Foreword
"Abol Tabol" in English translation? Can such a feat be achieved? While there have been prior endeavours, Sumantra's eloquent translation feels like a beam of sunlight piercing the brick walls of my mind. Seated like a monarch, I turned the pages of this book. Childhood memories came flooding back, bringing with them creatures like Hansjaru, Hatimi, Kathburo, Shashticharan, and the whimsical gang of Kumropotash. Nostalgia interwined with the future, as I floated through the misty nights of Meghmuluk and the shadows of Ramdhanuk...
Michael Madhusudan, Bankimchandra, Rabindranath... Sukumar Ray. It evokes the bewildering directions to Tibet in "Ha Ja Ba Ra La," yet it is undeniably true that without these four titans, Bengali language and literature would not have reached their present grandeur. Assessing the flow of Bengali culture, "Chaturdaspadi Kobitavali" marks a beginning, and so does "Abol Tabol." However, it is also true that when asked what succeeded "Abol Tabol," Bengalis falter. Indeed, a century of efforts has not yielded another "Abol Tabol." Yet, lines from this book are woven into our daily conversations. Sometimes I ponder that without this book, the thoughts and emotions of Bengalis might not have found the right path to expression.
Is "Abol Tabol" mere nonsense? If Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky" is deemed nonsense, then "Kumropotash" or "Tashguru" are not meaningless in the same vein. We are aware of the social truths and satire they embody. But does "Abol Tabol" conclude with satire? A closer examination reveals that Sukumar master-fully blended all elements of humourwit, pun, satire-so impeccably that even after a hundred years, its essence remains unblemished. If today's head clerk in a wooden chair isn't exclaiming about a moustache thief, he is certainly in a revolving chair, scouring Google for the culprit. Times have changed, and those who disregard the rules fail to grasp the trouble that looms if Kumropotash be-gins to dance!
It is crucial to remember that Sukumar Ray's brilliance extends beyond mere rhyming prowess. Buddhadeb Basu recognised Sukumar's verses as "modern poetry" by including them in his anthology "Adhunik Bangla Kabita." I believe Sukumar possibly transcended modernity without our realisation. The fact that the inhabitants of Ramgarurer Chana's land can still laugh incessantly is a testament to this timeless work.
I do not concur that one must be Bengali to savour the essence of "Abol Tabol" in its original tongue, nor do I believe that reading it in English diminishes the joy.
Sumantra's translation propels this book further into the future. If readers from other languages, even from another hemisphere, can unearth their own meanings in "Dare Dare Drum" through this translation, then Sumantra's labour will be truly vindicated. This book could indeed become a genuine homage to a hundred years.
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