Latest news with #Gondi
The Hindu
2 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Thirukkural translated into Kurukh, Gondi, Malto, and Brahui: A literary Milestone for Dravidian languages
The timeless wisdom of Thirukkural is set to break new ground. The Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT) has commissioned its translation into four medium and minor Dravidian languages — Kurukh, Gondi, Malto and Brahui. Dravidianism Revival Centre, a not-for-profit organisation working on promoting Thirrukural in Dravidian languages, is involved in talent identification, resource sharing and guidance. The translation of Thirukkural marks a literary milestone in these languages, rich in oral traditions but nurturing their written forms. Former IRS officer and a native Kurukh speaker Mahesh S. Meenz is translating the Tamil treatise to Kurukh. In Gondi, Varaprasad Sidam, who has been promoting the language by putting out articles in the wikimedia incubator, is up for the task. For Malto – spoken by less than two lakh people – Rev. George Edward is involved in the Thirukkural translation. For the language of Brahui of Balochistan, Professor Muhammad Afzal Brohi has translated it. He is Professor at the Department of Architecture, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET), Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan. He was formerly Director, UNESCO Mohenjo-daro Conservation Cell The Dravidian family Scientific studies, anthropologists and linguists confirm that these languages are part of the Dravidian family. Kurukh is a northern Dravidian language spoken by the Kurukh / Oraon tribe in eastern India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. Gondi belongs to the south-central branch of the Dravidian family and is spoken by Gond communities across central India. Malto, also part of the Northern Dravidian group, is spoken by the Malto (Paharia) tribes in the Rajmahal Hills and surrounding regions. Brahui, a linguistic outlier of the Dravidian family, is spoken in Pakistan's Balochistan province, as well as parts of Afghanistan and Iran—far from the traditional Dravidian heartland, yet situated at the very heart of the pre-Harappan Mehrgarh civilization (7000–5500 BC). According to Finnish Indologist Asko Parpola, this culture later migrated into the Indus Valley, eventually giving rise to the Bronze Age Indus Valley Civilization. All these languages lack a substantial body of written literature but the oral literature is rich with songs and poetry. 'In ancient Tamil Sangam literature, the male hero (talaivan) often shares a deep emotional bond with a male confidant, referred to as pāṅkaṉ. A similar tradition exists in Kurukh culture, where a young boy, with parental consent, may form a fraternal relationship—known as iar or sangi—with another boy from another clan, said Dr J Ravikumar Stephen G, founder, Dravidianism Revival Centre. Indian anthropologist Lalita Prasad Vidyarthi extensively studied the Malto tribe's belief systems and classified their language under the Dravidian family. In his comparative studies, Russian linguist Mikhail S Andronov placed the language among Northern Dravidian languages. There is evidence of a shared origin between Gondi and Tamil, as well as other Dravidian languages, due to their notable grammatical and syntactic similarities. 'Gondi and Tamil share thousands of cognates (words with a common ancestor) and grammatical features, making them both members of the South and Central Dravidian branch of the Dravidian language family,' said Dr. Annie Tisha Jerald, Junior Research Fellow, International School of Dravidian Linguistics, Thiruvananthapuram. Brahui, geographically isolated from the rest of the Dravidian family, shows strong connections to the Dravidian land. 'The 37 known Brahui tribes constituted a distinct polity, reminiscent of the 'Kurunila mannarkal' – the minor kings of ancient Tamilakam. These tribe rulers formed a confederation, just like the 'Nadu Vali', federation of Tamil Chera kings in early South Indian history,' Ravikumar Stephen said. A literary milestone The governments of West Bengal and Jharkhand have officially recognized Kurukh as one of the state languages. The development of exclusive scripts for Kurukh in the 1990s advanced the teaching of the language in schools and training centers across Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal. Meanwhile, linguists in Telangana are advocating for the inclusion of Gondi in the Eighth Schedule. Malto lacks official recognition and a standardized script, which has hindered its development in formal education systems. Unlike the 19th-century German missionaries, the present-day Christian missionaries from Tamil Nadu have established Hindi-medium schools, which, according to Bishop Dr. Ravikumar, has significantly contributed to the decline of the Malto language. Many Brahui speakers are bilingual, often using Balochi or Urdu in daily life, which has led to concerns about language preservation, despite the fact that the University of Balochistan offers degree programs in Brahui from the bachelor's to the doctoral level. At such a time, translation of classical texts like the Thirukkural serves both political and literary purposes. 'The official recognition granted by the Jharkhand government to the Tolong Siki script—developed by Dr Narayan Oraon—has elevated the status of the Kurukh language in the region. That's why the Thirukkural translation project will carve out a meaningful space for Kurukh,' said Mahesh Meenz, a former IRS officer and the translator. 'The Thirukkural's portrayal of lifestyle themes—especially those related to love and agriculture—resonates deeply with both Tamil and Kurukh-speaking communities,' Mahesh added. Gondi, the language learned even by the IAS officers to communicate with people of Adilabad in Telangana, has ample oral literature in the form of riddles, folk songs and puzzles. 'Only two out of 100 speakers of Gondi can read and write the language, in Gunjala Script. Once translated, Thirukkural will serve as a philosophical guide to us,' said Varaprasad, who has completed seventeen chapters of Gondi translation using Telugu and Gunjala script, which is the oldest script of Gondi language. The other script, Masaram, is widely popular in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The translators share their connect with Thirukkural. 'While translating the Thirukkural, I felt as though it was written on the mountains and waters of Brahui. I could imagine Thiruvalluvar speaking with the king and the people here,' said Professor Muhammad Afzal Brohi. Translation enriches a language and the absence of written literature often leads to the extinction of a language. 'Kambar's Ramayanam, a transcreation of the epic in Tamil, surpassed many original and translated versions and set a high standard for Tamil narrative poetry. Other works such as The Bible, the Mahabharata, and later, John Bunyan's 'Pilgrim's Progress', transcreated to Tamil in pure poetic format as 'Ratchanya Yathrigam' are some phenomenal works,' said Ravikumar. The challenges The translation project has encountered several challenges, most important among them being the difficulty in finding qualified translators and reviewers of the translated work. 'It took me more than three years to find translators for Malto. Through outreach via social media and word of mouth, I could achieve the feat,' said Ravikumar. Secondly, content translation was a tough task, as with the exception of the Malto translator, all of the others did not know Tamil. 'I provided them with existing translations of the Thirukkural in various languages such as English, Hindi, Bengali and Telugu,' Ravikumar said. As these languages are not exposed to scientific and philosophical genre, many words are just absent. Translators are coining new words with the help of century-old dictionaries created by GermanLutheran missionaries likeRev. Ferdinand Hahn. The translation project calls for an elaborate fact checking and review procedure. 'Thirukkural itself is imbued with secular and universal values. Unfortunately, some translators tend to introduce their own religious or cultural biases. For example, in the third couplet which describes the divine as 'the one who walked on a flower'—many translators inserted the term Kamal (lotus), which subtly implies a specific religious symbolism,' Ravikumar added. Political sensitivities can also pose challenges to translation initiatives. For instance, in the case of the Brahui translation—where the translator is a Pakistani national—clearances were required at the ministerial level. 'The Brahui translator submitted the application to the Union Minister for Education just hours before the tragic Pahalgam incident, and a response is still awaited,' said Dr Ravikumar Stephen. Despite such complexities, the CICT seems committed to making Thirukkural accessible in every Dravidian language. Director of CICT, Professor R Chandrashekharan has already published Thirukkural translations in medium and minor South Dravidian languages such as Badaga, Kodava, Koraga, and Tulu
NDTV
5 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"Fear Of Death": Why Maoist Basavaraju's Trusted Aide Surrendered
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. Babu Kawasi, once a trusted gunman for Maoist Basavaraju, has surrendered due to fears of death as anti-Naxal operations intensify. He said he has urged the remaining members to leave the jungle before it is too late. Bhopal: Once a trusted gunman of Maoist chief Basavaraju, Babu Kawasi has laid down his arms. In an exclusive conversation with NDTV, Babu Kawasi opened up about the inner workings of India's most secretive insurgent network and the final days of Basavaraju - the top leader of the CPI (Maoist), who was gunned down in a massive encounter in Maad's Kilakot hills on May 21. Fear of a similar fate led Babu and his wife to walk away from the jungle and surrender in Dantewada. For more than a decade, Babu had served as a personal guard to the most wanted Naxalite leaders including Ganapati and later Basavaraju, operating deep inside the dense, unforgiving forests of Bastar and Abujhmad. Now, as the red corridors shrink under pressure from relentless anti-Naxal operations, the former guerrilla soldier has a message for those still holding on: "Come out before it is too late." Q: You were with Basavaraju until the end. What made you surrender now? Babu Kawasi: The fear of death. The government is not stopping. The jungle is no longer safe. Encounters are happening almost every week. I had appealed to a few comrades to surrender - they didn't, and they were among those killed with Basavaraju on May 21. That could have been me. So I left on April 29 and surrendered with my wife. Q: Tell us about your role in the Naxal organization. Babu: I was in Company No. 7 of the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army. I guarded Central Committee members from 2012 onwards. I was first assigned to Ganapati, then to Basavaraju from 2016 to December 2024. I used to carry automatic weapons. I was trained to ambush police and plant booby traps. Q: What kind of leader was Basavaraju? Babu: He was sharp, spoke clear Telugu, some Gondi, and broken Hindi. He focused a lot on tactical ambushes and taught us how to use terrain and traps against the forces, especially the DRG. Q: Why is the Naxal group afraid of the DRG (District Reserve Guard)? Babu: Because they are our own. Many DRG soldiers are former Naxals. They know our tricks, our routes, our strategies. The organization has no answer to them. Even Basavaraju used to say - "Yeh DRG sabse badi samasya hai (These DRGs are the biggest problems)." That's why we were trying to prepare new fighters with new strategies, but that didn't work. Q: What is the situation inside the Naxal organization now? Babu: It's breaking. People are scared. The people are not supporting us anymore. Villagers don't come forward like before. And the ideology has changed-what started as revolution has become about survival now. Q: Do you regret your time in the movement? Babu: Yes. If Basavaraju had surrendered, he would have been alive. I wish we had understood earlier. I've appealed to those still inside to come out, for their families, for their own future. There is nothing left in the jungle.
The Hindu
05-05-2025
- The Hindu
Tribal girls' insistence on reporting gang-rape brings attention, development to Maoist-hit village in Madhya Pradesh
Two electricians are installing a power meter at Shyamlal Tekam's house, while another has climbed an electric pole to replace the cables. Meters are also being installed in other houses, most of them mud structures with thatched roofs, at Duglai village in Madhya Pradesh's Balaghat district. Missing for decades, a road has also been sanctioned for the village. Electric poles were installed in the village about 12 years ago and locals say that within weeks the cables were damaged and the village has been without electricity ever since. However, work began after the gang-rape of three tribal girls and a woman was reported. Isolated from the mainstream world until 10 days ago, officials of the district administration, police officers, and politicians have been visiting the village every day since the crime was reported. Deep in the forests of Balaghat, Duglai is locked by hills on all sides and falls inside the region's core Naxal-affected belt. Its population of about 130 speaks the Gondi dialect. With no agricultural land around, the village economy depends on collecting and selling minor forest produce, including tendu leaves. On the night of April 23, sisters Rakhi (20) and Puja (16); and sisters Reena (17), Priya (14), and Geeta (6) (all names changed to protect identity), accompanied by their uncle Chamru Tekam, had gone to the neighbouring Thakurtola village, about two kilometres from theirs, to attend a wedding. As the girls started walking back home around 1.30 a.m., seven men, who had also attended the wedding, allegedly chased them down on their motorcycles and caught hold of them midway. According to local police, the accused thrashed Mr. Chamru and threatened him, and forced the girls into the forest. Ms. Geeta was threatened and forced to sit nearby. The men took turns in raping the three minor girls and the 20-year-old. Before leaving the spot, they threatened the victims against disclosing the assault to anyone. The survivors finally returned to the village around 4 a.m. and shared their ordeal. On April 24, the parents of the victims, along with locals from Duglai and Thakurtola, went to Bhagatpur, the accused's village, to complain to their families, but were allegedly turned away. 'They first refused to believe that their sons had done this and later offered us money to settle the matter amongst ourselves,' Ms. Reena's father, Ashok Tekam (name changed), said. Balaghat Superintendent of Police (SP) Nagendra Singh told The Hindu that while some locals favoured 'settling the matter to avoid going to the police', the girls stood their ground. 'The village had been under the influence of Maoists for a long time and people have avoided getting involved with the police and administration. Now, a police team is visiting every day. They have also started opening up but are yet to fully comprehend the gravity of the incident,' Mr. Singh said. On April 25, the girls, their parents and members of some tribal groups reached the Godri police check-post and a First Information Report (FIR) was filed with charges of gang-rape, assault, and the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. By evening, the police arrested the accused, identified as brothers Lokesh Matre (22) and Inglesh Matre (19); brothers Ajayendra Bahe (27) and Maniram Bahe (21); Raju Bagdate (21); Rajendra Sabre (24); and Lal Chand Khare (34). While the accused are currently being held in judicial custody, the survivors are staying at a government children's home in Balaghat town. Ms. Reena, who with the other survivors is visiting her family with a police team, said that the pressure from the accused's families and even from those who 'suggested a settlement' did not deter her. 'Before leaving us in the jungle, they told us 'you won't be able to do anything so its better you don't tell anyone about this'. But I told the police everything myself,' she said. Ms. Reena and Ms. Priya had to drop out from their education after Class 5 as the village only has a primary school. Their mother, Tooti Bai (name changed), said Ms. Priya liked to paint and draw, and pointed to an artwork that the young girl had made on the outer wall of their house with the names of all her sisters. 'Geeta hasn't talked much since that day. She doesn't answer if you ask her anything about it,' Ms. Tooti Bai said. Sorting the tendu leaves collected from the forest, Ms. Rakhi's father Shyamlal (name changed), however, is troubled by the number of visits. 'Nobody ever came here earlier but now everybody is coming and asking so many questions. I don't know anything. The girls didn't tell me much,' he said. Bhagatpur, just 3.5 km from Duglai, has electricity, roads, concrete houses, and cattle, tractor and other farm machines outside most of them. 'My husband didn't tell anything at home. We only found out when the police came and took all of them. I haven't seen him ever since,' Lokesh Matre's wife, Janki Matre, 24, who is seven months pregnant, said. 'My father-in-law is ill. I will need to visit hospital often now. Who will take me?' Ms. Janki asked with tearful eyes, alleging the case against her husband was 'fake'. Kankar Munjare, former MP and a prominent local leader, dubbed the 'hurried' development works at Duglai an 'insult' to the survivors and their families. 'Does someone have to get raped or killed to get these basic things? This is not compensation but an insult to their suffering,' Mr. Munjare said. Balaghat Collector Mrunal Meena, however, denied the work was only started because of the incident, and said that electrification and road works had already been approved under the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA) and the Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas schemes of the Central government, respectively. 'We had identified 200 priority villages for electrification under DAJGUA and the work is being completed in many villages in a row. It is among the most [Naxalism] affected villages but now work is on to connect these places with the mainstream,' Mr. Meena said.
New Indian Express
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Using viral tunes to fund tribal dreams
ADILABAD: While the subject of language has been subjected to much discussion and fights on social media in recent times, Gondi, which is fighting for survival, has found its newest popstar: one who is a schoolgirl by the day, effecting change in the community in the evening and a YouTube star in whatever time she has left in a day. A resident of New Chinchugat in Adilabad Rural mandal, Anima Kathle has fused Hindustani classical rigour and tribal lyricism to her channel, whose ad revenue also aids the education of several others. Even at the tender age of 7, Anima isn't just preserving her culture; she's rewriting its future. Belonging to the Thoti community, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), Anima is also touted to be the first singer from her tribe to sing and record songs in the Gondi language. Every morning she practises classical singing for an hour before school and for two more hours in the evening. Every Sunday, she attends formal Hindustani classical music classes under the guidance of her teacher, Ganeshwar Guruji. She has been learning classical music since Class 1 and is currently in the second year of a four-year diploma course in Hindustani classical music. She is currently a Class 3 student of the Government Disha Model School in New Chinchugat. While Anima's mornings begin with ragas, her evenings are sprinkled with social work. This prodigy has turned her inherited devotion to music into a weapon against oblivion. While her peers grapple with alphabets, Anima pens Gondi lyrics that rally her community against social ills. Her Gondi-language song Nowkoti Dhagiri gained attention in a short span and helped establish her as a promising young voice in tribal music. Her repertoire also includes devotional songs, socially relevant pieces and motivational tracks. So far, she has released nine songs, all in the Gondi language, each receiving encouraging response from the community and beyond. At a recent Women's Day programme, she was recognised with the 'Best Singer' award.
