A significant literary event unfolded in Kolkata on Monday evening with the launch of 'Darling Earth', the long-awaited English translation of celebrated Bengali author Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay's novel 'Parthibo'. The translation, a labour of love spanning 15 years, was unveiled by translator Prasenjit Saha at a gathering that included the original author and noted critic Samik Bandyopadhyay.
A Philosophical Journey from Bengali to English
The novel, a classic in Bengali literature, is renowned for its deep philosophical inquiry into life's meaning, human consciousness, and the complexities of existence. 'Darling Earth' weaves together narratives set across rural villages and urban landscapes, following a diverse cast of characters as they grapple with fate, truth, and the search for answers. The story begins in a remote village scene, eventually connecting multiple characters and plotlines to reveal the unpredictable tapestry of life.
Prasenjit Saha, who works full-time as an engineer in the renewable energy sector, dedicated a decade and a half to the translation project. He revealed that the novel's contemporary themes, including environmental concerns and familial conflicts, deeply influenced him. "Values like truth, honesty, and respect matter in life and drive humanity," Saha stated, explaining his long-term commitment to bringing the work to an English-speaking audience. He emphasized the challenges of translation, noting the need to internalize the characters, and expressed a belief that the rich quality of Bengali literature often lacks sufficient promotion through translation.
The Author's Perspective: Writing Without Compromise
Speaking at the launch, Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay commended Saha's extraordinary patience. The author shared intriguing insights into his writing process, revealing that the initial chapters of 'Parthibo' were conceived as separate stories in the 1990s before finding a unifying thread. "When I started writing I had no readers," Mukhopadhyay recalled, adding that he never wrote to please an audience but only what he wished to express. He disclosed that some stories took him up to two and a half years to complete as he searched for the perfect words.
Mukhopadhyay highlighted the novel's prescient focus on ecological issues, which he described as a "burning issue" today. His intent, he said, was to warn people, encapsulated in the Bengali phrase 'bachao ar beche thako' (save and stay alive). He poignantly remarked that the environmental warnings he wrote decades ago might be even harder to articulate in today's charged climate, stressing that without immediate care, the world's destruction could become inevitable.
Literary Significance and the Art of Translation
Eminent critic Samik Bandyopadhyay, who has also worked as a translator, provided context on the importance of the translation. He stressed that a translator must fully immerse themselves in the author's spirit and style to capture the essence of the work. Given the volume and linguistic depth of Mukhopadhyay's writing, Bandyopadhyay found the 15-year timeline for translation understandable. He praised Mukhopadhyay's meticulous choice of language among his contemporaries.
Bandyopadhyay also offered an optimistic observation about readership, noting the thrill of seeing young people actively seeking out and reading books at events like the Kolkata Book Fair, signalling the evolution of a new and engaged generation of readers. The launch of 'Darling Earth' marks a pivotal moment in making a seminal work of Bengali fiction accessible to a global audience, bridging cultural and linguistic divides through a story that remains profoundly relevant.
