiable feelings of pride for her great uncle, the Colossus of the contemporary Telugu literature in all its forms. He is the sort of literary genius of whom all the Telugu speaking people should be proud.
I am very happy to say that this book is the brain child of Dr.V.Kondala Rao who is himself a famous writer and translator of repute, and manages Sri Vishwanadha Sahiya Peetam with a passionate veneration for the foremost of the Telugu literary geniuses of the contemporary Telugu literature. It, in fact, reflects Dr. Rao's laudable literary sensibilities and his selfless and noble ambition to present and popularize the matchless master's achievement in almost every form of literature. One of the objectives of 'Sri Visgwanadha Sahitya Peetam,, is to bring out at least some of the great master's works in simple English translation which can be easily followed and enjoyed by even students. I guess Mrs. Yoga's book is the first in the series.
My warm congratulations to the authoress as well as Dr. Kondala Rao on making Sri Viswanatha's short stories through English translation accessible to people living far and beyond. I am sure the world will one day regret that the highest literary award, the Nobel Prize for literature, has not been awarded to Sri Viswanatha. I am equally sure that the Telugu people will painfully feel guilty that they have not shown the tremendous merit of Sri Viswanatha to the world at large through effective English translation of all his works.