L akshmi’s Secret Diary is a translation of contemporary Indian Francophone novel Carnet secret de Lakshmi by writer and poet Ari Gautier, who is from Pondicherry, a city in South India that was once the capital of French India. The book is set in Pondicherry and is narrated by Lakshmi, the temple elephant, who seeks to escape captivity. During her adventures, she encounters various extraordinary characters, including other elephants, a three-legged stray dog named Tripod Dog Baba, and a flying fish named Alphonse.

Characters in the novel grapple with topics such as freedom and captivity, and the novel illuminates the significance of Hindu mythology, caste, and superstition in Indian society. At once philosophical, lyrical, tragic, and comic, the novel is also multilingual, interspersed with various Indian languages.

Q: What is different about this novel? Why did you want to translate it?

Sheela Mahadevan: Carnet secret de Lakshmi (Lakshmi’s Secret Diary) is distinct from other contemporary Indian novels in that it was composed in French. There are very few writers from India who adopt French as their main literary language today.

This book casts light on Pondicherry’s French history and legacy, and it also addresses important and complex themes such as the caste system and animal abuse in India. Above all, the novel encompasses a range of colours, tones, and emotions; it is poetic and moving, but also witty and satirical. It made for a compelling, fascinating, and engaging read, and I immediately wanted to make it accessible to a wider readership by translating it into English.

Q: Tell us more about the importance of animals in the novel.

Mahadevan: The book offers insight into complex animal-human relations in India, where animals are worshipped, but are also paradoxically abused. In particular, it casts light on the suffering of animals such as elephants, who are frequently subjected to labour in India, working in circuses and temples. The novel’s protagonist, the temple elephant Lakshmi, once existed in real life in the Sri Manakula Vinayagar Temple in Pondicherry. Although Gautier offers a fictional representation of Lakshmi’s life, many experiences and aspects of her suffering that are depicted in the novel are true, and resonate with those experienced by countless other elephants in India, who are similarly forced to work in temples.

Lakshmi, the real temple elephant of Pondicherry, very sadly passed away during the process of translating this novel in 2022. If you visit the Sri Manakula Vinayagar Temple in Pondicherry today, you will see her garlanded poster; she continues to remain in the memory of Pondicherrian citizens. And the translation of Gautier’s novel has enabled us to keep the memory of Lakshmi alive.

 Q: What about Tripod Dog Baba, the three-legged stray dog who also narrates the tale?

Mahadevan: Stray dogs are commonly seen across India, and are frequently unwanted, beaten, and chased away. One of the main characters of the novel, Tripod Dog Baba, is one such stray dog, and Gautier powerfully dramatizes his emotions and struggles. He is also rather mischievous at times, and his antics and adventures will bring a smile to readers’ faces. My hope is that readers will give greater thought to the plight of stray dogs and temple elephants after reading the translation of this novel.

Q: What are the other themes of the novel?

Mahadevan: A central theme of the novel is that of caste. Through the depiction of elephants who embody the experience of different castes, Gautier provides an insight into the complexities and restrictions of the caste system which remains dominant in India today, shaping and dictating lifestyles for many Indians. 

Mythology and reincarnation are also central themes of the novel, and interpretations of ancient Sanskrit mythology, including elements of the epic Mahabharatha, are creatively woven into the fabric of the narrative.

 Q: What challenges and opportunities did the translation process pose?

Mahadevan: A key feature of the novel is its multilingualism; there are multiple languages interspersed in Gautier’s French writing, including Sanskrit and other Indian languages. The vocabulary of each of these languages is significant for various reasons, and I have therefore sought to echo the multilingualism of the text in my translation. My English translation also intentionally retains French vocabulary to enact various political and cultural agendas in response to the effects of Gautier’s writing, as I explain in the translator’s note. 

Another exciting challenge was that of translating the lyrical and pictorial aspects of Gautier’s writing into English. I approached this task creatively and imaginatively, attempting to fashion similar and corresponding evocative images and poetic lines in English. As is frequently acknowledged today, a translator is a creative writer, a task I sought to embrace.

Q: What kind of research did this translation necessitate?

Mahadevan: Since mythology plays a significant role in the novel, I conducted research into retellings of ancient Sanskrit mythology and Indian translation traditions; I discuss these topics’ relation to the novel in the afterword to the translation. Research into the theory and art of literary translation, along with discussions with literary translators working with a range of languages, enriched the translation. I also had the opportunity to discuss various aspects of the novel with the author, Ari Gautier. 

As the novel extensively describes the various districts, streets and buildings of Pondicherry, I researched the history of Pondicherry and its ever-changing urban landscape, comparing this with the novel’s depiction of the city. The novel brings to life the architectural, religious, culinary, and cultural diversity of Pondicherry, and readers will be transported to and immersed in this vibrant and colourful city as the tale unfolds.