Translating violence in India: Literary representations and the cartography of gender-based violence

This article examines the challenges of translating gender-based violence (GBV), focusing on English translations of select Hindi fiction depicting ‘honour’ killing—a specific form of GBV. Situated at the intersection of caste, gender, and sexual violence, these texts challenge societal structures and often remain non-canonical or controversial. As markers of violence, they present significant linguistic, cultural, and ethical challenges for translators. Honour killing narratives, often classified as ‘problem texts,’ expose the faultlines of the socio-cultural framework in which they are set. Consequently, translating such texts involves negotiating not only linguistic complexities but also cultural sensitivities and ethical responsibilities. This article adopts a methodological focus on translating key passages from two long short stories in Hindi: Tiriya Charittar ([1987]2010) by Shivmurti and Daag Diya Sach (2012) by Ramnika Gupta. These passages, central to the narratives, require careful translation strategies to address issues such as non-standard registers, oral traditions, graphic depictions of violence, and linguistic assertions of identity. By problematizing these challenges, the article explores strategies for rendering the socio-cultural complexities embedded in the source texts, particularly the tension between rural linguistic specificities and the demands of the target language. Through textual and contextual analysis, it foregrounds the ethical imperatives of translating GBV and honour killing narratives. Ultimately, it argues for the necessity of making such literary works available in English and across Indian languages, not just to introduce ‘new’ knowledge but to contribute to broader discussions on gender, caste, sexuality, and marginality in contemporary India.