A PAEAN TO BIHARI LITERATURE
In the cultural cotext, the word ‘Bihari’ has come to
have a ‘pejorative’ or demeaning association, although largely in a political sense.
In truth, however, it harks back to a period of glory connected with the
citadels of spirituality in the Buddhist ‘Vihars’, most notably in the famous
monastery at Nalanda, a centre of international repute not only in Buddhist
studies, but also in Vedic and secular subjects. ‘Bihar’, therefore, is an
emblem of that ancient Indian glory that once was the epitome of Indian
culture.
Interestingly, it is from the same Nalanda that a
modern scholar-diplomat, Abhay K., hails (presently serving at Madagaskar) who
has just brought about a gem of an anthology in English – ‘The Book of Bihari
Literature’ – a miscellany of translated Bihari writings in the eleven regional
languages of the province covering a period of nearly two millenia – right from
the Buddhist era (6th century BCE) to the modern age. The miscellany
has a uniqueness of representing the cultural and literary heritage of one of
the most magnificent domains and periods of Indian history in ‘a delicious pot
pourri of Bihari literarture’ as the editor himself calls it.
The book features contributions from around 60 Bihari
writers – including, from the moderns, Shivpujan Sahay, Dinkar, Benipuri,
Nagarjun, Renu, Usha Kiran Khan, Anamika, Alok Dhanwa, Arun Kamal, Amitabh
Kumar and Tabish Khair. Among the 20 translators are, besides myself and the
anthologist himself – such well-known names as Rakshanda Jalil, Asif Jalal,
Chaitali Pandya, Nasim Fekrat and Ram Bhagawan Singh. As Namita Gokhale, writer
and publisher, observes in her acclaim – “The voices and narratives resonate
across a slew of languages, across prose and poetry, from classic to
contemporary, through centuries and millenia”.
Two of the short stories ‘The Key’ by Acharya
Shivpujan Sahay and ‘Budhia’ by Rambriksh Benipuri are translated by me and can
also be read on my blog -bsmmurty.blogspot.com (3 Feb, 2008 & 7 Dec, 2011).
In fact, Abhay K. contacted me for permission after reading my translations on
my blog. And I feel honoured to be a contributor to such an illustrious
anthology.
Any such laudable endeavour that effaces pejorative
regionalistic prejudices must be welcomed. Although no anthology can be
perfectly inclusive and some of the inclusions could be seen as better
replaceable by contributions by at least three eminent Biharis – Dr Sachidanand
Sinha, Dr Rajendra Prasad and Nalin Vilochan Sharma. But as the editor rightly
says : “I think many more such books celebrating Bihari literature deserve to
be published in the years to come”.
The book is published this month by Harper &
Collins, paperbound in royal size, price Rs 699, pp. 380.
