The refugee: Oscar-winning lyricist Gulzar on his new book, translations and Partition's wounds

Gulzar on his new book, translations and Partition's wounds

Q You translated your most recent novel, Two, into English. Is translation really possible? You say you are not at ease with it.

A It is not easy. It is not just about the meaning but the nuances and the sense it brings. Translations can't be perfect or correct. A writer feels uneasy and uncomfortable because in translation there is a 'generation' loss.

Q The novel deals with Partition - a topic with enduring relevance today. Who is a refugee? Are you a refugee?

A "Yehi ek baat toh takleef deti hai." A migrant is an accepted reality. A refugee status is temporary. We have come to our own country and you call us "sharnarthi". It is not by choice that one becomes a refugee.

Q What do you remember of Partition?

A I remember my father roaming around the refugee camps. They would say, "Qayamat aa gayi hai..." he would look for people, relatives, neighbours, anybody to bring home. We lived in Old Delhi, near Ghanta Ghar. Each time I read the news about some event like in Syria, those memories come back.

Q Why did you write this novel?

A Things have still not settled down. Our partition is still hurting us. There was so much of it within me that I had to bring out a longer version. Although I had written short stories and poems, I was still not over it... it is permanent.