Celebrating Tagore poetry

"My poet's vanity dies in Shame before thy sight. O master poet, I have sat down at thy feet. Only let me make my life simple and straight, like a flute of reed for thee to fill with music." (Gitanjali Verse VII. Poet Tagore's own translation)

Launching his translation of poet Rabindranath Tagore's Gitanjali" (Offering of Lyrics), multi-skilled man of letters Edmund Jayasuriya conducted us to a by-gone era, in which Sri Lanka's poetic literature was swathed in a cosy glow of lyricism. History of Sri Lanka's literature has dubbed this period as "The Age of Colombo Poets."

Poets who occupied the vanguard of this movement (Meemana, H.M. Kudaligama, P.B. - to name some) seemed to have been dazed by a kind of ethereal lyricism and began celebrating the beauty of nature, in their poetic compositions. Whether they knew it or not, those aesthetic whispers that inspired them, were the echoes of Tagore's poetic celebration of Nature, that had begun to seep into Sri Lankan literature, through a coterie of ardent devotees of Rabindranath Tagore.

Young Edmund Jayasuriya in his formative years at that time, would undoubtedly have come under the inescapable spell of those alluring and charming pectic concepts.

The proses through which youthful Edmund Jayasuriya acquired the urge to translate poet Tagore's "Gitanjali", is not on record. But, when you gaze keenly and steadily at the quality of his translation, one cannot help but feel astonished at the maturity of the language level displayed in his work.

By common consent, poetry is the literary genre that is most difficult to be translated. In the translation of a poem, what is mainly lost in the transition, is, of course poetry. This general difficulty is deeply compounded, when you deal with a work like poet Tagore's "Gitanjali".

It is granted, without much debate, that a poet's vision is intensely personal, deliberately private and in most instances, exasperatingly eccentric.

But, entering into the inner recesses of a work of mystical philosophy of the calibre of "Gitanjali", is unthinkably daunting. In such a context, when you compare the translation by Edmund Jayasuriya, with Tagore's own English version, we are surprised no end by Edmund Jayasuriya's closeness of approach to the "meaning" Tagore was keen to convey.

"Gitanjali" (Offering of Lyrics) does not yield literary meanings. It is a form of experiencing, that goes beyond the scope of mere words. Most of us in Sri Lanka may succeed in experiencing the inner significance of Tagore's poetry, because we too inherit a cultural evolution, mingled with a strong streak of spirituality. In away, we in Sri Lanka too, are "Insiders", when it comes to Tagore's poetic mysticism.

But what really astonishes is the hypnotic grip it exerted on the Irish poet William Butler Yeats - a total outsider to oriental culture. It was said, that, Yeats would get to the top-deck of a London Double-decker bus, with "Gitanjali" (English) in hand and would travel aimlessly tranced by Tagore's lyrics.

The point that matters is, "Gitanjali" possesses an inner sprit, that communicates beyond the literal meaning of mere words.

Translator Edmund Jayasuriya has penetrated to this inner mystic core of Gitanjali, in his admirable translation.

In 1913 Rabindranath Tagore was awarded the Noble Prize for Literature, for "Gitanjali", probably through the sponsorship of such men as William Butler Yeats, who though "Outsiders", sensed its inner spirit.

Incidentally Rabindranath Tagore was the first-ever Asian, to win any kind of Nobble Prize.

The 'book' itself is an alluring typographical product. It too possesses a "handsome" and "lyrical" personality. Kudos to publishers. An eminently surprising segment of this publication, is the reproduction of the Introduction written for the translation, by Great Sri Chandraratna Manawasinghe - way back in 1960 - exactly half-a-century ago. Translator Edmund Jayasuriya, preserved the original manuscript, deserving an award for care and patience. The Introductory Essay by Great Sri Chandraratne Manawasinghe is a masterpiece of lyrical prose. It is a profound essay in literary criticism, elucidating some aspects of poet Tagore's mystic vision.

Incidentally, he launches a relentless attack on uneducated "critics," who, according to him, feel comfortable taking shelter behind a wall of formidable words. Though stern, he has a whole series of kind words, for the young writer who dared to translate Tagore. He says: "Edmund Jayasuriya has launched upon a task, that should have been attempted with mature experience. But, the young writer has trusted his in-born talents. He has succeeded pre-eminently."

In a praiseworthy gesture, the publishers have brought out Sri Chandraratne Manawasinghe's Essay, as a separate publication.

As a writer Edmund Jayasuriya, has inherited the tradition of such administrative - authors as Leonard Woolf.

Edmund Jayasuriya, a distinguished member of the SL Administrative Service at that time, was posted at Anuradhapura, in the capacity of Assistant Government Agent. He was deeply involved in the way of life of the under-privileged rural folk. He was sympathetic towards them and had a keen empathy for the ups and downs of their lives.

There were a few administrators who were deeply seeped in the zeitgeist of the Raja Rata peasant. Leel Gunasekera, Wimalaratna Kumaragama and Edmund Jayasuriya were pre-eminent among them.

Author Edmund Jayasuriyas works embodying aspects of the lives of these uncelebrated folk, display deep insights into their unarticulated trauma.

As translator, he has produced award winning works.

He has translated "Theri Gatha" (Psalms of the Nuns) into English. His English rendering of the much-reputed classic Selalihini Sandesaya, has won awards both here and abroad.

As an individual Edmund Jayasuriya, is given to the habit of keeping a low-profile, But, my considered view, is that he can look towards an expansive horizon of possibilities as writer - as translator of overwhelming skills.