Khasi literature is finding a new voice through
translations. In the process, it is also fighting for constitutional
recognition, says Urmimala Bhattacharjee
Literature, as a reflection of life and society, should be
easily accessible to many and should transcend boundaries to facilitate the
exchange of ideas, to broaden outlook and bring people closer. In keeping with
this necessity, more and more modern-day writers are popularising their
indigenous languages by way of extensive translations into an accessible
language like English.
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| "As long as they are helping us expand our horizons and access other great literary works, we will encourage translations" - Lapynshai Syiem, Writer & Translator |
In this aspect, Khasi literature has made immense progress.
This particular language of Meghalaya has witnessed a massive literary growth
in the last two decades. Litterateurs and scholars attribute this to the
extensive translation works being carried out by eminent Khasi writers and
poets. Translations are being done both from Khasi into English and vice versa primarily to help the
language get official status under the Eighth Schedule of the Indian
Constitution. While writers like LH Pde are extensively translating English
writings to Khasi, there are others like Bijoya Sawian who are translating
Khasi books into English.
“For the healthy development of literature, one needs to
introduce and incorporate ideas from other literatures of the country and
abroad. Translation is a healthy tool to help people access home-grown literary
works,” says Pde who has translated many Hindu religious books into Khasi.
Pde started his first translation work in 1986 with the
Ramayana. “I had been to Delhi for an official tour when I saw glimpses of the
Ramayana series playing on television. I observed for some time and felt that
every religion has a lot to teach. I read the Ramayana minutely in English
after that and decided to translate,” he explains when enquired about how the
whole process of translating religious books started.
Since then, for two consecutive years, he translated the
Ramayana (1988) and Mahabharata (1989). In 2010, he had translated the Bhagwad
Gita. Translating Hindu religious books in a region where a majority of the
people are Christians naturally raises questions about readership. Pde says,
“Literature knows no religion. The teachings of Christianity are known to us
(Christians) since birth, but little do we get to know about the precious
sermons and teachings of other religions. Naturally we have started to get a
huge response from the readers.”
Poet Desmond Kharmawphlang who is also the head of the
Department of Culture and Creative Studies at the North Eastern Hill University
(NEHU), says, “The Ramayana and Mahabharata have been incorporated into the
post graduate curriculum of NEHU. The teachings are valuable and inspiring. It
would help students open up their minds.”
Bijoya Sawian is credited with writing the first novel by a
Khasi woman, The Shadow Men. She is
also a translator. Stating translations to be a positive trend, she elucidates,
“Through literature we can connect and understand each other more deeply and
translation is largely instrumental in helping this cause.”
She however dwells on the initial hurdles in translating
Hindu religious books. “Christianity being well established in the region, the
response was initially quite dismal.” She goes on to add, “Translations in my
family began in the late 19th century. My great grandfather, Jeebon Roy, had
translated the Mahabharata, Buddha Charittra, Chaitanya Charittra and the
History of India into Khasi. His eldest son, Sib Charan Roy, had translated the
Bhagwat Gita.”
The precious first editions of these books are with her aunt
in Shillong who had also encouraged her to translated Ka Jingsneng Tymmen (The Teaching of Elders) from Khasi into
English. It was first published in 1887 by Jeebon Roy in the Ri Khasi Press. Ka Jingsneng is the Khasi book of ethics
and etiquette by Radhon Sing Berry Kharwanlang which is another book she has
translated.
Other translations by Sawian include the Khasi Myths Legends and Folktales and About
One God – the treatise written by Jeebon Roy about the Khasi indigenous
faith which is also a comparative study of the Khasi religion and other
religions of the world.
Sawian feels that translating folktales is a must since
folklore is the source of history, culture and tradition. She is presently
working on writing accounts of the various ceremonies of the Khasis associated
with naming, marriage and death: the last rites.
She asserts, “Assimilation of ideas by way of translation is
not necessarily a disintegrating influence on its growth as a few conservative
people might feel. It rather helps to expand horizons.”
While most litterateurs agree that translation is an
‘efficient tool to bridge ethnic gaps’, they say that translating is not an
easy job as it involves a few technical difficulties. “There is always a risk
of the original flavour being lost. One needs to be very particular not to
disturb the ingenuity of the writer”, Pde explains. He however adds that as
many of the Sanskrit texts were translated into English by Hindu religious
gurus, much of their originality remains intact when they come down to readers
like him. Pde, who was received given the Literary Award 2011 by the Shree
Narayana Guru Cultural Centre, is presently translating Shakuntala into Khasi
language.
The Sahitya Akademi has been a great source of encouragement
for these writers. However critics are upset over the fact that despite the
efforts of the Khasi Authors Society, Khasi has not been incorporated in the
language list of the Sahitya Akademi and given due recognition as a literary
language.
The Meghalaya government also is encouraging translations to
popularise the indigenous literature. The government has asked authors to
translate works of famous Khasi poet U Soso Tham into English and other
languages. Early this month, the Deputy Chief Minister in Charge of Arts and
Culture, Bindo Lanong, said that it is important for Khasi writers to take up
the task of translation. At a function commemorating Tham’s 71st death
anniversary on 18 December, he said, “Tham’s works deserve to be showcased
beyond the boundaries of Meghalaya and translation can help achieve this.” Tham
used Khasi idioms for the first time to translate Aesop’s fables. He also
translated Charles Dickens’s The Life of
Our Lord and Shakespeare’s The
Tempest.
Meghalaya Chief Secretary WMS Pariat had earlier expressed
his fear that lesser number of translations of Khasi books into other
languages, like English, was proving to be a stumbling block in getting Khasi
included in the Eighth Schedule.
“Whether they will actually help us get a constitutional
status for the language is not certain, but as long as they are helping us
expand our horizons and access other great literary works, we will surely
encourage translations,” says Lapynshai Syiem, a renowned writer and poet who
is translating Rabindranath Tagore’s songs into Khasi.
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