Hindu Literature in Latvia

March 20, 2002

>"Ashwini Kumar"

>Hindu Literature in Latvia >Tue, 19 Mar 2002 19:52:52 -0500 > >

> >Hindu Literature in LatviaSource: The Hindu >LATVIA, March 8, 2002: Hindu

literature has found an unlikely niche >in the >Northern European country of

Latvia. As far back as the middle of >the 19th >century, scholars of Latvia

discovered that their native language >and >Sanskrit had commonalities, and

that their traditional folklore was >similar >to Indian mythology. A special

interest was cultivated in the works >of >Rabindranath Tagore. In a

fourteen-year span between 1925 and 1939, >nine of >Tagore's works were

translated and then published into Latvia. To >this day >Professor Viktors

Ivbulis still writes articles about Tagore and has >been >doing so for over

thirty years. Quoting the article, "In 1986, >Tagore's >125th birth anniversary

was celebrated with great fanfare by writers >and >artists of Latvia. Elza

Radzian, a famous stage actress recited on >stage >Tagore's lines (from 'The

Gardener') and hold your breath, she was >wearing >saris during her

recitations." Ivbulis's love for Indian literature >has >continued and he is

now translating the works of R.K. Narayan and >Arundhati >Roy into Latvian.

Besides translating and writing, Ivbulis also >teaches >Literary Theory and

heads the chair of Oriental Studies at the >University of >Latvia. Fluent in

Russian, he has written a prize winning work >called 'The >Creative Writings of

Rabindranath Tagore'. Having a deep attachment >to the >Indian culture, Ivbulis

frequently travels to India so that he can >mingle >with the people of the land

on trains and buses." > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at

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