Explore famous Indian literature translations in English, including Mahabharata, Ramayana, Tagore’s poetry, Premchand’s novels, Dalit literature, and modern social classics. Learn about epic tales, social justice works, and influential regional writings translated into English.

Famous Translations in English: Epics, Novels, and Social Classics

Introduction

Indian literature, rich in epics, novels, poetry, and social narratives, has been translated into English to reach a global audience. From the timeless Mahabharata and Ramayana to the socially critical works of Premchand, Mahasweta Devi, and Bama, translations make India’s literary heritage accessible to readers worldwide. This post explores the most famous Indian literature translations in English, highlighting epics, caste-focused works, feminist narratives, and regional classics that are essential for students, researchers, and literature enthusiasts alike.

1. Homer’s Works

Original: Greek
Translations:
- The Iliad – Translated by Robert Fagles, Richmond Lattimore, or Alexander Pope
- The Odyssey – Translated by Robert Fagles, Emily Wilson
Significance: These translations made ancient Greek epics accessible to modern readers while keeping poetic elegance.

2. Virgil’s Aeneid

Original: Latin
Translations: By John Dryden, Robert Fagles
Significance: A major classical epic translated into English verse, influencing English epic poetry.

3. Dante Alighieri – The Divine Comedy

Original: Italian
Translations: By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Dorothy L. Sayers, Allen Mandelbaum
Significance: Introduced readers to medieval Italian literature and theology.

4. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe – Faust

Original: German
Translations: By Walter Kaufmann, Bayard Taylor
Significance: Brought German Romantic drama and philosophical themes to English-speaking audiences.

5. Leo Tolstoy – War and Peace / Anna Karenina

Original: Russian
Translations: By Constance Garnett, Louise and Aylmer Maude, Richard Pevear & Larissa Volokhonsky
Significance: Tolstoy’s novels became classics of world literature in English through these translations.

6. Fyodor Dostoevsky – Crime and Punishment / The Brothers Karamazov

Original: Russian
Translations: By Constance Garnett, David McDuff, Richard Pevear & Larissa Volokhonsky
Significance: Introduced Dostoevsky’s psychological depth and philosophical themes to English readers.

7. The Bhagavad Gita

Original: Sanskrit
Translations: By Swami Prabhupada, Eknath Easwaran, Juan Mascaró
Significance: Made this central Hindu scripture accessible in English with philosophical insights.

8. The Qur’an

Original: Arabic
Translations: By Abdullah Yusuf Ali, Marmaduke Pickthall, Muhammad Asad
Significance: Provides English readers with access to Islamic religious and literary text.

9. Chinese Classics

Works: Tao Te Ching by Laozi, Analects by Confucius
Translations: By James Legge, D.C. Lau, Stephen Mitchell
Significance: Introduced Chinese philosophy and literature to the West.

10. Japanese Literature

Works: The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu
Translation: By Arthur Waley, Royall Tyler
Significance: The first great Japanese novel accessible in English, influential in world literature.

Indian

1. The Mahabharata

Original: Sanskrit
Famous Translations:
- By C. Rajagopalachari (abridged)
- By Kisari Mohan Ganguli (complete)
- By Ramesh Menon (modern prose)
Significance: One of India’s greatest epics, translated for both scholarly and general readership.

2. The Ramayana

Original: Sanskrit
Famous Translations:
- By R.K. Narayan (retelling)
- By C. Rajagopalachari (abridged)
- By William Buck (modern prose)
Significance: Classic epic of Rama, Sita, and Hanuman, widely accessible in English.

3. The Bhagavad Gita

Original: Sanskrit
Famous Translations:
- By Swami Prabhupada
- By Eknath Easwaran
- By Juan Mascaró
Significance: Philosophical and spiritual text, foundational in Indian thought.

4. Kabir’s Poems

Original: Hindi / Braj / Avadhi
Famous Translations:
- By Rabindranath Tagore (selected poems)
- By Arvind Krishna Mehrotra
Significance: Bhakti poetry of Kabir made accessible to English readers.

5. Tulsidas – Ramcharitmanas

Original: Awadhi
Famous Translations:
- By Hari Prasad Shastri
- By Ralph Griffith (partial)
Significance: Popular devotional text retold in English while preserving devotional tone.

6. Kalidasa – Plays and Poetry

Original: Sanskrit
Famous Translations:
- Shakuntala – By Arthur W. Ryder, C. Rajagopalachari
- Meghaduta – By Arthur W. Ryder
Significance: Classical Sanskrit poetry and drama made readable in English.

7. Premchand – Short Stories and Novels

Original: Hindi / Urdu
Famous Translations:
- By Gordon C. Roadarmel (Godaan, Nirmala)
- By Alok Rai and others (selected short stories)
Significance: Introduced Indian realism and social issues to English readers.

8. Rabindranath Tagore – Gitanjali

Original: Bengali
Famous Translations:
- By Rabindranath Tagore himself (won Nobel Prize in Literature, 1913)
Significance: Translated his own Bengali poems into English, maintaining lyrical quality.

9. R.K. Narayan – Regional Stories

Original: Tamil / Kannada / English (originally English, but some stories adapted from regional tales)
Significance: His works like Malgudi Days often adapted from local tales for wider English readership.

10. Mulk Raj Anand – Short Stories

Original: Hindi / English
Significance: Though Anand wrote mostly in English, some of his Hindi works were translated into English to depict rural India and social realism.

11. Modern Poets and Writers

Mirza Ghalib (Urdu poetry) – Translations by Ralph Russell and Sarfaraz K. Niazi
Faiz Ahmed Faiz (Urdu poetry) – Translations by Naomi Lazard
Significance: Urdu ghazals and poems of Indian subcontinent accessible in English.

Dalit and marginalized literature translations.

1. B.R. Ambedkar – Writings

Original: Marathi / English
Famous Translations / Works in English:
- Annihilation of Caste – Translated/edited by B.R. Ambedkar himself
Significance: Critique of caste system; foundational text for Dalit studies and social reform literature.

2. Jyotirao Phule – Writings

Original: Marathi
Famous Translations:
- Gulamgiri (Slavery) – Translated into English
Significance: Early critique of caste oppression and social injustice in India.

3. Omprakash Valmiki – Joothan

Original: Hindi
Translation: Joothan: A Dalit Life – Translated by Arun Prabha Mukherjee
Significance: Autobiographical work highlighting caste discrimination and Dalit identity.

4. Urvashi Butalia / Bama

Original: Tamil (Bama)
Translation:
- Karukku – Translated by Lakshmi Holmström
Significance: Dalit women’s autobiography; caste, gender, and oppression.

5. Mahasweta Devi – Short Stories

Original: Bengali
Famous Translations:
- Breast Giver, Draupadi, Hajar Churashir Maa – Translated by Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak and others
Significance: Focus on tribal oppression, caste, gender, and marginalized communities.

6. Bama / Dalit Literature

Original: Tamil
Other Works: Sangati, Vanmam – Translated by Lakshmi Holmström
Significance: Explores caste oppression and Dalit women’s experiences in rural India.

7. Arundhati Roy

Original: English (but inspired by regional/caste issues)
Works: The God of Small Things – deals with caste, untouchability, and social hierarchy
Significance: Modern Indian fiction addressing caste in Kerala society.

8. Phanishwar Nath Renu

Original: Hindi
Translation: Maila Anchal – Translated by Alok Rai, P. Lal
Significance: Portrays caste, poverty, and rural social dynamics.

9. Gopinath Mohanty

Original: Odia
Translation: Paraja – Translated by Bikram K. Das
Significance: Explores tribal life and social inequalities in Odisha.

10. Rabindranath Tagore

Original: Bengali
Translations / Stories Dealing with Social Issues:
- The Home and the World – deals with nationalism, women, and societal constraints
- Kabuliwala – reflects social inequalities and human emotions

Conclusion

Translations of Indian literature into English have bridged cultures, allowing readers worldwide to appreciate India’s rich storytelling traditions. From epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana to Dalit and social justice literature by Mahasweta Devi and Omprakash Valmiki, and modern novels by R.K. Narayan and Arundhati Roy, these translations preserve India’s literary heritage while making it accessible. Studying these works not only enhances literary understanding but also offers insights into India’s social, cultural, and historical fabric.

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Monday 29 2025