Hubli: Kannada Vachan The discourses composed by the followers of Lingayat saint-poet-philosopher Basaveshwara, Sharan, have their own importance in the history of Indian literature.
Now, over 2,500 verses edited by slain rationalist-scholar MM Kalburgi have been translated into Arabic by scholars from the University of Kashmir and Jamia Millia Islamia.
The Bangalore-based Basava Samiti has published ‘Vachan’ as part of its multilingual translation project launched in 2008 under the editorship of Kalaburagi.
“Arabic is the first foreign language in which we are releasing this 2,500 verse book written by 173 sharans of the 12th century,” said Arvind Jatti, chairman of the Basava Committee.
The plan to translate the committee’s word into 80 languages
Kalaburgi, a scholar of Vachan literature, was shot dead in August 2015 outside his residence in Dharwad over his progressive views.
The book, ‘Vachan’, has been published in 23 Indian languages and will soon be published in Persian, Angika, Dogri, Bajjika, Mandarin, French and Spanish. Kannada Vachan is the first in the history of Kannada literature to be translated into 31 languages. The committee hopes to translate it into 80 languages in the next five years.
M Zaman Azurda, a retired professor at the University of Kashmir in Srinagar, who coordinated the Arabic translation of the verses, said: “Imagine, Lord Buddha abdicating the throne and serving justice, human rights and the rights of the weaker sections. Soon after, we have words composed, recited and preached by men and women. Think of Basavana, the finance minister of his time, when the aristocratic attitude of the empowered, would violate all natural and religious responsibilities… “Perhaps then the rest of the world was less concerned with human behavior when our sages took children in the form of words, Cried for the rights of women and weaker sections. We are fortunate that late Professor Kalburgi collected these,” he said.
The editor of the translation, Professor Shad Hussain of Kashmir University, said that he was first introduced to Lingayat philosophy by Azurda. His team, including scholars from Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia University, translated the discourses. “Vachans are already available in English and Urdu. Shivsharanas from different walks of life have provided the nectar of knowledge by employing the symbols of their respective professions. Many of the high values of morality depicted in this profound Lingayat literature have been linked to the teachings of Islam,” he said.
Now, over 2,500 verses edited by slain rationalist-scholar MM Kalburgi have been translated into Arabic by scholars from the University of Kashmir and Jamia Millia Islamia.
The Bangalore-based Basava Samiti has published ‘Vachan’ as part of its multilingual translation project launched in 2008 under the editorship of Kalaburagi.
“Arabic is the first foreign language in which we are releasing this 2,500 verse book written by 173 sharans of the 12th century,” said Arvind Jatti, chairman of the Basava Committee.
The plan to translate the committee’s word into 80 languages
Kalaburgi, a scholar of Vachan literature, was shot dead in August 2015 outside his residence in Dharwad over his progressive views.
The book, ‘Vachan’, has been published in 23 Indian languages and will soon be published in Persian, Angika, Dogri, Bajjika, Mandarin, French and Spanish. Kannada Vachan is the first in the history of Kannada literature to be translated into 31 languages. The committee hopes to translate it into 80 languages in the next five years.
M Zaman Azurda, a retired professor at the University of Kashmir in Srinagar, who coordinated the Arabic translation of the verses, said: “Imagine, Lord Buddha abdicating the throne and serving justice, human rights and the rights of the weaker sections. Soon after, we have words composed, recited and preached by men and women. Think of Basavana, the finance minister of his time, when the aristocratic attitude of the empowered, would violate all natural and religious responsibilities… “Perhaps then the rest of the world was less concerned with human behavior when our sages took children in the form of words, Cried for the rights of women and weaker sections. We are fortunate that late Professor Kalburgi collected these,” he said.
The editor of the translation, Professor Shad Hussain of Kashmir University, said that he was first introduced to Lingayat philosophy by Azurda. His team, including scholars from Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia University, translated the discourses. “Vachans are already available in English and Urdu. Shivsharanas from different walks of life have provided the nectar of knowledge by employing the symbols of their respective professions. Many of the high values of morality depicted in this profound Lingayat literature have been linked to the teachings of Islam,” he said.
.