Author: IANS
Publication: The Hindu
Date: January 15, 2013
URL: http://www.thehindu.com/arts/books/now-ramayana-in-polish/article4307800.ece

Ramayana, the great Indian epic, is now available in Polish language, courtesy Janusz Krzyzowski, an Indologist in Poland who has translated the monumental work.

Though a few episodes of Ramayana were translated into Polish in 1816, these were translations by western writers. In the 20th century, some attempts were made to translate a few more chapters.

Krzyzowski has presented a comprehensive translation. The original was penned by Maharishi Valmiki in Sanskrit.
Enjoyable format

“My main purpose was to translate this epic into many chapters in a story format so that laymen and particularly Polish children could enjoy the book as well as they be aware of the great Indian mythological tradition.

“Ramayana and Mahabharata are two great epics which cannot (be) compared with other epics. Even Greek epics come out as pale shadows when we see the canvas of the Indian epics. They are almost unique in the history of mankind,” Krzyzowski said.

A theatre group that presented a two-hour show on the lines of Ramlila in Warsaw won much praise. In May, the theatre group will visit few cities in Poland to enact Ramlila for Polish schoolchildren with the help of the Embassy of India in Warsaw.

“He (the translator) has done great justice to promote India in his nation. He deserves all our praise and we feel proud that such a gem is with us in Poland,” Indian ambassador Monika Mohta told IANS.