Azerbaijani literature in India – Eluja Ataly's work as subject of a doctoral research project
As the year draws to a close, there is plenty to celebrate for Azerbaijani literature and the country’s diaspora in Sweden. Associate Professor at the University of Gothenburg, Doctor of Sciences Saadat Karimi has successfully translated Aziza Jafarzade’s acclaimed novel “Baku 1501” into English, which marks a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts of Azerbaijani citizens to promote Azerbaijani cultural heritage on the global stage.
This important cultural event was complemented by another significant novelty. The book "Welcome & Parting!" by Eluja Ataly—an Azerbaijani writer and poetess residing in Stockholm and the author of more than 50 works—was published in Bengali in India. However, these milestones represent only a portion of her recent successes.
Eluja Ataly’s philosophical and artistic miniatures recently served as the central theme for a doctoral thesis completed at the University of Calcutta.
This research, which explores freedom, time, and resistance in Ataly’s verse, clearly illustrates the growing prestige of Azerbaijani literature within global cultural and educational circles.
Supervised by Dr. Vineeta Kaur Saluja, a professor at Mangalayatan University in Jabalpur, the scientific study was spearheaded by lead researcher Sankar Sarkar.
The author mentions that Ataly's verse is characterized by a minimalist aesthetic, allegorical depth, and profound moral resonance, adding that these qualities invite scholarly comparisons to the works of iconic poets such as William Blake, William Butler Yeats, Thomas Stearns Eliot, Wystan Hugh Auden, Seamus Heaney, Mahmoud Darwish, and Derek Walcott.
Speaking to AZERTAC, Eluja Ataly reflected on her growing global profile and the milestone of having her literary works translated into Bengali.
- Eluja khanim, could you describe the journey of your work reaching the Indian readership?"
- My journey into the Indian literary scene began with the global release of my books “A song of freedom in a foreign language” (2017) and “Why don’t statues speak?” (2018) in the United States. After being distributed on major platforms like Amazon, my work caught the attention of scholars at the University of Calcutta, who were impressed by unique themes and style. Thus, they commissioned a Bengali translation, which led to a successful collaboration with poet Shridhar Sarkar, resulting in the publication of my book "Welcome & Parting!". Today, my writing is not only featured in Indian literary magazines but has also evolved into a subject of formal academic research.
Eluja Ataly also highlighted reflections of Indian poet Shridhar Sarkar, who translated her collection “Welcome & Parting!”. The Indian poet expressed his profound satisfaction in discovering Ataly’s work, noting that the process of translating her poetry was a deeply rewarding creative experience.
