Assamese folktale collection translated into Arabic
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Guwahati: The Arabic translation of the esteemed Assamese folktale anthology 'Burhi Aair Hadhu' (Grandmother's Tale), written by distinguished Assamese author Lakshminath Bebaroa in 1911, signifies the newest initiative to showcase Assamese literary works internationally.
A Spanish version of this collection was previously completed in 2022.
This translation was undertaken independently by Abu Sayed Ansari, a research scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) pursuing doctoral studies in Arabic literature. Concurrently, the century-old Asam Sahitya Sabha has initiated translations of over 40 significant works, including the complete writings of 15th-century Vaishnavite saint and reformer Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva, into various languages.
Speaking to TOI, Ansari, who hails from Sontoli in Assam's Kamrup district, explained that as a literature student from Assam, he noticed minimal Arabic to Assamese translations and none from Assamese to Arabic. "Definitely, many books were translated into English, Hindi, and other Indian languages from Assamese by Asam Sahitya Sabha as well as individually. But the fact that there was no translation from Assamese to Arabic encouraged me and I took the all-time famous folktale collection 'Burhi Aair Hadhu' by one of the doyens of Assamese literature," he added.
Ansari selected 'Burhi Aair Hadhu' instead of a novel because these stories resonate with all age groups in Assam, with several tales included in primary school curricula. His goal in translating and launching the collection in Cairo, Egypt, is to introduce Arabic readers to Assamese literature's richness.
Basanta Kumar Goswami, president of Asam Sahitya Sabha, discussed their extensive translation project involving over 40 books by notable authors.
"This includes the entire works of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva. A few will be translated into English, a few into Hindi, and a few into other languages. 'Kirtan' by Mahapurush Madhadev will be translated into Odia language," he added.
Goswami acknowledged the difficulties in translation, citing the need for experts proficient in both source and target languages. "Finding such resource persons is a difficult job. Moreover, translating the old literary works without losing the exact essence is also a risky task, as the poetic expression of old literature was different from the modern Assamese language," he added.
Despite these challenges, Goswami confirmed that under his leadership, the literary organisation has committed to translating more than 40 books.
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