Akbar Kakkattil gets his due, posthumously

KOZHIKODE: Akbar Kakkattil was known for his love for his land and its natural characters. Now the stories of Kadathanad will move globally, once they get translated into English. P.A. Naushad and Arun Lal Mokeri are translating his selected stories to be released on September 18 as a tribute to the great storyteller. Inspired by the works of Kakkattil, the translators, who also hail from his village, had approached the writer even before his demise in February. And he had made some suggestions.

The Selected Stories of Akbar Kakkattil include Addiction, Achanum Makalum, Samasya, Avasanam, Oru Thenginte Darsanam, Verum Avarthanam, Sourayoodham, Aanakkariyam and Anthya Dinam. The translators say it is hard to convey the same kind of feelings especially expressed through the colloquial language and a high-level of thinking. They took more than a year and two months to complete the work. While sarcastically trying to portray the world of teachers, he had represented his thoughts on the education system as well.

"Colloquial words were a challenge. The translation, however, helped us improve usage and vocabulary. Akbar Mash himself had expressed his satisfaction over the translation," said Mr Noushad, also a teacher who had won many laurels including Indian Ruminations poetry award and Elena award. Arun Lal, an assistant professor at Government College, Mokeri, had earlier translated Bertrand Russell's works into Malayalam.