Reaching Out

Sukhedu Ray’s translation of Rabindranath Tagore’s Nashtanir,Dui Bon and Malancha impressed renowned academic Supriya Chaudhuri because of very “fruity” reason. At the release function of the book,Chaudhuri said—“I came across a previous English translation of Noshtonir,which according to me is a much inferior one. In one of the passages where a garden is being talked about in the novella,bideshi amra is translated as English plum. A translation which I think is almost comical.” Sukhendu Ray,however,avoids such gaffes in Tagore’s three Novellas—Nashtanir,Dui Bon and Malancha (OUP). Bideshi amra remains bideshi amra in the translation,as does complicated Bengali terms of address,such as mashima (mum’s sister) and jethima (Father’s elder brother’s wife). “There are really no equivalents of such words in English language. A few years back I was foxed when I had to translate ah molo ja into English. I realised that it’s an impossible task. So I prefer letting such terms be in my translations. I prefer providing a glossary in my books,” says Ray.

In this particular work,Ray chooses to retain the essence of the time when these novels were written. “Noshtonir was written in 1903,and Tagore used sadhu bhasha (formal Bengali) in it. The other two novellas,Dui Bon and Malancha were written thirty years later and Tagore chose to write them in chalit bhasha (colloquial Bengali),” informs Chaudhuri.

Clearly,Ray is sensitive to the evolving nature of the Bengali language and the socio-cultural ethos that is involved. Which is why it is important to as a seemingly simple question. Who are the target readers of these works. “Ideally,I would want them to travel beyond India. But I know that quite a few non-Bengali Indians too are curious about Tagore’s works,” says Ray. But don’t these translations also play the crucial role of acquainting the present generation of Bengalis,who probably aren’t very proficient with the language,with the bard? “That itself is a huge and an ambitious task. It’s not possible for one single translator to do that. But yes,in a way I am probably introducing Tagore’s works to a lot of Bengalis. However,a more concentrated and focused effort should be taken towards this endeavour,” he adds.