From classical to cosmopolitan

Abstract This paper addresses the unique challenges a translator would have when translating a text from a postcolonial country, especially one that has significance amongst the language speakers, such as Cilapattikaram. This paper compares three English translations of Cilapattikaram, a centuries-old Tamil poem that has an undeniable significance among the Tamil-speaking population. By analyzing three English translations of Cilapattikaram, done in the 1930s, 1960s, and 1990s, respectively, the paper examines how translation situated in the political space of decolonization and regional identity affects the text for a better understanding of the dilemmas of the translator and the effect of translation has on the meanings of the text.