Translation in Manipuri literature

Dr S Ibocha Singh *

Translation has emerged in Manipuri literature only from the 18th century. Thus the development of translation in Manipuri literature which started from the 18th century onwards can broadly be divided in the background of history of Manipuri literature, as (i) the Middle Period i.e. from 1709 to 1891 (ii) the Romantic Period i.e. from 1892 to 1960 and (iii) the Modern Period i.e. from 1960 to till date.

2. (I) The Middle Period (1709-1891) :

The reign of Maharaj Garibaniwaj (1709 - 1748 AD) was a landmark not only in the political history of Manipur but in the literary arena of Manipuri literature also. It was during his reign of 39 years that the Meiteis were converted into Hindus. With this conversion to Hinduism, the educated gentries started having connection with the vast literary world of Sanskrit and Bengali literatures.

The change of worship of the traditional deities of the Meiteis to the Rama and Sita in the beginning and Krishna and Radha in the subsequent period had opened a vista for the people to know the story of the two great Indian epics the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.

It was during this period that translation had emerged into Manipuri literature with the translation of the Kiskindhya Kanda, a canto from the Ramayana from Bengali by Angom Gopi, the renowned poet and scholar in the court of Maharaja Garibaniwaj.

Angom Gopi had also translated Parikshit of the Mahabharata by Gangadas Sen from Bengali. He had also translated Uttara Kanda. In the years that followed Yubaraja Nabananda had translated Virat Parva of Ram Krishnadas from Bengali. This was followed by the translation of Gangadas Sen's Aswamedha Parva from the Mahabharata written in Bengali into Manipuri by Longjam Parshuram in the last part of 18th century.

Another landmark in translation during this period was the translation of Govinda Mishra Pandit's Srimad Bhagavat Gita, originally in Bengali, by Parshuram. It is said that the Manipuri version of the Bible was published at Serampore (West Bengal) in 1824.

The language used in these translation works is old Manipuri interlarded with Sanskrit, which is very beautiful and is in verse form. However, the words used by Parshuram to express the spiritual and eternal matters are mostly Sanskrit and Bengali which are very hard to understand by the common people.

(II) The Romantic Period (1892-1960 AD)

After the lull of some years due to political turmoil in the state, translation in Manipuri continued in the hands of the Romantic poets and writers in the third decade of the 20th century. Chaoba, Anganghal, Kamal, Dorendrajit and all the prominent poets and writers of this period had continued their influence from Bengali literature. Thus, H Nabadwipchandra had translated Michael Madhusudon Dutta's Meghanad Badh Kavya originally in Bengali into Manipuri successfully.

The Romantic poet Khwairakpam Chaoba heralded Manipuri translation from English by successfully translating the first 70 lines of Thomas Gray's 'Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard' as 'Awaba Ishei'. Chaoba in his translation maintained faithfulness to the SL and also followed the method of creative translation to suit the local culture and milieu in the society of that period.

Other translators whose names are worth-mentioning are Ph Basudev, translator of Mahakavi Kalidasa's Abhigyan Shakuntalam from Sanskrit to Manipuri as Abhigyan Shakuntala, M. Koireng who translated Bankimchandra's Kapal Kundala from Bengali, Ayekpam Shyamsundar who successfully translated all the books of Bankimchandra Chatterjee, Wahengbam Biramani, Surchand Sharma, Longjam Mohendro, Raghumani Sharma, Aribam Brajabihari, Lourembam Iboyaima, Kalachand Shastri, R.K. Shitaljit, Atombapu Sharma and a host of other minor translators.

(III) Modern Period (1960 onwards)

By the 1960s, the trend of translation has turned to the translation of works from English or Hindi as SLs. It does not mean that the translations from the works in Sanskrit or Bengali as SLs had completely stopped. The translations of books from Sanskrit and Bengali languages did continue, but majority of the translated works after 1960 were either from English or Hindi.

Thus in the 60s, translators, mainly of translation of the works in English and Hindi, occupied the larger spectrum of Manipuri literature. Noted translators like G C Tongbra, I R Babu, L Damodar, L Joychandra, Ch Samarendra, S Bhanumati, L Birendrakumar Sharma, B S Rajkumar, S Ibocha Singh in respect of works in English; E Dinamani, I S Kangjam, Kshetri Rajeshor, A Kumar Sharma, Kh Ibeton Devi, Meghachandra Heirangkhongjam, S Nabachandra, S Brajeshwor Sharma and many others in Hindi, heralded the field of translation with efforts to occupy a respectable place in Manipuri Literature.

Another noteworthy and encouraging aspect in the realm of translation is the emergence of some of the works written in Manipuri, being translated into English and Hindi by the translators whose L1 was Manipuri. Such works included the translations of Dr. Kamal's Madhabi, Pacha Meetei's Imphal Amasung Magi Ishing Nugshitki Phibam, as Madhabi and Imphal and Its Climatic Condition, respectively by R K Birendra Singh; Hijam Angahal's Jahera by E. Sonamani Singh; Lamabam Viramani's Ukhruldei as From Ukhrul jointly by I R Babu and B S Rajkumar; Ngabongkhao by G.C. Tongbra as The Flesh Trap by the writer himself;

Saratchand Thiyam's Nungshibi Greece as O Lovely Greece by Chingkheinganba Thangjam; Ch Samarendra's Numitna Thorakpham Japan Urubada as The Land of Rising Sun by the author himself; Hijam Guno's Eikhoi Tada as My Elder brother by the author himself, all in English.

Among the Manipuri literary works translated into Hindi included R K Shitaljit's Ema as Maa by S. Brajeshor; Dr. Kamal's Lei Pareng as Pushpa Mala by H. Subadani Devi; Dr. Kamal's Madhabi and Anganghal's Jahera by Ch Nishan Ningtam.

Collection of Manipuri short stories as Dharti by Elangbam Vijayalaksmi Devi, Khumantahem Prakash's Mang-gi Eshei as Sapanon Ka Geet by Anandi Devi; Dr. Jamini's collection of stories as Parvat Ke Paar by Dr. Elangbam Vijayalakshmi.

Of late, some Manipuri literary books have also been translated into Assamese and Bengali by the a few Meetei translators living in Assam, Tripura and Bangladesh. These books include Takheln Ngamba as Tripura Vijay by R K Kamaljit Singh, L Biramangol's Mahadevaki Waari as Jeevan Jekhane Ronokshetro by the author himself.

He has also translated N Kunjamohon's Ilisha Amagi Mahao as Ekti Ilishar Swad Ebang Onono Golpo. Sorokhaibam Gambhini's Vidai Kangleipak Vidai has been translated using the same title by the writer herself into Bengali. Wangkhem Biramangol has translated Saratchand Thiyam's collection of poems as Saratchand Thiyamer Shrestho Kavitayen.

3. Role of Sahitya Akademi and the National Book Trust India (NBT) in the development of translation in Manipuri Literature

It will be proper to mention here the initiative taken by Sahitya Akademi and the NBT in the development of Manipuri translation. Since 1989 Sahitya Akademi has been awarding Translation Prize to the Manipuri translators. This undoubtedly is an encouragement to the translators.

A total of 19 translators had so far been awarded the Manipuri translation prize till date. The NBT has also been giving assignments of translation of renowned works in national interest from English and Hindi into Manipuri. B S Rajkumar's translation of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is an example. Other noted translators in this field are E Sonamani, Sh Nilabir Sharma Shastri, RK Bhubonsana etc.

4. Problems of Manipuri Translation

(I) As mentioned above, translation plays a vital role in Manipuri literature in knowing and having link with the literatures of other languages in India and abroad. The translated versions of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana are narrated as a practice by the story tellers till date since the reign of king Bhagyachandra (1759-61 & 1763-1798 AD).

It is a medium through which the stories of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana are acquainted with the Manipuri Hindus in this state. It is also through the works translated from different languages of India and abroad that the people of this state could come closure to the literature of other languages.

Thus Saratchandra's Devadas is a household story in the state. So also is Shakespeare's characters 'Hamlet', 'Desdemona' are familiar characters in the minds of the people of the state. It is, therefore, not gainsaying the fact that translation plays an estounding influence in Manipuri literature and also acts as a link in understanding literature of other languages of the country and abroad.

(II) In spite of such valuable roles being played by translation, the efforts made to develop translation in this state is still lacking.