INSPECTOR IMANISHI INVESTIGATES by SEICHO MATSUMOTO

The investigation itself is superbly plotted, but what captures your attention is the depiction of Japan in the 1960s. Japan is rebuilding after WW-2. Tokyo is on its way to becoming a modern city. The middle-class is growing. There is austerity, determination, and also poverty in the interiors. Infrastructure is developing rapidly, as one can see in the extensive rail network. Western influence is palpable in Japanese culture, in the arts and music.

Stars from Another Sky - Saadat Hasan Manto's book on the Bombay Film World of the 1940s

This book, ‘Stars from Another Sky,’ was first released in 1998, and I must have read it sometime between 1999 and 2000.  I was still at CIEFL, trying to complete my thesis.  I had read Manto’s short stories earlier, in Khalid Hasan’s excellent English translation (Kingdom’s End and Other Stories).  Some of these stories are so seared into your soul that you cannot forget them.  I was looking for something to read in between writing my thesis chapters.  I don’t remember where I was searching in the CIEFL library; I was not particularly looking to read more Manto stories, but somehow stumbled upon this book.  I was intrigued and happy to find out that this book contained profiles by Manto on the people (actors and others) of the Bombay film world of the 1940s.  The only names that I could clearly recognise were Ashok Kumar and Nargis, and Noor Jehan (more as a singer) and Shyam, distantly.  Manto’s brief bio in the book says, “In a literary, journalistic, radio-scripting and film-writing career spread over more than two decades, he produced twenty-two collections of short stories, one novel, five collections of radio plays, three collections of essays, two collections of personal sketches and many scripts for films.”  

 

Most of us usually think of Manto only as a short story writer, and his short stories are what we encounter for the first time when we start reading Manto.  That he was involved with the film world and wrote articles about film-people was a revelation to me.  I read the book with great interest and was taken into a different world.  I couldn’t find a copy of this book to buy then.  And then, this edition (the second) came out in 2010 and I was delighted to purchase a copy for myself and read all the articles once again.  This edition has a charming introduction by Jerry Pinto.  Pinto says ... “But then Manto tells us again and again of his role in the creation of that world.  He translated film pamphlets into Urdu, he wrote film scripts for several studios and even appeared in front of the camera despite acute stage fright.  His involvement with cinema did not allow him the highbrowed tone of the critic.  In fact, these pieces often do not deal very much with the work of the person who is being profiled ... It is as if Manto was not writing about the film world, no, not even about film stars from another sky; he was writing about himself.”     

ON THE SANDS OF CAVELOSSIM BEACH

 ON THE SANDS OF CAVELOSSIM BEACH 

 

And, here we are 

And now that we are here

Let’s sit for a while

Rest our limbs and mind

And later 

We’ll see what we can do here

There’s lots we can do

But

Let’s sit for a while

Or

Let’s sit for a bit longer 

It’s been a long time

Since

We sat together 

 

We have journeyed on 

Land water and air 

We have seen all the forts

Gardens temples churches 

Palaces museums and statues

We have hurried from one 

To another in a mad rush

Heads hazy 

Eyes ablur 

 

We are here now

Let’s sit for a while

Rest our limbs and mind

Let’s sit for a while longer 

Wait for the sun to set

The sky to turn dark-blue

The waves to sparkle 

The ship-lights to come alive 

 

SJR

 

 

THE PENGUIN BOOK OF POEMS ON THE INDIAN CITY ... My translations of K V Tirumalesh's Hyderabad Poems in this anthology ...

This monumental anthology, THE PENGUIN BOOK OF POEMS ON THE INDIAN CITY, edited by Bilal Moin, arrived at my door some days ago ... and I was elated ... to say the least ...

 

On 13th August last year, I received a mail that surprised me. It was a mail from Mr Bilal Moin. He introduced himself and told me that he is editing an anthology of poems on the Indian city to be published by Penguin Random House. He told me that he found my English translations of one of Kannada’s foremost modernist poets, K. V. Tirumalesh’s Hyderabad Poems on my blog and enjoyed reading them. He then sought my permission to reprint two of my translations in this anthology. 

 

For some odd reason I got hooked to Tirumalesh Sir’s Hyderabad poems that I found in his collections Mukhamukhi (1978) and Avadha (1986) and proceeded to translate them into English. This started around eight years ago. I took this up as my personal project. After mining these two collections, I started searching his other collections and found that there are a number of Hyderabad ‘fragments’ in his two epic style narratives – Akshaya Kavya (2010) and Avyaya Kavya (2019). I translated all of them, and enjoyed doing it. Tirumalesh Sir became a Hyderabadi long time ago, and I became one subsequently. I enjoyed revisiting a lot of spaces that he alludes to in his poems. 

 

And then, I created a blog and posted my translations online. I tried to create some ‘publicity’ too. My Hyderabad-Kannadiga friends, Nikhila and Tharakeshwar Tharakeshwar Vb, helped me in disseminating these translations. It was at an annual literary-cultural event in December 2018 that Nikhila had organized in memory of her father that I did a reading of some of these poems for the first time. Then, Tharakeshwar got twelve of these translations published in ‘Caesurae’ and ‘Maidaanam.’ ‘Muse India’ published three more translations. Then last year, one poem found its way into an English textbook of Kuvempu University, through the good offices of another friend, Prof Siraj Ahmed.

 

And then, out of the blue, I get Bilal Moin’s mail, and I was so happy. These poem-translations have been in the public domain for so many years now, and to have them discovered like this gave me a lot of satisfaction. I don’t know how Tirumalesh Sir would have felt about all this. He was a forthright person, and probably would have shrugged his shoulders and smiled. That’s what I would like to fondly believe. I received a lot of support from Tirumalesh Sir’s family and their permission to translate and publish his poems. 

Two Hyderabad poems by Tirumalesh, ‘On the Arts College Road’ (Arts Collegina Haadiyalli ಅರ್ಟ್ಸ್ ಕಾಲೇಜಿನಹಾದಿಯಲ್ಲಿ) from ‘Mukhamukhi’ and ‘Pesticide Sabi,’ (Keetanashaka Sabi ಕೀಟನಾಶಕ ಸಾಬಿ) a Hyderabad fragment from ‘Avyaya Kavya,’ are included in this collection. 

 

And, significantly, ‘Pesticide Sabi’ also features in the ‘introduction’ and the editor notes the use of the word ‘Sabi’ reflecting the rich complexities of the Kannada language and the translator having to navigate these layers of meanings to create the same cultural weight and depth in English as in the original. 

 

I would like to wholeheartedly thank Mr Bilal Moin for discovering these poems and for reaching out to me. I know him only through the mails we exchanged, and he came across as a warm and earnest person. This anthology is a massive door-stopper of a book counting a stupendous 1072 pages and containing 375 poems. This anthology contains a whole range of voices, from the classical to the contemporary, and it is certain to give its readers hours of enchantment as the poems take them through the thoroughfares and lanes and bylanes and sights and sounds and smells of the Indian city ... and thoughts and feelings ... 

 

Take a bow, Bilal Moin ... on undertaking this epic task and bringing out a beautiful work of art 😀👌🌺 ... 

Chandan Gowda's "Another India: Events, Memories, People"

11 June 2025

This book, Chandan Gowda's 'Another India: Events, Memories, People,' has been living in the ‘cart’ for so many days and four days ago, I pushed the button, and it came home yesterday. I started reading straightaway and by evening I had read more than half of the essays.

The first essay, ‘A People without a Stereotype,’ caught my attention immediately. As a nomad, having lived in 6 different states and being married to a person having stakes in Bihar and Bengal, this question had always tickled me. The term ‘Kannadiga’ was met with some kind of incomprehension most of the times. I used to feel ‘Kannadigas’ always flew under the radar. My father was posted in Sultanpur, UP, when P V Narasimha Rao became the PM. His UP-based colleagues came to congratulate him, ‘Raosaab, aapka aadmi PM ban gaya’ ... when my father explained to them that the PM is a Telugu and that he is a Kannadiga and that there is a difference, it didn’t make any difference. Aap sab log Madrasi hain na ...

As Chandan says, we never travelled and settled elsewhere in large numbers to create this stereotype. Tulu speakers from Dakshina Kannada have settled in large numbers in Mumbai, Pune and other cities. They are called ‘Anna’-s there. But Kannadigas don’t have a pan-Indian referent like Mallu, Bong, Thambi, Golti, Gujju, Bhaiyya, and so on. I remember a discussion some of us had in the CIEFL hostel dining hall a long time ago, “hey, what are you people called? We are called ‘Mallus’ ... she is a ‘Bong’” ... “I don’t know ... nobody notices us I think ... you should find us a name,” I said. We tried different names and the one which came close to acceptance was ‘Kannus.’ But that didn’t take off and the discussion remained there. Chandan’s essay made me think about this topic again. 

For a nomadic Kannadiga like me, this book is a treasure trove of stories, ideas and information. The essays filled a number of gaps in my understanding of Kannada culture, literature, local myths, urban myths, politics, popular culture, etc. Chandan Gowda has employed an engaging style, interlaced with wit and humour, and at the same time one can perceive a solid intellect working behind the scenes to make it all happen.

THE SUNDAY SECONDHAND BOOKS BAZAAR AT ABID’S ... YESTERDAY ONCE MORE ...

Yesterday’s visit came about for one main reason.  I had to deliver a bottle of mango pickles to Vinod, my friend.  Every summer Shruti makes this sweet pickle out of raw ‘elephant’ mangoes, red chillies, and vinegar (and sugar), and some summers ago, just on a hunch Shruti kept aside a small bottle of this pickle for Vinod.  I gave it to him on one of our Sunday meetings and he liked it immensely.  Since then, Shruti makes a small batch for him every summer, more or less.  So, that was my mission of the day.  I reached Abid’s before Vinod yesterday.  Unlike the last time, this Sunday all the booksellers seemed to be in attendance.  More stalls, more books.  

But it was too hot.  I had my hat on and went browsing.  I have learnt to go with an open mind to Abid’s, and allow myself to be surprised.  Not many surprises yesterday, but there was this huge pile of books with a whole lot of very interesting and good books.  Lots of old Pan Books titles, and some Tom Sharpe titles, very tempting!  

Five years ago, I would have bought at least 10 books from this pile.  I am older and wiser now, and more importantly, I am being hemmed in by books from all sides in my room.  Nevertheless, I picked up two books from this pile – John Fowles’ ‘The Ebony Tower’ and D. H. Lawrence’s ‘Love among the Haystacks and other Stories.’  The Ebony Tower is a collection of novellas and the other one is a collection of stories.  Even if I read two novellas and two stories from each, my trip would be worth it, I thought.  

 

Around then, Vinod texted saying that he has reached.  I went around for some more time, and started walking back to our starting point, The Star of India Café.  I peeked in, he was not there in his usual seat.  So, I browsed around among the stalls near the Café.  I was delighted to find a whole lot of Tintin and Asterix comics.  

 

I am absolutely crazy about Asterix comics and find them so delightful.  I understand that the world is divided into Tintin lovers and Asterix lovers.  I like both, but will always buy an Asterix if a choice is given.  I had read or have most of the Tintins that were displayed, but I was not sure about the Asterixes.  I do have a substantial collection of Asterixes, but was a bit confused.  There was one title that I was sure I hadn’t read.  It was a hardback edition ... ‘Asterix and the Actress.’  I succumbed.     

 

Vinod had arrived at the Café by that time and we went in for our tryst with des-Tea-ny.  I gave the pickles bottle first, and the over samosas and osmanias and invigorating Irani chai, we chatted for a long time about books, and mostly about the state of the nation and the ongoing elections.  He had brought two books for me ... Charles Portis’ True Grit and Olga Tokarczuk’s Flights.  I hadn’t read either and they were welcome gifts.  Thank you, Vinod Bhai!  

I had made the rounds, bought three books, got two more as gifts, had a nice chat, had chai and snacks,  and I was ready to return home.  Vinod hadn’t gone around the stalls yet and so he set off on his book-hunt.                        

GOING TO THE BOOKS BAZAAR AT ABID’S ON A SUNDAY MORNING

After a gap of almost two years, I visited the Sunday second-hand books bazaar at Abid’s yesterday. The main purpose was to meet my friend Vinod Ekbote, who I hadn’t met for, again, almost two years. It was a nice feeling wandering along the main street lined with books displayed on either side. Though there were a lot of booksellers and stalls, the usual Sunday bustle was missing. This is the month of Ramzan and some of the Muslim booksellers had probably decided to take a break.

Vinod and I had a long chat, spiced with Hyderabadi Onion Samosas and hot tea at Star of India Irani café. We caught up with our lives and jobs and the books that we had read, book recommendations, the state of the nation, etc. We talked about our respective writings. I bragged a bit about my poetry translations. The chat continued after our tea session as we started our hunt. I was not in a very big mood for book hunting, but when I came across a wonderful book on impressionist painting, with lovely pictures of paintings, and which was available for only Rs.100, I couldn’t hold back.

I have so many books on impressionist paintings, but still my eyes light up when I see another one. If not for me, I could gift it to some art-lover friend, I tell myself. We browsed along, a couple of books caught my fancy, but I wondered if I could find time to read them and held myself back. It was nearing 1.30 in the afternoon and I decided to stop and head back home. I told Vinod I could drop him near his house on my way back, but I had to pick up my favourite biriyani from Café Bahar, which would take a couple of minutes.

So we headed back, I bought my biriyani, and we stopped at Chikkadpally. There were some more booksellers there, and Vinod said we’d find something useful here. The display was neat and I found a book of Dom Moraes’ poems. I was not looking to read Dom Moraes’ poems, but since this was the only poetry book I could find, I thought I’d pick it up. Then Vinod saw this novel, ‘Above Average’ by Amitabha Bagchi. He told me he had read it and that it was a good novel. He picked it up, paid for it and gifted it to me on the spot. That felt so good!!

Vinod’s house was close by and he said his son would be coming to pick him up. I bid him goodbye and went on my way home.

During all this time at Abid’s, I couldn’t help but recall my favourite poet, K. V. Tirumalesh’s Hyderabad poem, ‘Book Collector,’ set among the books and booksellers on the footpaths of Abid’s ... in case you're interested, here is the poem in my English translation ...

https://k-v-tirumalesh--hyderabadpoems--sjrao.blogspot.co...

... and here are some pictures of the Sunday Books Bazaar at Abid's ...

'ಕೆಂಡಸಂಪಿಗೆ'ಯಲ್ಲಿ ನನ್ನ “ಲೋಕ ಕಾವ್ಯ ವಿಹಾರ” ಸರಣಿ - ೧ - ಎಸ್ಟೋನಿಯಾ ದೇಶದ ಕವಿ ಯುಹಾನ್ ವೀಡಿಂಗ್‌ರ (Juhan Viiding)

ಗೊಂದಲಮಯ ದ್ವಂದ್ವಾರ್ಥತೆಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ದೃಷ್ಟಿಕೋನದ ಕ್ಷಿಪ್ರ ಬದಲಾವಣೆಗಳನ್ನೊಳಗೊಂಡ ವೀಡಿಂಗ್-ರ ವಿಕೇಂದ್ರಿತ, ಸಾಂಕೇತಿಕ ಮತ್ತು ಬಹುತಾರ್ಕಿಕ ಕಾವ್ಯಶೈಲಿ 1970-ರ ಮತ್ತು 80-ರ ದಶಕಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಎಸ್ಟೋನಿಯಾದಲ್ಲಿ ಬರೆಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಹೆಚ್ಚಿನ ಯುವ ಕವಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಸಾರ್ವತ್ರಿಕ ಉಲ್ಲೇಖಬಿಂದುಗಳಾಗಿದ್ದವು. ಬೇರೆ ಯಾವುದೇ ಎಸ್ಟೋನಿಯನ್ ಕವಿ ಈ ತರಹದ ಅನುಕರಣೆಗಳ, ಪ್ರಸ್ತಾಪಗಳ ಮತ್ತು ಮರುರೂಪಿಸುವಿಕೆಗಳ ಹರಿವನ್ನು ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಸಿಲ್ಲ: ಯುಹಾನ್ ವೀಡಿಂಗ್ ತಯಾರಿಸಿದ ಕಾವ್ಯದ ಅಚ್ಚಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಒಂದು ಇಡೀ ಪೀಳಿಗೆಯ ಕಾವ್ಯಭಾಷೆ ರೂಪುಗೊಂಡಿತು.
ಎಸ್.‌ ಜಯಶ್ರೀನಿವಾಸ ರಾವ್ ಬರೆಯುವ ಜಗತ್ತಿನ ಬೇರೆ ಬೇರೆ ಭಾಷೆಯ‌ ಕವಿಗಳ ಬದುಕು- ಅನುವಾದಿತ ಕವಿತೆಗಳ ಸರಣಿ “ಲೋಕ ಕಾವ್ಯ ವಿಹಾರ” ಇಂದಿನಿಂದ, ಹದಿನೈದು ದಿನಗಳಿಗೊಮ್ಮೆ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಕೆಂಡಸಂಪಿಗೆಯಲ್ಲಿ

https://kendasampige.com/ಎಸ್-ಜಯಶ್ರೀನಿವಾಸ-ರಾವ್-ಬರೆ/

ಎಸ್ಟೋನಿಯಾ ದೇಶದ ಕವಿ ಯುಹಾನ್ ವೀಡಿಂಗ್‌ರ (Juhan Viiding) 

ಕೆಲವೊಮ್ಮೆ ಒಂದು ಭಾಷೆಯ ಕಾವ್ಯಶೈಲಿಯ ಮೇಲೆ ಒಬ್ಬ ಕವಿಯ ಪ್ರಭಾವ ಎಷ್ಟು ಅಗಾಧವಾಗಿರುತ್ತದೆಂದರೆ ಆ ಪ್ರಭಾವ ಬಹಳ ವರ್ಷಗಳ ಕಾಲ ಆ ಕಾವ್ಯಲೋಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಬಲವಾಗಿರುತ್ತದೆ. 1948-ರಲ್ಲಿ ಜನಿಸಿದ ಎಸ್ಟೋನಿಯಾ ದೇಶದ ಕವಿ ಯುಹಾನ್ ವೀಡಿಂಗ್-ರ (Juhan Viiding) ಸಂದರ್ಭದಲ್ಲಿ ಹೇಳುವುದಾದರೆ ಈ ಮಾತು ನೂರಕ್ಕೆ ನೂರು ಸತ್ಯ.

ಗೊಂದಲಮಯ ದ್ವಂದ್ವಾರ್ಥತೆಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ದೃಷ್ಟಿಕೋನದ ಕ್ಷಿಪ್ರ ಬದಲಾವಣೆಗಳನ್ನೊಳಗೊಂಡ ವೀಡಿಂಗ್-ರ ವಿಕೇಂದ್ರಿತ, ಸಾಂಕೇತಿಕ ಮತ್ತು ಬಹುತಾರ್ಕಿಕ ಕಾವ್ಯಶೈಲಿ 1970-ರ ಮತ್ತು 80-ರ ದಶಕಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಎಸ್ಟೋನಿಯಾದಲ್ಲಿ ಬರೆಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಹೆಚ್ಚಿನ ಯುವ ಕವಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಸಾರ್ವತ್ರಿಕ ಉಲ್ಲೇಖಬಿಂದುಗಳಾಗಿದ್ದವು. ಬೇರೆ ಯಾವುದೇ ಎಸ್ಟೋನಿಯನ್ ಕವಿ ಈ ತರಹದ ಅನುಕರಣೆಗಳ, ಪ್ರಸ್ತಾಪಗಳ ಮತ್ತು ಮರುರೂಪಿಸುವಿಕೆಗಳ ಹರಿವನ್ನು ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಸಿಲ್ಲ: ಯುಹಾನ್ ವೀಡಿಂಗ್ ತಯಾರಿಸಿದ ಕಾವ್ಯದ ಅಚ್ಚಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಒಂದು ಇಡೀ ಪೀಳಿಗೆಯ ಕಾವ್ಯಭಾಷೆ ರೂಪುಗೊಂಡಿತು.

ವೀಡಿಂಗ್-ರ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ಪಯಣ 1968-ರಲ್ಲಿ Realistliku Ingli Laul (‘The Song of a Realistic Angel’) ಎಂಬ ಕವನ-ಸಂಕಲನದ ಪ್ರಕಟಣೆಯೊಂದಿಗೆ ಪ್ರಾರಂಭವಾಯಿತು. 1971-ರಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಕಟವಾದ Närvitrükk (‘Nerve Print’) ಕವನ ಸಂಕಲನದಿಂದ ಅವರ ಕಾವ್ಯ ಹೆಚ್ಚಿನ ಜನಕ್ಕೆ ಪರಿಚಯವಾಯಿತು. ಈ ಕವನ ಸಂಕಲನದಲ್ಲಿ ಮೊದಲ ಬಾರಿಗೆ ಪ್ರಕಟವಾಗುತ್ತಿರುವ ಎರಡು ಕವಿಗಳ ಕವನಗಳ ಜತೆಗೆ ವೀಡಿಂಗರ ಕವನಗಳು ಪ್ರಕಟವಾದವು. ಅದೇ ವರ್ಷ (1971), ಯುಹಾನ್ ವೀಡಿಂಗ್-ರು ‘ಯೂರಿ ಊಡಿ’ (Jüri Üdi) ಎಂಬ ಕಾವ್ಯನಾಮದಡಿಯಲ್ಲಿ Detsember (‘December’) ಎಂಬ ಮೊದಲ ಕವನ ಸಂಕಲನವನ್ನು ಪ್ರಕಟಿಸಿದರು. ‘ಯೂರಿ ಊಡಿ’ ಸುಮ್ಮನೆ ಹೆಸರಿಗೆ ಕಾವ್ಯನಾಮವಾಗಿರದೆ, ಕವಿಯೇ ಪ್ರಜ್ಞಾಪೂರ್ವಕವಾಗಿ ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಸಿದ ಮತ್ತು ಚಿತ್ರಿಸಿದ ‘ಆಲ್ಟರ್ ಈಗೊ’ ಆಗಿತ್ತು. ಯೂರಿ ಊಡಿ-ಯಾಗಿಯೆ ಅವರು Käekäik (‘Well-being’, 1973), Selges eesti keeles (‘In Plain Estonian’, 1974), ಮತ್ತು Armastuskirjad (‘Love Letters’, 1975) ಕವನ ಸಂಕಲನಗಳನ್ನು ಪ್ರಕಟಿಸಿದರು. 1978-ರಲ್ಲಿ Ma olin Jüri Üdi (‘I Was Jüri Üdi’ – ನಾನು ಯೂರಿ ಊಡಿಯಾಗಿದ್ದೆ) ಶೀರ್ಷಿಕೆಯ ‘ಯೂರಿ ಊಡಿಯ ಸಮಗ್ರ ಕವನ’ಗಳ ಸಂಕಲನವನ್ನು ಪ್ರಕಟಿಸಿ ವೀಡಿಂಗ್ ಅವರು ‘ಯೂರಿ ಊಡಿ’ಯಾಗಿ ತಮ್ಮ ಸೃಜನಾತ್ಮಕ ಪಯಣವನ್ನು ಮುಗಿಸಿದರು. ಇದೇ ಸಂಕಲನದ ಕೊನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ Poems by Juhan Viiding ಹೆಸರಿನ ಕಾವ್ಯ ಮಾಲೆಯ ಮೂಲಕ ವೀಡಿಂಗ್‌ರು ತಮ್ಮ ಮುಂದಿನ ಕಾವ್ಯಪಯಣದ ಸೂಚನೆ ನೀಡಿದರು. ಮುಂದೆ ಅವರು ತಮ್ಮ ಸ್ವಂತ ಹೆಸರಿನಿಂದಲೇ Elulootus (‘Hope for Life’, 1980) ಮತ್ತು Tänan ja palun (‘Blessing and Pleading’, 1983) ಸಂಕಲನಗಳನ್ನು ಪ್ರಕಟಿಸಿದರು; ಅವರ ಆಯ್ದ ಕವನಗಳ ಸಂಗ್ರಹ, Osa (‘A Part’) 1991-ರಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಕಟವಾಯಿತು. ಇದರ ನಂತರ, ಯುಹಾನ್ ವೀಡಿಂಗ್ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಬರೆದಂತೆ ಕಾಣುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. ತಮ್ಮ ಹಿಂದಿನ ತಲೆಮಾರಿನ ಕವಿಗಳಿಗಿಂತ ಭಿನ್ನವಾಗಿದ್ದ ವೀಡಿಂಗ್-ರು ಯಾವುದೇ ಪ್ರಬಂಧಗಳು ಅಥವಾ ವಿಮರ್ಶಾ ಲೇಖನಗಳನ್ನು ಬರೆಯಲಿಲ್ಲ. 1995-ರಲ್ಲಿ ಯುಹಾನ್ ವೀಡಿಂಗ್ ಆತ್ಮಹತ್ಯೆ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡರು. ಯುಹಾನ್ ವೀಡಿಂಗ್‌ರ (‘ಯೂರಿ ಊಡಿ’ ಹೆಸರಿನಡಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಬರೆದ ಕವನಗಳನ್ನು ಸಹ ಸೇರಿಸಿ) ಸಮಗ್ರ ಕವನ ಸಂಕಲನವನ್ನು [Kogutud Luuletused (‘Collected poems’)] ಎಸ್ಟೋನಿಯಾದ ಹೆಸರಾಂತ ಆಧುನಿಕ ಕವಿ ಹಾಸೊ ಕ್ರಲ್-ರವರು (Hasso Krull) ಸಂಪಾದಿಸಿ, 1998-ರಲ್ಲಿ ಮರಣೋತ್ತರವಾಗಿ ಪ್ರಕಟಿಸಿದರು.

ಅಕ್ಟೋಬರ್ 1980-ರಲ್ಲಿ, ನಲವತ್ತು ಬುದ್ಧಿಜೀವಿಗಳ ಪತ್ರಕ್ಕೆ ಸಹಿ ಹಾಕಿದ ಪ್ರಮುಖರಲ್ಲಿ ವೀಡಿಂಗ್ ಸಹ ಒಬ್ಬರು. ಈ ಪತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ನಲವತ್ತು ಪ್ರಮುಖ ಎಸ್ಟೋನಿಯನ್ ಬುದ್ಧಿಜೀವಿಗಳು ಎಸ್ಟೋನಿಯನ್ ಭಾಷೆ ಮತ್ತು ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿಯ ಸಂರಕ್ಷಣೆಗಾಗಿ ಕರೆಕೊಟ್ಟರು ಹಾಗೂ ಎಸ್ಟೋನಿಯನ ಭಾಷೆಯ ಮತ್ತು ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿಯ ಮೇಲೆ ರಶಿಯಾ ಹೇರಿದ ‘ರಶಿಯನೀಕರಣ’ (Russification) ನೀತಿಗಳನ್ನು ಪ್ರತಿಭಟಿಸಿದರು.

1968 ಮತ್ತು 1972-ರ ನಡುವೆ, ವೀಡಿಂಗ್‌ರು ಟ್ಯಾಲಿನ್ ಕನ್ಸರ್ವೇಟರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ (ಈಗ ಎಸ್ಟೋನಿಯನ್ ಅಕಾಡೆಮಿ ಆಫ್ ಮ್ಯೂಸಿಕ್ ಅಂಡ್ ಥಿಯೇಟರ್) ರಂಗಭೂಮಿ ಮತ್ತು ರಂಗಕೌಶಲ ಕಲೆಯನ್ನು ಅಧ್ಯಯನ ಮಾಡಿದರು. 1972-ರಲ್ಲಿ ಪದವಿ ಪಡೆದ ನಂತರ, ವೀಡಿಂಗ್-ರು ಟ್ಯಾಲಿನ್‌ನ ನ್ಯಾಷನಲ್ ಡ್ರಾಮಾ ಥಿಯೇಟರ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ (ಈಗ ಎಸ್ಟೋನಿಯನ್ ಡ್ರಾಮಾ ಥಿಯೇಟರ್) ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡಿದರು. ಅವರ ಜೀವನದ ಕೊನೆಯ ಹತ್ತು ವರ್ಷಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ವೀಡಿಂಗ್ ಅನೇಕ ನಾಟಕಗಳನ್ನು ಪ್ರದರ್ಶಿಸಿದರು. ಸ್ಯಾಮ್ಯುಯೆಲ್ ಬೆಕೆಟ್, ಯುಜೀನ್ ಐಯೊನೆಸ್ಕೊ ಮತ್ತು ಮಿನೋರು ಬೆಟ್ಸುಯಾಕು ಇವರ ಮೆಚ್ಚಿನ ನಾಟಕಕಾರರಾಗಿದ್ದರು. ತಮ್ಮ ಕೊನೆಯ ದಿನಗಳವರೆಗೂ ಅವರು ಎಸ್ಟೋನಿಯನ್ ಡ್ರಾಮಾ ಥಿಯೇಟರ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ಸಕ್ರಿಯರಾಗಿದ್ದರು.

ಯುಹಾನ್ ವೀಡಿಂಗ್ ಅವರಿಗೆ 1978-ರಲ್ಲಿ ಆಂಟ್ಸ್ ಲೌಟರ್ ನಟ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿ (Ants Lauter Actor Award), 1984-ರಲ್ಲಿ ಯುಹಾನ್ ಸ್ಮುಲ್ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿಯನ್ನು (Juhan Smuul Literary Prize) ಅವರ ‘ತನನ್ ಯಾ ಪಲುನ್’ Tänan ja palun ಸಂಗ್ರಹಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಮತ್ತು 1985-ರಲ್ಲಿ “ಸೂವ್” (‘A Wish’) ಕವಿತೆಗಾಗಿ ಯುಹಾನ್ ಲೀವ್ ಕವನ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿಯನ್ನು (Juhan Liiv Poetry Award) ನೀಡಲಾಯಿತು.

ಇಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಯುಹಾನ್ ವೀಡಿಂಗ್‌-ರ ಆರೂ ಕವಿತೆಗಳನ್ನು ಮೂಲ ಎಸ್ಟೋನಿಯನ್‌-ನಿಂದ ಇಂಗ್ಲಿಷ್‌-ಗೆ ಮಿರಿಯಮ್ ಮ್ಯಾಕ್‌ಇಲ್ಫಾಟ್ರಿಕ್-ಕ್ಸೆನೊಫೊಂಟೊವ್-ರವರು (Miriam McIlfatrick-Ksenofontov) ಅನುವಾದಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

1
ಪಟ್ಟಿ
ಮೂಲ: List

ಹೃದಯ ಸರಿದು ಹೋಯಿತು,
ಬೇಸಗೆ ಸರಿದು ಹೋಯಿತು,
ಯಾವುದೂ ಇಳಿಯುವಂತೆ
ಕಾಣಲಿಲ್ಲ.

ಗಿರಣಿಗಾರ ಸರಿದು ಹೋದ,
ಉಗ್ರಾಣದ ಮಂದ ಬೆಳಕಿನಲ್ಲಿ
ಹಾಯಿಗಳನ್ನು ಬದಿಗೆ ಸೇರಿಸಿ
ಇಟ್ಟರು.

ಅಜ್ಜ ನೋಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದ,
ಅಜ್ಜಿ ನೋಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದಳು,
ಆನಂದ ಬಂತು ಕಣ್ಣಿಗೆ,
ಮುಚ್ಚಿದಾಗ.

ಅಪ್ಪನನ್ನು ಒಯ್ದರು,
ಅಮ್ಮನನ್ನು ಒಯ್ದರು,
ಮನೆಗೆ ಹೋದೆ ಒಬ್ಬನೆ
ಊಳೆಯಿಡುತ್ತಾ.

2
ಸರಳ ಪದ್ಯ
ಮೂಲ: Simple Poem

ಒಮ್ಮೆ ಖುಷಿಯು ಅಂಗಳದೊಳಗೆ ಬಂತು,
ಆಗ ಅಂಗಳಕ್ಕೆ ಎಷ್ಟು ಖುಷಿಯಾಯಿತು.
ನಂತರ ಖುಷಿಯು ಕೋಣೆಯೊಳಗೆ ಬಂತು,
ಆಗ ಕೋಣೆಗೆ ಎಷ್ಟು ಖುಷಿಯಾಯಿತು.

ಕೊನೆಗೆ ಖುಷಿಯು ಉಗ್ರಾಣದೊಳಗೆ ಬಂತು,
ಶೆಡ್ಡಿನೊಳಗೆ, ಕಣಜದೊಳಗೂ ಬಂತು,
ಅರಿವೆಗಳು ಸೂಟ್‌ಕೇಸೊಂದರಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಜಾಗ ಕಂಡವು.
ಆಮೇಲೆ ಹೊರಡುವ ಹೊತ್ತಾಯಿತು.

3
ಚಿತ್ರ
ಮೂಲ: Picture

ನಿನ್ನ ಎಲ್ಲೆಯೊಳಗೆ ಇರು, ಚಿತ್ರವೆ,
ನೋಡು ಮತ್ತೆ, ಚೌಕಟ್ಟನ್ನು ಮುರಿಯಬೇಡ.
ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಆಳಗಳೂ ಅಡಗಿವೆ ನಿನ್ನೊಳಗೇ,
ಒಂದಾನೊಂದು ದಿನ ನಾವು ನೋಡುವೆವು
ಅವನ್ನು, ಅವು ಇರುವ ಹಾಗೆ .

ಯಾವುದೂ ಮೇಲ್ಮೈಯಿಂದ ತಪ್ಪಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲ್ಲ,
ಮೂರು ಆಯಾಮದ್ದಾಗಿರಲಿ, ಹತ್ತಿರದ್ದಾಗಿರಲಿ, ದೂರದ್ದಾಗಿರಲಿ.
ನನ್ನೆದೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅಡಗಿರುವ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಗುಪ್ತ ನಿಟ್ಟುಸಿರುಗಳೂ
ಈಗ ಹೇಗೂ ಬಯಲಾಗಿವೆ.

ಬೇಡ, ನಿನ್ನನ್ನು ನೀನು ಚೂರುಚೂರಾಗಿ ಹರಿದುಕೊಳ್ಳಬೇಡ –
ಯಾರೂ ನಿನ್ನನ್ನು ಮತ್ತೆ ಒಟ್ಟುಸೇರಿಸಲಾರರು.
ನಿರ್ವರ್ಣತೆ ಮತ್ತು ಮಿಂಚುದಾಳಿಗಳ ಮಧ್ಯೆ ಎಲ್ಲೋ
ನಮ್ಮನ್ನು ಒಟ್ಟುಸೇರಿಸುವುದು ಈ ಚಿತ್ರ.

ನಿನ್ನ ಚೌಕಟ್ಟಿನೊಳಗೆ ಇರು, ಚಿತ್ರವೆ,
ನೋಡು ಮತ್ತೆ, ಎಲ್ಲೆಗಳನ್ನು ಮೀರಬೇಡ,
ನೀನು ಎಲ್ಲಿಂದಲೋ ಮತ್ತೆ ಪ್ರತ್ಯಕ್ಷವಾಗುವೆ,
ಜಾದೂ ತಿರುವುಗಳನ್ನು ತಿರುಗುವೆ,
ವೆಸೂವಿಯಸ ಅಗ್ನಿಪರ್ವತದಂತೆ ಬಿಸಿಯಾಗಿರುವ ನಿನ್ನ ತಿರುಳು,
ಸುಡುವುದಿಲ್ಲ, ತಡವುತ್ತೆ.

ಈ ನಿರ್ಮಲ ನಿಷ್ಕಳಂಕ ತಾಣ –
ಅದೊಂದು ಆಸರೆ.
ಉಪಯೋಗಿಸಿಕೊ.

4
ಮುಂಜಾನೆ
ಮೂಲ: Morning

ಈ ಕತ್ತಲ ರಾತ್ರಿಯಲಿ ನಾನೊಂದು ಬಿಳಿಯ ಹಾಡುಹಕ್ಕಿಯ ಕಾಣುವೆ,
ಕೆಲವೊಮ್ಮೆ ನನ್ನ ಹೃದಯದೊಳಗೆ ಹೋಗುತ್ತದೆ ಅದು ಅಶ್ರುತವಾಗಿ.
ನನ್ನ ಹೃದಯದೊಳಗಿರುವ ಭಾರಿ ಬಂಡೆಯನ್ನು ಕುಟುಕಿ ತೆಗೆಯುತ್ತದೆ,
ಆಗ ತಾನೆ ನನಗೆ ಆ ಹೆಸರಿಲ್ಲದ ಹಕ್ಕಿಯ ಅರಿವಾಗುತ್ತದೆ.

ಈ ಕತ್ತಲ ರಾತ್ರಿಯಲಿ ನಾನೊಂದು ಬಿಳಿಯ ಹಾಡುಹಡಗೊಂದನ್ನು ಕಾಣುವೆ,
ಆ ಹಕ್ಕಿಯು ಹಡಗನ್ನು ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಎತ್ತರದಿಂದ ಹಿಡಿದಿಟ್ಟಿದೆ.
ಕೆಲವೊಮ್ಮೆ ಆ ಹಡಗು ನನ್ನ ಕಣ್ಣ-ಕಡಲೊಳಗೆ ಸರಿದುಹೋಗುತ್ತದೆ.
ಆಗ ತಾನೆ ಅದು ಹೆಸರಿಲ್ಲದ ಆಕಾಶವ ತೆರೆಯುತ್ತದೆ.

ಈ ಕತ್ತಲ ರಾತ್ರಿಯಲಿ ನಾನು ಬಿಳಿಯ ಮೊಂಬತ್ತಿ-ಬೆಳಕ ಕಾಣುವೆ,
ಆ ಹಕ್ಕಿ ಮತ್ತು ಆ ಹಡಗು ನನ್ನ ಚಿತ್ತದಿಂದ ಹಾರಿ ಹೋಗಿವೆ.
ಆಗ ಆ ಬೆಳಕಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಬಿಳಿಯ ಉಸಿರೊಂದು ಉದಯಿಸುತ್ತದೆ,
ಕತ್ತಲ ರಾತ್ರಿ ಮತ್ತು ಮೊಂಬತ್ತಿ ಆಚೆಗೆ ಬೀಸಿಹೋಗುತ್ತವೆ.

5
ಜೀವದ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆ
ಮೂಲ: Question of Life

ಜನರೆಲ್ಲರೂ ಬರೀ ವಿರೋಧ-ದವರಾಗಿದ್ದರೆ,
ಪರ-ದವರಿಗೆ ದಾರಿಯೇ ಇಲ್ಲ.
ಆದರೂ ಮೋಡಗಳಿವೆ,
ಎರಡೂ ಕಡೆಯಿಂದ ಬೆಳಕಿದೆ.

ನನ್ನೊಳಗಿವೆ ತುಚ್ಛ ಯೋಚನೆಗಳು,
ಹೂವಿಲ್ಲ, ಕಾಂಡವೂ ಇಲ್ಲ.
ನೆತ್ತರು ಹೆಪ್ಪುಗಟ್ಟಬಹುದು
ಬರೀ ಇವುಗಳಿಂದಲೇ.

ನಮಗೆ ಎಷ್ಟೊಂದು ಕೊಡಲಾಗಿದೆ –
ಆದರೂ ನಾವು ಕಂಗೆಟ್ಟಿದ್ದೇವೆ.

ಏನು ಜೀವಂತವಾಗಿದೆಯೆಂದು ನೋಡುವ ಬಯಕೆ.
ಇದರ ನಿರೀಕ್ಷೆಯೂ ಹೆಚ್ಚೇನು?

6
ಒಂದು ಸಣ್ಣ ವಿಷಾದ
ಮೂಲ: A Tiny Regret

ಒಂದು ಸಣ್ಣ ವಿಷಾದ.
ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಂದು ಕಲ್ಪನೆಯು
ಮತ್ತೊಂದು ಭಾಷೆಗೆ ಅನುವಾದವಾಗದು ಎಂಬ ವಿಷಾದ.
ಇದು ಹಲವು ಯೋಚನೆಗಳನ್ನು ಹೊರಡಿಸುತ್ತದೆ,
ಎಲ್ಲವು ಎಲ್ಲರ ತಲೆಯೊಳಗೆ ಹೋಗುತ್ತವೆ,
ಎಲ್ಲವು ಎಲ್ಲ ನಾಲಿಗೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಹೊಂದುತ್ತವೆ.
ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಬೇಗನೆ ಮನಸ್ಸಿಗೆ ಹೊಳೆದಿದ್ದರೆ ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿರುತ್ತಿತ್ತು.
ಹೊಳೆಯುತ್ತೆ, ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಸಮಯ ಬಂದಾಗ ಹೊಳೆಯುತ್ತೆ.

*****

LOOK WHAT I GOT IN THE MAIL YESTERDAY!! A SIGNED COPY OF MIROSLAV HOLUB'S FIRST EDITION POETRY COLLECTION!!!

Just a week ago, I had discovered the renowned Czech poet MIROSLAV HOLUB for myself and had translated one of his poems into Kannada.  As is my wont I wanted to see if any of his books of translated poems are available on amazon.  I found his Collected Translations, the price of which was rather steep for me and there was this collection called SAGITTAL SECTION, a used volume, the price of which I felt was within my range and it would be delivered within the week.  I pressed ‘go.’  And it went and came to me yesterday.  It was a used volume in good condition and it was a ‘first edition’ to boot ... 1980!!  And as I flipped the pages, I found something written on the second page and I opened that page and read it ... I was stunned, surprised, and elated ... MIROSLAV HOLUB’s signature!!!  He had written a few words for a fan or somebody he knew ... and his signature at the bottom ... OOOF MAAN!  This was unbelievable ... I know ‘autographed’ books are available for a price from memorabilia shops, but this just fell into my lap ... from what I can decipher, the original owner of the book as inscribed by the poet was a PAUL KINKADE ... and the book was signed in OKLAHOMA in 1985 ... 

 

This is incredible!!!