Assam: Sahityarathi Lakshminath Bezbaruah's 'Burhi Aair Sadhu' translated into Spanish

A CORRESPONDENT

DOOMDOOMA: Tonomoy Sonowal of Doomdooma whose rendering of Sahityarathi Lakshminath Bezbaruah's book Burhi Aair Sadhu into Spanish language was formally released on August 30 this year in New Delhi, was felicitated by Doomdooma Sakha Lekhika Samaroh Samity recently at its venue at Rupaisiding wth President Kironmoyee Hazarika Baruah in the chair.

Asked about his endeavour for taking up such a noble venture, Sonowal told that he was doing his BA (Hons) in Spanish language and literature at the English and Foreign Language University (EFLU), Hyderabad in 2020. It was a sheer coincidence that COVID-19 pandemic proved to be a blessing in disguise for him as on failing to return home due to lockdown, he took recourse to translating the famous Assamese folklore stories of Sahityrathi Sahityarathi Lakshminath Bezbaruah's aforesaid book into Spanish language out of a few popular Assamese books that he had with him then.

Although it was a difficult task for him, yet he did not give in and his hard work paid off well after labouring hard for two years. The book was published by the Blue Rose Publishers, New Delhi and is available now in all leading book outlets across the world, besides on online shopping apps like Amazon and Flipkart.

Sonowal said that he had to face a lot of hardship in finding exact Spanish synonymous of some Assamese words like dheki. So he kept the Assamese word as it is and gave the meaning of the word on reference page.

He is the youngest of three siblings of Bhola Sonowal and Bonti Sonowal of Bishnu Nagar, Rupaisiding. After passing his HSLC examination from Don Bosco High School, Doomdooma in 2011 and HS from Gurukul Grammar Senior Secondary School, Guwahati, he did BA (Hons.) from EFLU, Hyderabad and thereafter, MA in Spanish language and literature from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi.

A couple of his articles got published in two reputed international journals. He plans to translate some Assamese poems into Spanish language after completion of his Ph D from JNU. He is also a recipient of the Heramba Nath Borah Higher Education Award, 2022 awarded by the Sonowal-Kachari Autonomous Council. His effort to take the Assamese language to the world arena was highly appreciated by a number of socio-cultural organizations of the area.

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