An analytical study of use of appropriation and abrogation technique in the English translation of “Kai Chand They Sarr E Aasman” by Shams Ur Rehman Farooqi

Abstract

The Mirror of Beauty " (originally titled "Kai Chand They Sarr-e-Aasman") by Shamsur Rahman Faruqi is a novel set in 19th-century India that captures the era's rich culture through the story of Wazir Khanum, mother of the poet Daagh Dehlvi. In translating his Urdu novel to English, Faruqi skillfully maintains the cultural and linguistic essence of the original, blending Urdu, Persian, and Sanskrit elements without translation, which challenges English dominance in postcolonial literature. Through "appropriation" and "abrogation," he uses English to express Indian identity while rejecting Eurocentric norms. His narrative, deeply rooted in Mughal and Indo-Persian aesthetics, serves as a powerful resistance to colonial cultural imposition, reclaiming space for indigenous voices.