Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Sunthon Phu
Der bengalische Sschriftsteller Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay (anglisierend auch Chatterjee) wurde am 26. Juni 1838 in Kanthalpara geboren. Bankim hat im Lauf seines Lebens - anders als seine Zeitgenossen Dwarkanath Tagore, Rammohan Roy oder Michael Madhusudan Dutt - Bengalen niemals verlassen; seine reichhaltigen Kenntnisse des alltäglichen Lebens auf dem Lande, wo er als Steuereinnehmer mit der Bevölkerung in engem Kontakt stand, seine Kenntnis der unzugänglichen Sümpfe der Sundarbans mit ihren Schmuggler- und Räuberbanden und des städtischen Lebens von Kolkata ermöglichten ihm aber, die sozialen Grenzen, die ihm gesetzt waren, zu überschreiten und ein lebensvolles Bild des bengalischen Alltags in der zweiten Hälfte des 19. Jhs. zu zeichnen. Sein sprachliches und inhaltliches Eingehen auf die Gegenwart bedeutete den Bruch mit den bisher üblichen märchenhaften Erzählungen, die dazu noch in schwer verständlicher poetischer und Sanskritform verfasst waren.
Aus: The Poison Tree (Übersetzt von Miriam S. Knight)
„Magendra Natha Datta is about to travel by boat. It is the month Joisto (May—June), the time of storms. His wife, Surja Mukhi, had adjured him, saying, "Be careful; if a storm arises be sure you fasten the boat to the shore. Do not remain in the boat." Nagendra had consented to this, otherwise Surja Mukhi would not have permitted him to leave home; and unless he went to Calcutta his suits in the Courts would not prosper.
Nagendra Natha was a young man, about thirty years of age, a wealthy zemindar (landholder) in Zillah Govindpur. He dwelt in a small village which we shall call Haripur. He was travelling in his own boat. The first day or two passed without obstacle. The river flowed smoothly on—leaped, danced, cried out, restless, unending, playful. On shore, herdsmen were grazing their oxen—one sitting under a tree singing, another smoking, some fighting, others eating. Inland, husbandmen were driving the plough, beating the oxen, lavishing abuse upon them, in which the owner shared. The wives of the husbandmen, bearing vessels of water, some carrying a torn quilt, or a dirty mat, wearing a silver amulet round the neck, a ring in the nose, bracelets of brass on the arm, with unwashed garments, their skins blacker than ink, their hair unkempt, formed a chattering crowd. Among them one beauty was rubbing her head with mud, another beating a child, a third speaking with a neighbour in abuse of some nameless person, a fourth beating clothes on a plank. Further on, ladies from respectable[3] villages adorned the gháts (landing-steps) with their appearance—the elders conversing, the middle-aged worshipping Siva, the younger covering their faces and plunging into the water; the boys and girls screaming, playing with mud, stealing the flowers offered in worship, swimming, throwing water over every one, sometimes stepping up to a lady, snatching away the image of Siva from her, and running off with it.“
Bankim Chandra Chatterjee (26. Juni 1838 – 8. April 1894)
Der thailändische Dichter Sunthon Phu wurde am 26. Juni 1786 in Bangkok geboren. Nach dem Abschluss der Schule begann er eine Anstellung als Sekretär bei Hofe. Schon bald erkannte man jedoch seine wahre Begabung: die Dichtkunst. In einer romantischen Anwandlung verliebte er sich unsterblich in die schöne Hofdame Chan, ein Verstoß gegen die guten Sitten bei Hofe. Beide wurden in den Kerker geworfen, nach kurzer Zeit jedoch wieder entlassen. 1807 schrieb er das Gedicht Nirat Phra Bat, in dem er seine Reise mit einem Prinzen verewigte und - seine Probleme mit der geliebten Frau. 1809 wurde Phra Phutthaloetla (Rama II.) neuer König, ein Mann von außergewöhnlichem poetischen Talent. Er übersetzte das indische Ramayana in das thailändische Ramakian, und er nutzte dabei die Auffassungsgabe und Kritikfähigkeit von Sunthon Phu. Schließlich wurde dem jungen Dichter seine Trunksucht zum Verhängnis: er verletzte während eines Streits seinen Onkel derart schwer, dass der König ihn ins Gefängnis werfen ließ. Auch Chan wandte sich von ihm ab. Sunthon Phu wurde kurze Zeit später wieder entlassen und als Hofdichter eingesetzt. Er verfasste hier das einzigartige Werk Die Legende von Khun Chang und Khun Phaen.
Aus: The births of Khun Chang and Khun Phaen
(Übersetzt von Chris Baker und Pasuk Phongpaichit)
Now we have honored teachers, let’s get on with the story. There
are tales from the past, when His Majesty King Phanwasa2 ruled the
city of Ayutthaya,
a time of happiness and joy like a heavenly city. He was the pinnacle3
of the world. His power extended in all directions. He governed the
ordinary people.
Tributary cities, large and small, within his sway, quailed before his
might. Every country surrounding the capital submitted and paid
homage.
The king observed the Ten Royal Virtues, spreading perfect bliss and
contentment throughout the kingdom, for which the people were duly
thankful.
This is the story of Khun Phaen, Khun Chang, and the fair Nang
Wanthong. In the year 147 the parents of these three, people of that era,
were loyal subjects of the realm of His Majesty King Phanwasa. The
tale will be told according to the legend, so that you listeners may
understand.
Khun Krai Pholphai was a man of property and wealth from Ban
Phlap. Nang Thong Prasi lived at Wat Takrai. These two had
become a couple.
A diligent man, his home was in the city of Suphan.
He was a rich man with masses of wealth and many men. Together
with his wife, Nang Thepthong, he lived at Ten Cowries Landing8 in
Suphan.
Sunthorn Phu (26. Juni 1786 - ? 1855)
Aus: The Poison Tree (Übersetzt von Miriam S. Knight)
„Magendra Natha Datta is about to travel by boat. It is the month Joisto (May—June), the time of storms. His wife, Surja Mukhi, had adjured him, saying, "Be careful; if a storm arises be sure you fasten the boat to the shore. Do not remain in the boat." Nagendra had consented to this, otherwise Surja Mukhi would not have permitted him to leave home; and unless he went to Calcutta his suits in the Courts would not prosper.
Nagendra Natha was a young man, about thirty years of age, a wealthy zemindar (landholder) in Zillah Govindpur. He dwelt in a small village which we shall call Haripur. He was travelling in his own boat. The first day or two passed without obstacle. The river flowed smoothly on—leaped, danced, cried out, restless, unending, playful. On shore, herdsmen were grazing their oxen—one sitting under a tree singing, another smoking, some fighting, others eating. Inland, husbandmen were driving the plough, beating the oxen, lavishing abuse upon them, in which the owner shared. The wives of the husbandmen, bearing vessels of water, some carrying a torn quilt, or a dirty mat, wearing a silver amulet round the neck, a ring in the nose, bracelets of brass on the arm, with unwashed garments, their skins blacker than ink, their hair unkempt, formed a chattering crowd. Among them one beauty was rubbing her head with mud, another beating a child, a third speaking with a neighbour in abuse of some nameless person, a fourth beating clothes on a plank. Further on, ladies from respectable[3] villages adorned the gháts (landing-steps) with their appearance—the elders conversing, the middle-aged worshipping Siva, the younger covering their faces and plunging into the water; the boys and girls screaming, playing with mud, stealing the flowers offered in worship, swimming, throwing water over every one, sometimes stepping up to a lady, snatching away the image of Siva from her, and running off with it.“
Bankim Chandra Chatterjee (26. Juni 1838 – 8. April 1894)
Der thailändische Dichter Sunthon Phu wurde am 26. Juni 1786 in Bangkok geboren. Nach dem Abschluss der Schule begann er eine Anstellung als Sekretär bei Hofe. Schon bald erkannte man jedoch seine wahre Begabung: die Dichtkunst. In einer romantischen Anwandlung verliebte er sich unsterblich in die schöne Hofdame Chan, ein Verstoß gegen die guten Sitten bei Hofe. Beide wurden in den Kerker geworfen, nach kurzer Zeit jedoch wieder entlassen. 1807 schrieb er das Gedicht Nirat Phra Bat, in dem er seine Reise mit einem Prinzen verewigte und - seine Probleme mit der geliebten Frau. 1809 wurde Phra Phutthaloetla (Rama II.) neuer König, ein Mann von außergewöhnlichem poetischen Talent. Er übersetzte das indische Ramayana in das thailändische Ramakian, und er nutzte dabei die Auffassungsgabe und Kritikfähigkeit von Sunthon Phu. Schließlich wurde dem jungen Dichter seine Trunksucht zum Verhängnis: er verletzte während eines Streits seinen Onkel derart schwer, dass der König ihn ins Gefängnis werfen ließ. Auch Chan wandte sich von ihm ab. Sunthon Phu wurde kurze Zeit später wieder entlassen und als Hofdichter eingesetzt. Er verfasste hier das einzigartige Werk Die Legende von Khun Chang und Khun Phaen.
Aus: The births of Khun Chang and Khun Phaen
(Übersetzt von Chris Baker und Pasuk Phongpaichit)
Now we have honored teachers, let’s get on with the story. There
are tales from the past, when His Majesty King Phanwasa2 ruled the
city of Ayutthaya,
a time of happiness and joy like a heavenly city. He was the pinnacle3
of the world. His power extended in all directions. He governed the
ordinary people.
Tributary cities, large and small, within his sway, quailed before his
might. Every country surrounding the capital submitted and paid
homage.
The king observed the Ten Royal Virtues, spreading perfect bliss and
contentment throughout the kingdom, for which the people were duly
thankful.
This is the story of Khun Phaen, Khun Chang, and the fair Nang
Wanthong. In the year 147 the parents of these three, people of that era,
were loyal subjects of the realm of His Majesty King Phanwasa. The
tale will be told according to the legend, so that you listeners may
understand.
Khun Krai Pholphai was a man of property and wealth from Ban
Phlap. Nang Thong Prasi lived at Wat Takrai. These two had
become a couple.
A diligent man, his home was in the city of Suphan.
He was a rich man with masses of wealth and many men. Together
with his wife, Nang Thepthong, he lived at Ten Cowries Landing8 in
Suphan.
Sunthorn Phu (26. Juni 1786 - ? 1855)
froumen - 26. Jun, 18:37
