Shankar’s Story

Dear J-

In the novel Q&A (Vikas Swarup), the penultimate 100,000,000 rupees chapter details Ram’s life in Agra, home of the Taj Mahal.  It’s one of the chapters that made the leap from page to screen (Slumdog Millionaire) without too much change, in that he still works as an illegal guide at the Taj and manages to pick up the history through word of mouth.  However, the chapter in the novel concentrates more on the life he has outside his guide work — living, loving, and the words of a fellow orphan, Shankar.

I discovered that his language was not just meaningless gibberish.  Although the words sounded nonsensical to us, for him they held a peculiar internal coherence.

That was enough to prompt me to sit down and translate the Shankar passages — it turns out to be a simple substitution cipher, with the first clues given by the chapter’s title — X Gkrz Opknu translates to A Love Story:

d f g h j k l m n u o p q -> English
a b c d e f g h i j k l m -> Shankar

r s t i v w x y z b a c e -> English
n o p q r s t u v w x y z -> Shankar

a b c d e f g h i j k l m -> English
x w y a z b c d q e f g h -> Shankar

n o p q r s t u v w x y z -> English
i k l m n o p j r s t u v -> Shankar

There are otherwise some pretty significant spoilers that come from knowing Shankar’s language, so those will follow after the break.  After having watched the movie (liked it) and read the novel (also liked it) — these things are not capital-A Art, but they are entertaining and engaging.  The charm of the novel lies partly in seeing what was changed to streamline the story for the film, but mostly in the likeable Ram Mohammad Thomas, whose unlikely story makes for great, compulsive page-turning fun.  Even if you’ve seen the film, the book is worth picking up — it doesn’t take long to get through.

Mike

Title (p. 238):

A Love Story
X Gkrz Opknu

Shankar takes Raju/Ram to Swapna Palace (p. 247-8):

Yes, I know a good place.
Uzo, Q fiks x ckka lgxyz.

Come with me.  I know a good place.
Ykhz sqpd hz.  Q fiks x ckka lgxyz.

Just follow me.
Ejop bkggks hz.

He needs a room.
Dz izzao x nkkh.

Shankar sees Swapna Devi/Madam (p. 248 SPOILER!):

I love you, Mummy.
Q gkrz ukj, Hjhhu.

Raju/Ram dreams (p. 252):

I love you, my baby.
Q gkrz ukj, hu wxwu.

Discussing marriage prospects (p. 256-7):

I like the boy.
Q gqfz pdz wku.

I love Lajwanti.
Q gkrz Gxesxipq.

First police visit (p. 269):

My name is Shankar.
Hu ixhz qo Odxifxn.

Shankar.
Odxifxn.

Shankar gets injured (p. 271):

A dog bit me.
X akc wqp hz.

Can you see that dog?  Hi bit me here. (should be Dz=He)
Yxi ukj ozz pdxp akc?  Dq wqp hz dznz.

Lajwanti fails to secure a loan (p. 273):

Come quickly.  Lajwanti is crying.
Ykhz mjqyfgu.  Gxesxipq qo ynuqic.

Second police visit (p. 277):

Shankar.
Odxifxn.

I said my name is Shankar.
Q oxqa hu ixhz qo Odxifxn.

Shankar’s sick (p. 279, 281):

I am sick.
Q xh oqyf.

I do not want to dij, Raju! (should be aqz=die)
Q ak ikp sxip pk aqe, Nxej!

Mother’s identity (p. 282-3):

Give me back my diary!
Cqrz hz wxyf hu aqynu!

No, no, no, please do not go to my mummy!
Ik, ik, ik, lgzxoz ak ikp ck pk hu hjhhu!

Third police visit (p. 293-4):

Excuse me?
Ztyjoz hz?

I said you are an idiot.
Q oxqa ukj xnz xi qaqkp.

Thank you.  Thank you very much.
Pdxif ikj.  Pdxif ikj rznu hjyd.

Ram answers the question correctly (p. 300):

I feel great!
Q bzzg cnzxp!

Tags: language, q&a, shankar, slumdog millionaire, translation, vikas swarup