Odia Translation Of Kannad “Vachans” Released

Bhubaneswar: Kannada Vachans of the 12th century is an asset to Indian literature having melody and music of life in the innermost existence of our being and this literature makes one responsive to the music of the soul and awakens finer shades of feeling in the depth of the soul, said Odisha governor SC Jamir on Tuesday.

Releasing the Odia translation of Kannada Vachan literature here at Bhubaneswar in a colourful function, he said this literature is undoubtedly one of the finest spiritual literature ever written in the country.

Jamir said that the quality, truthfulness, and reliability had given the literature a unique identity.

“We in our lives yearn for peace and happiness. Violence and conflict are one of the most serious problems facing the world today. If our minds are dominated by anger, we lose the best part of human intelligence-wisdom, the ability to decide between right and wrong. The role of literature like “Vachans” in providing wisdom and philosophical insight for readers is invaluable,” he opined.

He hoped that Odia translation would serve its purposes to enliven our vibrant culture prominently. He described Vachan literature not as a tradition but mostly a movement to bring consciousness, world order, enhancement of values and promotion of human rights and qualities.

In the programme organized by Basav Samithi, Bengaluru, Arvind Jatti, President of the function highlighted the spirit of literature and wished these translations will be a vehicle for national integration.

Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak and Tourism and Culture Minister Ashok Chandra Panda graced the occasion. They emphasized on the literary-cultural growth between Kannada and Odia, as two literary classical languages, will be patronized more through this translation project.

Padmasree Dr. Debi Prasanna Pattanaik, the distinguished speaker, also described the features, meaningfulness and effectivity of Vachan literature in Indian socio-cultural context.

The Odia translation was done by Prabasini Mahakuda and Surya Mishra.

Kannada Vachan literature has already been translated into 23 Indian languages, and steps are being taken for its translation in some foreign languages including French, German, and Arabic, said the organizers.