Translation into Indian Languages!!

Respected Brother,
Namaskaram,
I am convinced of the fact that one photo speaks a thousand words. These pics shall definitely attract few of us to be driven to Kanyakumari. Your discussions and observations on windmills, your commitment to help the country in time of needs, and support to spread education to the needy and deserving, all these point to a great philanthropic side of Amitabh Bachchan that few would have known before. One can contribute to development by setting such good examples as you described in this and previous post. And the first and the last pictures were really awesome!
Have great time and also possible support to get your extreme willingness to help take forward this country that most know as India, some call Bharat and a few others like to refer to as Hindustan. I do not mind your hiring translators to provide your posts in several Indian languages. If it could help India unite I would definitely not mind such a step. Once again I take objection that it is not the right step. Though I must instantly add that this is your blog I actually can not have or rather should not expect you to listen and give a thought to such thinking!
India is a diverse country large number of its people speak too many different languages and if you appease one group you might displease the other and if you decide to translate in all the 15 national language it is going to be an ominous task and may even lose credibilty. I may be wrong on this but I seriously oppose the formula to have multiple language system.

This does not necessarily mean that I do not respect the other languages. However, when some Hindi newspaper read and commented completely wrongly of your story about 5 dollar meals - one can only expect that too many translations in too many languages could result in more confusion and could lead to unwanted discussions. Some of it could leave you in an inability to know what was conveyed in the translations. I understand that you are quite good at number of Indian languages but definitely not all the 15.

Just think over it before going too far on such thoughts. Maybe people in Russia, France and now even quite a sizable fraction of people in Germany might also wish that they are provided the translations in those languages as well. If there is an end to all this language barrier I feel English adequately handles your blog perfectly. I would not even put pressure on you to adopt Hindi though that is one language that Dr. Bachchan did want to promote for this country and the one that you have amply promoted the world over through your movies. I sometimes look at my old Hindi comments on your blog and find them converted to something worse than Greek and Latin. Still you decide if it is wise to adopt to additional languages and lose some authenticity.

I am sad that I have been little rude in my today's post, I should not have been. I again repeat that my head only follows my heart - and my heart goes for Hindi alone if you need to provide translations in other languages! Presently there are billions of people who understand Hindi in the world by courtesy of Hindi Cinema. I am not a statistician but I can confirm the fact that those who use internet - the medium of this blog - they naturally understand English very well, if you really intend to propagate the base of your readers on the net - you or anyone else need not look beyond English - the most prolific International language in the world! If it has cut and put kind of made up controversies those who are trained in English do know and are able to handle such issues.

I would probably be getting a -2 for these comments in the light of 2 for the best comments and 3.2 for my ordinary comments. The rating system is acceptable to me with all its flaws, I have nothing to fear of how others rate my posts, no two man are supposed to agree on every aspect of the views on a subject!

I think I have been too longish yet I also wish to submit atleast one stanza of Dr. Bachchan's Madhushala in Hindi - I am really sorry for my dear friends in Reeham, Rose and several others who do love English interpretations even if it may not be exactly similar to what the poet would have said! There lies a chance of being erroneous in any translation effort, how can I be an exception!!

ध्यान मान का, अपमानों का छोड़ दिया जब पी हाला,
गौरव भूला, आया कर में जब से मिट्टी का प्याला,
साकी की अंदाज़ भरी झिड़की में क्या अपमान धरा,
दुनिया भर की ठोकर खाकर पाई मैंने मधुशाला।।७२।

I would now take a leave as it is getting quite late in the night and I am feeling little sleepy as well!
With Love and regards as usual
Abhaya Sharma, India February 12/13 2009 2:46 AM IST