Oriya Poetry Translations ~ Telugu

PALANA (nparinand@cas.org)
Sun, 26 Apr 1998 00:14:35 -0400 

			nirmala kavitalu - SreshTo kobitA
			---------------------------------


       In addition to my all time favorite poet, Sri Sitakanta Mahapatra, I
       found another great Oriya poet, Sri Jagannatho Prasad Das among those
       books. The publishers, Chaturanga Prakashani, brought out some splendid
       Oriya poetry works by famous Oriya poets under a common series of books
       called "SreshTo kobita" (SrEshTa kavitalu or kavitvaM). All these books
       are hardbound and the price is not more than Rs 40. Absolutely, there are
       no print mistakes and the print is really neat.

       Enough for that.

       The writer/poet, Sri Jagannatho Prasad Das obtained his education from
       the universities of Utkal and Allahabad. He obtained his PhD in history
       (itihAsore). His poetry, stories, and plays have been very popular and
       widely translated into English and many Indian languages. He is also the
       National Sahitya Academy Award Winner for his work "Ahniko".

       A few examples of Das' poems in Telugu (in bits and pieces):


       muKhAlu (mohAlu) [muKA]
       -----------------------

       nAkunnavi ennO muKAlu
       pagalu sAyaMtraM rAtri mArcukunETaMduku
       kshaNikAnaMdaM kOsaM
       vishAdAMta nATakaMlO SEshAMkaM kOsaM
       atithi saha udyOgulua aikyata kOsaM
       vALLa moguDi guriMci kUDA
       sAmrAT sainikula kOsaM
       prEma kOsaM
       pratirakshaNa kOsaM
       palu vidhAlaina muKAlu dAcukuni
       kanupApalO vEshAlennO vEstU
       jIvitaMlO pratI paryAyaMlO!
       nEnu dAcukunnAnu ennO muKAlu
       .........
       cUsukunE addAni praSnistE lEnidi lABaM!

       (anukaraNa)


       vartamAnaM [bortomAno]
       ---------------------

       nA apEkshalannI
       atItamavvAlani

       nA samasta smRtulu
       BavishyattulO kalisipOvAlani

       smRtihInDanu apEkshahInuDanu
       adaMtA nA vartamAnamu

       (anukaraNa)


       vErE dESaM  [onyo deSo]
       ----------------------

       SUnyatalO niSSAbdaM kOsaM
       isuka meTTa mIda niTAruna nilconi
       nE samudrAnni O praSna aDagagA.....
       nA praSna, dAni pratidhvani
       nIli raMgu naDumuna
       nokkabaDipOyAyi

       samudruDu iccina jAbu
       kEvalaM keraTaMgA nA
       kAluni tAkagA....
       ~
       vErE, okE niSSabdaM.

       ayinA idoka adButa dESaM
       ikkaDa annI anuBavAlE


       (anukaraNa)

       [anuBavaM and anuBUti are two different things. One of the books just I
       finished by Ismail (his interviews and essays), covers these two concepts
       at lenght. The poets are may either express their anuBavAlu (experiences)
       and my use anuBUti (feelings) to convey their messages in their poetry.]

       This poem on "samudraM" brings back memories from Nagnamuni's Koyyagurram
       in which he has a neat piece on sea. We will see that in my upcoming
       post.


       More next.

       --pAlana



			This is how you make friends on the internet. About 7
       years ago, a young man from Germany, sent me an Email in reply to one of
       my essays on SCIT. He happened to be a doctoral students at the Institute
       of Physics, Bhubaneswar, the town where I used to spend some time during
       summers for over a decade and half. After finishing his assignment, the
       young man left Germany and went back to BBSR. I asked him to send me some
       books in Oriya on Oriya poetry and literature. Four years passed. During
       that time, I didn't get a single EMail. One day, I get a mail from
       Chicago from the same young gentleman. He came here and got me some of my
       favorite Oriya books. I thank him very much but I have yet to see him.
       Thanks Sri P.V. Satyam!