Category Archives: Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Numismatist tells legacy of Bahmani Sultans through coins

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Kalaburagi (formerly Gulbarga), KARNATAKA :

Cover page of the book ‘A Legacy of Bahmani Sultans through Coins’ published by the Gulbarga Bahmani Numismatics Research and Educational Trust. | Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI

Mohammad Ismail has got a rare treasure of coins dating back to Bahmani Sultans from 14th to 16th Century

The Gulbarga Bahmani Numismatics Research and Educational Trust recently published a book titled ‘A Legacy of Bahmani Sultans through coins’ authored by Numismatist Mohammad Ismail in which he depicts the numismatic journey of Bahmani Sultans through his collections.

The book traces the journey of coins belonging to all the 18 Bahmani Sultans starting from Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah (1347-58), till the last Sultan – Kalimullah Shah (1526-1538). Mr. Ismail has meticulously worked, richly illustrated, about each coin issued during Bahmani Sultans period.

Mr. Ismail has got a rare treasure of antique coinage, belonging to Bahmani Sultans from 14th Century to 16th Century. The numismatist has more than 2,500 coins in his collection of various rulers, dynasties and kingdoms. Among his treasury are also coins dating back to 1,600 years ago.

The numismatist also organises a campaign “Save Coin Save Heritage.” The objective of this campaign is to spread awareness about ancient coins at schools and to take forward the legacy to younger generations.

Speaking to The Hindu, the numismatist explained the legacy of Bahmani Sultans and displayed a collection of nearly 80 copper coins issued in one year period between 1378-1379, and said that all the four Sultans including Dawood Shah-I, Muhammad Shah-II, Ghiyasuddin Tahmathan Shah, Shamshuddin Dawood Shah–II (4th, 5th, 6th and 7th sultans, respectively), have ruled for less than a year. His collection has got nearly 500 coins issued during Tajuddin Firoz Shah (8th Bahmani sultan), followed by 400 coins of Muhammad Shah-I (the second Bahmani sultan), and 300 coins of Kalimullah Shah (18th Bahmani sultan) Period.

According to Mr. Ismail, the study of coins gives insights into history as no other source does. The enthusiast numismatist tries to enhance his collection by getting in touch with collectors across India. His collection includes coins of various shapes, sizes and weights issued during different reigns made up of gold, silver, bronze and copper, some very rare.

When asked about the estimated value of coins in his collection, Mr. Ismail said that the value of each coin varied depending on its age, rarity and material. “But for me, as a numismatist, it is the coin’s age and rarity which matters more than its price,” he said.

Some of the rarest coins in his collections are of Tahmatun Shah, Dawood Shah, Ahmed Shah III, Muhammad Shah IV and Mujahidin Shah. Mr. Ismail’s rare collection includes 10 copper and one gold and silver coin minted during the Tahmatan Shah period. It took him eight years to find those coins. His collection also includes the rare gold and silver coins of Ahmed Shah II and Mujahidin Shah.

He also has coin collections belonging to Chalukyas, Kakatyas, Rashtrakutas, and the Vijayanagara Kingdom. Mr. Ismail wants to bring out a catalogue of these collections too.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Praveen B Para / Kalaburagi – July 03rd, 2022

‘Otta Chora: Kerala Muslim student’s poem celebrating interfaith bond is heartwarming

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Malappuram, KERALA :

Otta Chora (Same Blood) by Shuhaib Alanallur, a student of Madin Academy in Malappuram, is being quoted by speakers in their programmes all across Malabar.

Shuhaib Alanallur

Kozhikode :

A poem that celebrates the warmth of the relationship between Hindu and Muslim families, penned by an upcoming writer, has become an instant hit after it was published in a magazine recently. Otta Chora (Same Blood) by Shuhaib Alanallur, a student of Madin Academy in Malappuram, is being quoted by speakers in their programmes all across Malabar.

In the poem, a Hindu woman, Narayani, finds solace in Nabeesu’s Islamic prayers while enduring the labour pain, and the ‘Mollakka’ (Muslim cleric) recites a verse from Quran to help her husband Velu quit drinking. Finally, Velu refuses to take his usual quota of toddy because the ‘Mollakka’ had donated his blood when he got injured after falling in a gutter. “I will not pollute Mollakka’s blood that runs in my blood by mixing it with toddy,” declares Velu at the end of the poem.

“Such relationships were quite common in our country-sides few decades ago. We are celebrating the bonding because it is fast fading away from our midst,” said the poet.

“The poem was written during the ‘Sahithyolsavam’ conducted by the Sunni Students Federation last year,” he  said. It was the patronage given by Syed Ibrahimul Khaeel Al Bukhari Thangal, chairman of the Madin Academy, that shaped the writer in Shuhaib.

“Muslim Youth League leader Shibu Meeran quoted my poem in an impassioned speech that made it a discussion point on the social media,” Shihaib said. It was the fond memories that he spent with his Hindu friends in Alanallur near Mannarkkad that inspired Shuhaib to write the poem. 

“There are people who argue that such relationships are normal in our midst and they need not be highlighted. But I believe that such voices should be amplified at a time when dark forces are lurking in our society,” said Basheer Faizy Deshamangalam, Islamic scholar and the leader of Samastha Kerala Sunni Students Federation.

“Narayani didn’t refuse to take the Islamic blessing saying that it is from another faith nor did Velu say no to verses from Quran. Such innocent virtues should be underlined when there are deliberate attempts to divide us,” he said.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by MP Prashantah, Express News Service / June 07th, 2022

Rann Kali, the war memorial built by BSF at the request of Christian and Muslim soldiers

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Srinagar Village, TRIPURA :

Srinagar village in Tripura, where the temple was built.

The memorial has now become a pilgrimage point for locals

Half a century back, a Kali temple was built by the Border Security Force (BSF) as a war memorial at the request of two soldiers — a Christian and a Bengali Muslim — at the Border Outpost (BOP) in Srinagar, Tripura, which has now become a pilgrimage point for locals.

Major P. K. Ghosh, who was then commanding four border outposts (BOP) of BSF at Srinagar, Amlighat, Samarendraganj and Nalua in the southern part of Tripura bordering Chittagong division, in erstwhile east Pakistan, has chronicled the story in ‘Borderman’, the BSF journal.

When contacted, Major Ghosh said the Srinagar BOP was located in a very important strategic position and after the revolt by the East Bengal Regiment in 1971 against Pakistan, BSF aided the rebels in forming the first Muktibahini (Liberation army) in Srinagar.

“The MMG post at Srinagar BOP was playing a crucial role in thwarting the Pakistani army. It was the forward observation post near the Chittagong-Noakhali area. Exchange of fire was nothing new in that area, but it intensified when the liberation war started picking up”, Major Ghosh told PTI telephonically.

He said since the MMG post was causing major damage to the Pakistani side, it became a precision target for the enemy.

“A precision target receives continuous firing of shells over a period of an hour or so, it is likely to get damaged. On that day, they fired 100 shells in ten minutes”, Major Ghosh recalled.

“There were three members of the detachment at the post including a Nepali Christian, Constable Rehaman (a Bengali Muslim) and Constable Banabihari Chakraborty. The situation at the spot was terrible, and I asked them not to step out of the bunker,” he said.

As the situation became worse, Constable Chakraborty asked the others to pray to goddess Kali. “They did that without even considering their religious beliefs. The post was saved due to its position near a pond and marshy land and heavy rain a night ago. A bamboo tree also prevented the shells from torching the bunker and they ended up as air bursts”, Major Ghosh said.

When the BSF decided to build a war memorial at the spot, the Christian and the Muslim soldiers requested that a Kali temple be built instead.

“Building a Kali temple for a war memorial is very unconventional. But BSF did that to honour the request of the soldiers,” Major Ghosh said.

The funds were collected from locals and the Bangladeshis also joined in constructing the Kali temple in 1972.

“We named it Rann Kali (War Kali) temple to honour their faith. At a time of religious intolerances, such examples stand as a beacon of hope”, he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Other States / by PTI / Srinagar (Tripura) / July 03rd, 2022

Journalist Rana Ayyub receives US’s highest press freedom award

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Mumbai, INDIA / U.S.A. :

Indian Journalist Rana Ayyub was awarded the International John Aubuchon 2022. She was honoured with the award by the National Press Club of Washington DC and the Aubuchon is the Club’s highest honor for press freedom.

National Press Club President Jen Judson and National Press Club Journalism Institute President Gil Klein said, “We are pleased to name Rana Ayyub the 2022 John Aubuchon Award International Honoree. Ms. Ayyub’s courage and skill in investigative work has been evident throughout her distinguished career and her criticism of the government has been met with an unwelcome assault on her rights and freedom of expression.”

Later, Ayyub, in her statement on Twitter, thanked the Press Club and said that “it is a testing time for journalism in India”.

She further added: “Huge honour to receive this award, the first ever for an Indian.”

Ayyub dedicated the award to her colleagues who are lying in different prisons across the country. “Dedicating this to my colleagues Mohd. Zubair, Siddique Kappan and Asif Sultan, incarcerated for speaking truth to power,” she said.

source: http://www.thekashmirlwalla.com / The Kashmir Walla / Home> News> South Asia / by News Desk / July 01st, 2022

‘Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace’ is worn by Queen Elizabeth II and also by Kate Middleton

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Hyderabad, TELANGANA (formerly) HYDERABAD STATE :

Imaginative cuisine, stylish wardrobes, magnificent palaces, and an opulent lifestyle. These are just a few things that the Nizams of Hyderabad are known for. Well, there’s one more thing: spectacular jewelry.

Most people already know that the last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan was one of the wealthiest men in the history of the world. So, it comes as no surprise that he owned a fabulous collection of jewelry – diamonds, gold ornaments, and precious stones.

Almost all this collection was purchased by the Government of India, which arranges its exhibition from time to time. 

However, the most fitting exhibition of the Nizam’s jewelry occurs, albeit unwittingly, when Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen of the United Kingdom, wears the spectacular Cartier diamond necklace. It was gifted to her by the 7th Nizam on the occasion of her wedding to Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark on 20th November 1947. He had also gifted her the “Hyderabad Tiara” which had a design based on English roses with 3 detachable floral brooches, all made of diamonds and set in platinum.

The aptly named Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace is also a floral piece made of diamonds that are set in platinum.

The British art historian, Hugh Roberts who authored the best-selling book “The Queen’s Diamonds”, describes it in his book as: “The pavé-set centre with detachable double-drop pendant incorporating 13 emerald-cut diamonds and a pear-shaped drop; the chain of 38 brilliant-cut open-back collets with an elongated oval brilliant-set snap”. 

The Nizam, in his generosity, reportedly instructed Cartier to let the bride (then Princess Elizabeth) choose whatever she desired from their collection. The princess then chose the necklace and the matching floral tiara. She is not its first owner, however. Cartier made the necklace in 1935, sold it and then reacquired it from the first buyer in 1936. One of its earliest pictures is of Elfrida Greville, the Countess of Warwick who wore it for a portrait in the 1930s.

But the piece has remained a mainstay in the Queen’s jewelry collection. It appears to be one of her favorites as she has worn it on many official engagements, for instance on her first ever trip to Washington in October 1951 where she met President Harry Truman. She can also be seen posing in it for official portraits that would be used on currency bills like the Bahamas Dollar. She still wears it on important occasions.

Of late there has been a renewed interest in the necklace among jewelry enthusiasts when the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton was photographed wearing it on at least two occasions. It was lent to her by the Queen as the duchess is her grand daughter-in-law due to her husband Prince William. It may now be safely assumed that the necklace has passed on from being a personal wedding present to a family heirloom and will adorn the subsequent generations of British royalty.

Dr Mohammed Najeeb Shahzore

Dr Mohammed Najeeb Shahzore is a specialist physician based in Kuwait with an interest in Hyderabad’s history & culture.

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News> Hyderabad / by Dr. Mohammed Najeeb Shahzore / September 26th, 2021

This unassuming public library stands testimony to the power of the page

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NEW DELHI :

The Delhi Youth Welfare Association works for the upliftment of underprivileged children in Old Delhi through many initiatives, including its Hazrat Shah Walliulah Public Library.

DYWA team with Capt Zoya and Heena Sodhi
DYWA team with Capt Zoya and Heena Sodhi

On a hot Wednesday afternoon in June, Laxmi (14)  and Ritika (11), residents of the walled city, braved the heat as they made their way through the crowded lanes of Old Delhi to arrive at a cramped quarter in Churiwalan, Jama Masjid. The dated signage and dilapidated environs may have served to put them off their mission, but they persevered. After all, they had it on the best possible authority––of their own older sister––that this was where they would receive school textbooks for the upcoming academic year.

These hardworking sisters are a few of the many girls and boys lining up outside the doors of the unassuming Hazrat Shah Waliullah Public Library, which distributes course books for children once a year, free of cost, to support them in their pursuit of education despite financial and other constraints.

In 1987, in the wake of curfew following religious tensions in Old Delhi, a group of young friends turned their energies towards the upliftment of destitute locals. 

The library

They began by distributing rations, medicines, and scholarships to deserving widows and others in need, under the banner of the Delhi Youth Welfare Association (DYWA); but felt this action, though noble, did not make the desired difference to ground realities. Illiteracy due to poor financial conditions and the resultant lack of resources was a chronic problem that needed their immediate attention. Hence, they started sponsoring the education of deserving children, and opened the Hazrat Shah Waliullah Public Library, sometime in the 90s.

Muhammad Naeem, the President of the DYWA, has been associated with the organisation from the beginning. Narrating an incident that summarises the need for their organisation, he says, “Financial conditions are bad for the locals here. As soon as they clear their ninth standard exams, they want to move to Open University instead of going to school, so they can work and earn money. This is true for both boys and girls.”

Amidst this, the Hazrat Shah Waliullah Library strives to encourage a love of reading and learning–– an art that is swiftly being sidelined.  SM Changezi, the General Secretary of DYWA and custodian of the library, wears his royal ascendancy from Chengez Khan with pride. However, he only displays it to the world through his passion for beautiful and rare old books. 

The library’s vast collection includes a 100-year-old Quran with every page written in a different style, a copy of an illustrated Ramayana in Persian, and even one of the last copies of Bahadur Shah Zafar’s poetry, printed and sealed in the royal press while he was still in power.

About 50 percent of the books in the library are donated by locals who support the organisation, and the remaining are bought from the organisation’s funds. 

With the increasing number of books, the association is now planning to open a second library in Haryana’s Nuh to cater to the local slums in the area. Apart from free course books, the DYWA sponsors the education of around 30 girls. To this effect, the DYWA collects and pays Rs 2.5-3 lakh per annum towards children’s fees, all from donations made by people who believe in the cause.

Other initiatives include inviting celebrated personalities originally from this area to speak to the children about making a success of their life. This happened recently when Air India pilot and social activist Captain Zoya Agarwal and Heena Sodhi Khera of women’s networking platform Queen’s Brigade, met the children for their course distribution ceremony.

Khera explains, “Capt Zoya shared her own experiences of being judged for her big ambitions. Yet, she achieved what she wanted and encouraged the kids to do so as well. The children were ecstatic and listened to her with rapt attention.” 

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Noor Anand Chawla / June 24th, 2022

Meet the college dropout who runs a news portal in J&K

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JAMMU & KASHMIR :

Anzer Ayoob (22) is a college drop out from Doda who started a news portal in 2017. | Photo by arrangement

The portal is getting recognised for reporting on issues in Chenab valley which are overlooked by the mainstream media.

Jammu :

When 22-year-old Anzer Ayoob, a journalist based in Doda district in Jammu and Kashmir’s Chenab valley heard that a literary group had announced an award for his news portal, he was editing a story on frequent power outages–a recurring issue in the region. 

Ayoob is the founding editor of Chenab Times , a local multimedia news web portal that covers social, cultural, political, and current events primarily in the Chenab region. 

“Apart from highlighting the lack of electricity in the region, the other objective was to bring Chenab Valley on the tourist map of Jammu and Kashmir,” Ayoob told TwoCircles.net. 

Founded in 2017, the news portal has gained decent viewership in the region and has been appreciated by locals. 

Inspired by the positive response, the portal launched its daily news bulletin in Urdu, Sarazi and Bhaderwahi languages (spoken by the region’s population) in January 2021. 

A year on, the programmes in local languages have earned the portal a distinct fame. 

On January 23, the Pahari Core Committee, which is a representative organisation of fifteen literary groups from Doda, praised The Chenab Times for the promotion of local languages, and culture and decided to confer it with this year’s ‘Best News Portal’ award.

“Chenab Times is the sole channel that has always touched the hearts of thousands of Pahari speakers who speak Sarazi, Bhaderwahi, and Kashmiri,” said Sadaket Malik, president of the Pahari Core Committee, in a statement. 

The Chenab Times staff in Doda. | Photo by arrangement

From college dropout to editor
Ayoob is a college dropout. He was pursuing B.Sc. from Govt. Degree College Bhaderwah. “I discontinued my education in 2019 when my mother’s health deteriorated. My father passed away in 2015 and being the only male member of the family, I had to earn a livelihood,” he said. 

Ayoob believes that practicing journalism does not require a degree. “Starting a news portal began with a single idea and journalism is all about ideas,” he said.

Promoting Chenab valley as tourist destination
The Chenab Times started with a Facebook page of the same name promoting Chenab valley as a tourist destination on social media. “After 4-5 months, when our Facebook page gained 16K followers, we launched the website,” Ayoob said. 

The portal has regularly covered stories of the downtrodden. 

Slowly, the news portal began to carry news from the outside world. At present, the portal provides current news from around the world, with a special focus on video stories from Jammu & Kashmir.

The Chenab Times has around 140K followers on Facebook, 1K on Twitter, 8K on Instagram and 45K on YouTube.

Some of the stories published by The Chenab Times have been impactful. 

“There are various far-flung villages in Doda district that weren’t receiving adequate water supply and it was a crisis for the villagers. When we highlighted the issues on our portal, the villages got water supply,” Ayoob said. 

Farasat Rasool is a graduate in arts and a regular reader of the website. “Chenab Times is doing a good job by providing local news and civic concerns. The portal has given voice to the voiceless,” he said. 

Power outages deter journalism
What bothers Ayoob are the frequent power outages and blackouts in the region. The outages, he said, are impacting the portal’s multilingual programme, for which it has been recognised. 

Ironically, the Chenab valley is known as the hub of hydroelectric power projects in the region.

Due to a massive power outage in the Halla village of Doda district in late January, one of Chenab Times correspondent Fareed Ahmad Naik was unable to deliver the Sarazi language news programme. The village was without electricity for 12 days. 

“In winters, the first importance is not the story but to charge our cell phones,” Ayoob said.

Involving youth in community journalism
Ayoob believes in involving more youth from his region in doing community journalism. 

The portal has a staff of eight reporters, six of whom are from the Doda district, one each from Kishtwar and Ramban districts and a six-person editorial board, and three legal consultants. 

While press freedom in Jammu and Kashmir has been severely restricted in the last few years, Ayoob said, “poor media environment won’t deter us from doing our job.” 

Ayoob is of the view that journalism is the kind of profession “where the government frequently becomes an adversary.”

Besides power outages, another challenge faced by his portal is political targeting. “We have done stories after which we faced pressure from certain political quarters. We were summoned by police on a sarpanch’s complaint and received legal notices after we reported on the absence of doctors,” he said. 

Ayoob, however, added that he has received support from Doda police after his portal did a story on illicit liquor and drugs. “They cooperated with us,” he said.  

His goal is to recruit female reporters at his portal. “We want to give a platform to emerging women reporters in the region,” he said. 

Naseer Khora, a senior journalist and commentator from Doda, believes that “local civic concerns of the people haven’t been highlighted much in the media as politics dominates the coverage in Jammu and Kashmir.”

“Chenab Times, in particular, is making a difference by encouraging new people to enter the sector while also restoring rural journalism and reviving endangered languages,” he said. 

Shadab Farooq is TCN SEED-Fellow. He tweets at @shadabfarooq_ 

source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> Lead Story / by Shadab Faarooq, TwoCircles.net / February 04th, 2022

Qatar Indian Social Forum celebrates Eid-ul-Fitr

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Madikeri (Kodagu) / General INDIA / Doha, QATAR :

Doha :

Qatar Indian Social Forum, prominent Indian expatriate community celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr with array of Cultural Programmes representing Rich cultural Heritage of Indian Subcontinent with Skits, Folk songs, Martial arts, traditional Cultural events from different Indian states in different Languages under theme ‘Celebrating Unity in Diversity’.

Welcoming the gathering, Usman general secretary of Social forum, said that the forum would like to uphold a sense of unity among Indians despite the difference in their caste, creed, and religion, and cherish different cultural backgrounds, a land that shows unity in diversity truly reflecting the theme of the evening.


Social forum president Ayyub Ullal launched ‘IndianSocialForum.com’ website, and delivered EID message, hosting these types of gatherings will promote respect for each other’s Cultural Heritage and improve collective commitment towards society at large.

‘Abdul Latheef Madikkeri Memorial Humanitarian Activist Award’ of the year

Chief guest of the Evening Subramanya Hebbagelu, vice president Indian Cultural Center, handed over the ‘Abdul Latheef Madikkeri Memorial Humanitarian Activist Award’ of the year to Basheer Ahamed, leader from Social Forum Tamilnadu, and paid tribute the veteran leader Abdul Latheef Madikeri, who passed away in April last year, in his speech stressed the importance of Serving Humanity.

Vinod Nair, president, Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF) congratulated the gathering and handed over medal to Cultural teams including ‘Thullal-Parai’ and ‘Nagam-16’ from Tamilnadu, Kolkali and ‘Daughters of Kerala’ from Kerala, Tippu Sultan Drama from Karnataka, Nasheed from Northern States for their spectacular display.

Fastest Kid

Ayyub Ullal, handed over the ‘Award of Appreciation’ to Muhammed Ameen Bin Thaisser, honoring his achievement to become ‘Fastest Kid to recite’ all Elements of Periodic table.

The meet brought together more than 20 Community Leaders representing various Indian states Organization, attracting more than 500 community members. The programme ended up with a feast for all participants.

Saeed Kommachi, general secretary, proposed the vote of thanks.

www.indiasocialforum.com

source: http://www.daijiworld.com / DaijiWorld.com / Home>Middle East / by Daijiworld Media Network – Doha (EP) / May 06th, 2022

Doha: Well-known social worker Abdul Latif Madikeri passes away

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Madikeri (Kodagu) / Doha, QATAR :

Doha : 

Well-known social worker Abdul Lathif Madikeri, secretary of Qatar Indian Social Forum (QISF), an association for NRIs, passed away on Sunday April 11.

Abdul Latif was an active social worker who used to respond to all issues faced by non-resident Indians and help to find solutions for them. He always led from the front when it came to social and humanitarian works and was well-known to all NRIs in Qatar.

He was employed in Qatar Police Force for the past thirty years and has left behind his wife, three sons, a daughter, a large number of friends and relatives.

Qatar Indian Social Forum has condoled his demise, describing that his departure has left a void that cannot be filled. QISF also prayed that the almighty bestows strength to his family to bear the loss.     

source: http://www.daijiworld.com / DaijiWorld.com / Home /by Daijiworld Media Network – Doha (EP) / April 11th, 2021

Review of Parthiban’s Dream & Meeran’s Stories: The prince and the paupers

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TAMIL NADU :

These superb translations make two Tamil classics accessible to a wider readership

Kalki’s  Parthiban Kanavu, published in the 1940s and considered to be one of the earliest historical novels in Tamil, is an acknowledged classic.

Thoppil Mohamed Meeran’s short stories are contemporary classics.

The translation of these works from Tamil into English by two experienced writers, Nandini Vijayaraghavan and Prabha Sridevan respectively, achieves a major aim: to make cultures and histories of India accessible to a wider readership.

They are also of interest to prospective translators as a study in contrast, indicating the wide range of skills and knowledge that make translation a creative art.

Impeccable choice

Parthiban Kanavu is a swashbuckling story of a young prince keeping alive his father’s dream of establishing a glorious kingdom. The storyline is marked by palace intrigues, betrayals, and love at first sight. Vijayaraghavan faithfully follows the plot, omitting no digressions or descriptions. Nor does she editorialise to explain plot complications. Her choice of words is impeccable, the polysyllabic and slightly archaic language reflecting Kalki’s Sanskritised Tamil, which is not easily accessible to contemporary readers.

Kalki at work | Photo Credit: The Hindu

Parthiban’s Dream features exquisite artwork by Gopulu which was part of the Tamil original when it was serialised. The volume will be a treasured addition to any bookshelf.

Cover of ‘Meeran’s Stories’

Deceptively easy

The 18 short stories in  Meeran’s Stories have been selected from across three anthologies. Taken together, they showcase the Sahitya Akademi award winner’s range and sensitivity. Belonging to a Muslim community in Kerala, Meeran’s characters lead insecure lives where violence is both tacit and direct.

Noorunisa waits in vain for the Arab trader who will sweep her off her feet and cover her with gold. A tsunami changes the entire landscape, bringing about a sea change in the lives of the fishing community. A poor man thrown out by his son goes on a  safar to holy Muslim sites, only to be treated as a terrorist by the authorities.

The young boy who bullies and finally strangles his mother, learns that the woman who petted, cosseted and indulged him owed him nothing, not even his birth. An unsympathetic official refuses to grant a girl’s simple request to thank the bus conductor who rescued her till it is too late. The economic and environmental disaster created by Coca-Cola at its Plachimada plant is recorded with clinical precision through descriptions of dry wells, poisonous fertilisers and a devious investor.

Meeran’s stories make for deceptively easy reading, mirroring the apparently uneventful lives of his characters. The narrative style, without editorial comments, is powerful in its starkness. Through what he leaves unsaid, Meeran allows readers to reconstruct the cultural context.

The twist in the tale, the hallmark of a good short story, is sharp and blink-and-you-miss-it short.

The closed Coca-Cola company at Plachimada in Palakkad. | Photo Credit: Mustafah K.K.

Like idioms, Meeran’s syntax and structures do not cross languages easily.

Translating Meeran’s work is thus a delicate undertaking, balancing the said and the unsaid, needing simplistic, not simple, English to create a feeling of rarity.

Sridevan pays attention to both word and spirit. But her work goes a step further: it spurs the reader on to go back to the original, looking for hidden depths. This is a singular accomplishment for a translation.

These two books are must-reads for the Tamil diaspora, in India and abroad.

Parthiban’s Dream; Kalki Krishnamurthy, translated by Nandini Vijayaraghavan; Ratna Books; ₹599

Meeran’s Stories; Thoppil Mohamed Meeran, translated by Prabha Sridevan; Ratna Books; ₹499

The reviewer is an educator, author and avid reader.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Translation – Society / by Hema Ramanathan / June 17th, 2022