Mark Twain classics in Telugu

The translations first appeared in serial form inAndhra Patrikaweekly and were later published as books several times.

• Abhinanda Publishers has brought out the reprints of Telugu translations
• The books were translated by Nanduri Ramamohana Rao in early 50s
• Books had gone out of print for the last 15 years

TREASURE TROVE: Film and theatre artiste Mikkilineni Radhakrishna Murhty (second from left) handing over a copy of the novel to its author Nanduri Ramamohana Rao (extreme left) in Vijayawada on Tuesday. — PHOTO: RAJU V.

VIJAYAWADA: How about reading the classics of Mark Twain in Telugu?

As the creator of such immortal characters as Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, he continues to live in the hearts of lovers of English literature, those who are not so comfortable with the Queen's language may be feeling disappointed for not being able to read them all to their heart's content. Abhinanda Publishers, the publication's wing of New Students Book Centre, has now brought out the reprints of Telugu translations of four famous novels of Mark Twain and one of Robert Louis Stevenson, all done by senior journalist Nanduri Ramamohana Rao in the early 50s.

All time classics

Mark Twain's all-time classics టాం సాయర్‌ (Tom Sawyer) (The Adventures of Tom Sawyer), రాజు-పేద (Raju-Peda) (The Prince and the Pauper), హకల్‌బేర్రి ఫిన్‌ (Huckleberry Finn) (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn) and విచిత్ర వ్యక్తి (Vichitra Vyakthi) (The Mysterious Stranger) and Robert Louis Stevenson's కాంచన ద్వీపం (Kanchana Dweepam) (Treasure Island) were released by a galaxy of senior journalists and a veteran actor here on Tuesday.

The translations first appeared in a serialised form in ఆంధ్ర పత్రిక (Andhra Patrika) weekly and were later published as books several times. Abhinandana Publishers' proprietor B. Babji said that the books had gone out of print for the last 15 years, prompting him to reprint them for the benefit of contemporary younger generation.

As Mr. Ramamohan Rao noted in his speech, it was his contemporary literary giant Kodavatiganti Kutumba Rao who encouraged him to translate the novels.

"The American Consulate at Chennai procured the translations of Mark Twain's novels and sent them to American Congress Library. As I had translated `The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn' in a concise manner, they asked me to translate it fully and published it," Mr. Ramamohana Rao recalled.

Cartoonist-satirist duo Bapu-Ramana, senior journalist Turlapaty Kutumba Rao, spoke. Theatre and film actor Mikkilineni Radhakrishna Murthy released `Raju-Peda'; journalists Parakala Pattabhirama Rao, `Huckleberry Finn'; Veeraji, `Kanchana Dweepam' and P.S. Prakasa Rao, `Vichitra Vyakthi'.

Courtesy: The Hindu