India is a land of Gods and many religions. Be it many festivals pertaining to that or whatever, but Indians consider themselves to be religious.
A Muslim man hailing from Jaunpur has translated the Hanuman Chalisa into Urdu.
This came right after an Urdu poet Anwar Jalalpuri translated the Bhagvad Gita into Urdu. ”I have translated the Hanuman Chalisa in ‘musaddas’ style which comprises six lines. Like a ‘chuapai’ has four lines, ‘musaddas’ has three ‘shers’ and six lines,” said Abid Alvi who carried out the transition.
He said the translation has a total of 15 “bandhs”, each containing six lines. “I always wanted both communities (Hindus and Muslims) to know each other’s culture.
Therefore, I want that Urdu books are translated into Hindi and vice versa,” he said. “It is because people should know each other. This will strengthen brotherhood, unity and love.
Therefore, I did this work,” he explained. “The idea (to do the translation) came to my mind during Varanasi visit where some foreigners asked people to recite Hanuman Chalisa,” he said.
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Alvi said though he was a student of Hindi, it took him three months to translate Hanuman Chalisa into Urdu to do justice to the work and avoid any mistake. On whether he faced any opposition, Alvi said, “When I asked several persons whether there would be any problem in doing it they said Quran preaches to maintain communal harmony at any cost.” He felt that though people read religious books, many do not understand its true meaning. “My father used to make me understand the meaning of each and every word of holy Quran,” he said.
Why translate this?
Because he wants communal harmony between two nations (Pakistan and India). He also says that it would strengthen brotherhood, unity and love.
He also says that he didn’t face any sort of barriers because that’s what the Quran preaches – communal harmony.
What was the inspiration?
While being in Varanasi, there would be many foreigners asking about the Hanuman Chalisa. Thus, the idea came to his mind to translate it.
Next translation?
He plans to translate the Shiva Chalisa next.
Abid Alvi has been a student in Hindi and he says that his father used to teach him the true meaning of every religious book.
Isn’t this amazing? After the Bhagwad Gita, now this! Hail his spirit. Good work, Abid Alvi.
One in One thousand may consider reading religious books of other cultures, but the hope is just too overly ambitious for the translator to imagine his own risks as little. His translation ‘may’ be accepted but I’m sure there must be various translations already available – NO? Why are there not? Or perhaps the Hindu communities are themselves sectarians? Good atrempt ..
Earlier, before partition, a Muslim professor of Lahore, had translated Bhagvad Gita in Urdu in verse form and it was a master piece well received by both communities. His name was perhaps Khwaja Dil Mohammad. The communal divide is the creation of British rule as also Pakistan. Otherwise, we had been living very harmoniously without any bickering. The divide is political, not social. May God, give sense to dirty politicians. Sir Mohd. Iqbal, author of ‘Sare Jahan se accha …’ was an ardent nationalist but due to political mechanizations, turned highly communal.
This is fine. The translation of religious books from Indian languages to Urdu, Persian, English etc languages and from those languages into Indian languages are to be encouraged liberally . And such poets who translated them are to be honoured for encouraging such works.
Very good. Communal harmony is must for progress and growth of India.
Many Hindus do not know the meaning of Hanuman Chalisa. They just recite for the sake of reciting. Nowadays, some students ask many questions on Hindu God -Goddesses but there is no easy book for these explanation. On the contrary, they find Bible easy. Please do something to keep our Hindu culture alive in a simple manner so that our young generation do not get destructed to convert to other religion.
Great work. Laudable.
has he sent the copy to pakistan
Indeed a noble work. Let his effort and the work be understood properlyand be appreciated by all communities!!!
Why confuse Hanuman Chalisa and Urdu with Muslim and Pakistan? Is Urdu the language of Islam? Is Pakistan the bhumi of Islam?
As depicted before, devotion has no religion and no territorial privilege. All religions consider ALL human beings as children of God, whether He is called God, Ishwar, Allah, Bog, Tian, Shen or otherwise.
The issue is: If He does not discriminate among His children, what right do His children have to discriminate “their” father with the father of someone else?
Om shanti!
Nice that someone who has no need or opportunity to know aboutChalisa, has translatedit.
All of us post comments on somebody else’s “good” acts.
Think for a moment what does this chalisa means to you (has it been partof your daily life).
How many of us can recite, recite correctly, recite with a melodious tune, recite with knwoing the meaning, and recite with your mind and heart (soul) into the Chalisa.
Chalisa has any meaning (worth for one’s life), only when you have raised yourself to dive into it!!
It is a good treadmill — which will make your mind healthy.
God, Allah, Waheguru, Bhagwan etc. are same but of different shapes. In the same way, all religions are the different paths to reach One Almighty. All humans/creatures are pure Souls in different shapes. Hence, translation of Hanuman chalisa into Urdu is really commendable and no doubt, would strengthen unity and love among all humans. Translation of Quaran Shariff into easy Hindi would also be great step towards bringing love and unity among humans. Translation of Shri Ram Charitmanas(written by Swami Tulsidas), Shrimad Bhagvadgita, GEETA, Vedas (Yajurveda- Knowledge/Gyan Khand part), Brahmavaivart Purana etc. into Urdu would also be very appreciable as it will awake the people, increase love and peace among all humans.