Rebirth of Jodha Chandra Sanasam in Manipuri literature
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Surjitkumar Loitam
Contd from previous issue
He could sell almost all the copies of the book within one and half years and publish the second edition of the book. Indeed the sale of the second edition of the book was also completing shortly. In fact he was determined to donate the respective awards as mentioned above in the names of his father, mother and brother as a token of his devotion to all of them from the sources of the large sums which were unexpectedly procured from the sale of his translation works. The names of his parents and brother remain remembered forever.
Disbursement of sale proceeds procured from the sale of books for the betterment of society
The sale proceed procured from the sale of the book, Discovery of India written by Jawaharlal Nehru is flowing endlessly till today. In Manipur the sale proceeds of the books, such as Anglo-Manipuri Dictionary of Rajkumar Shitaljit, Khamba-Thoibi Sheireng of Hijam Anganghal, Chei-tharol Kumbaba of Ibohal and Khelchandra are also equally ceaselessly flowing. Jodha Chandra Sanasam’s translation work of Khamba Thoibi Sheireng of Anganghal followed the same flow without stoppage. The writers themselves and their publishers who are in possession of the copyrights have gained the profit whatever they want to the utmost of their satisfaction. As for Jodha Chandra, he was determined to disburse the amount procured from the sale of his books for the betterment of the society in the names of his father, mother and brother. Keeping in view such objective he had donated literary awards to the leading literary organisations. It is undeniably true that such journeys or ventures are brought to success amidst several disturbances and hardships if there is honesty and sincerity of the brave man. It is also true that wealth follows success spontaneously. Thus Jodha Chandra Sanasam could show the possibility of spending the wealth or amount which was earned by means of wisdom and valuable thoughts, in the public interests.
A Successful Life
The 16th May, 2022, Wednesday was a dark day for Manipuri literature. It was the day when Jodha Chandra Sanasam passed away in the morning at 9 peacefully. His brothers, sisters, relatives, friends and several scholars could not take part in his cremation due to COVID-19. The crematorial function was performed peacefully although there was pain for the absence of his well wishers in the function. However the members of the family were free from indebtedness and burdensome of dependence upon others. Indeed his soul was great. Once the wife of Jodha Chandra Sanasam, Smt. Biona Kharubon said, “He was a man of benevolence and dignity. Really his life was successful.” I also thought of it as true.
The Person to keep commitment
Jodha Chandra Sanasam was the person who kept commitment in his life. As for me, I found four figures like him in my life. Mention may be made of the names of Elangbam Nilakanta, B. Jayentakumar Sharma, Nongmaithem Tombi and Maibam Nabakishore. Indeed it was the nature of Jodha Chandra to keep his commitment in advance instead of posponement of the actual settlement. One of my personal experiences in this regard may be remembered as follows:
During the period of lockdown of COVID-19 in April 2020, I had approached him to translate into English the poetry book, Gandharigee Mitkhumphi and the prose, “Prof. Nongmaithem Tombi Singhgee Punshi Khongchat : Nouhouna Yengba” both written by Nongmaithem Tombi and I handed down copies of the two books to him. He agreed to try his level best end and I requested him to complete the translation work within three months. By that time he carried on his normal task of writing daily without stoppage.
After crossing over one month, one evening of 29 May, Friday he informed me through telephone unexpectedly and said, ‘Surjit I have completed the translation work which was entrusted to me by you. I give the title of the article as “A Refreshed View at the Life Journey of Prof. Nongmaithem Tombi, so you may take it now.” I was surprised by his commitment to complete the translation work within 33 days earlier out of 90 days as per the settlement.
Such experiences were shown not only for me but for others also. Jodha Chandra Sanasam had performed several unforgettable works within the short span of 19 years of his literary journey in Manipuri literature. The journey of his life had gone free from resistence like the journey of the Sun, the large fireball. His cousin brother, Sanasam Umananda once said, “He never accepted negative thinking. During the youthful stage of his life he used to cherish any idea to launch a movement. He denied the lazy life.” It was a fact that he carried out many dignified works in the interest of the nation keeping aside laziness, tiresome and retread.
He was always successful due to his will power and strong determination untill and unless he had got his end reached. Prof. Nongmaithem Tombi once appreciated his cherished dream for literature as such, “Jodha Chandra’s literary world is of Satyam-Shivam-Sundaram (worldly Truth-Good-Beauty). He wants to be a member of the non-violent society. He wants to experience the taste of ugliness, bitterness and acidity. He is thirsty for a good government and society. He is a great humanist. He is a romantic idealist who dreams of a beautiful world.”
Jodha Chandra Sanasam had emerged as one of the rare figures of Manipur. His life becomes one of the icons of Manipuri society for our life time in the 21st century to show that a born leader has come out for every century generation by generation. As a result of his uniqueness as a man, there was the least of what he could not sacrifice, contribute for the sake of Manipuri literature during his short span of life for 19 years. Renowned writers and the general mass had shown gratitude and respect with their deep expression, ‘We know what you contribute and sacrifice.’ He could find the opportunities to read personally their writings to honour him.
To some extent, he was more fortunate than the then pioneers of Manipuri literature, like Anganghal, Chaoba, Kamal and Irabat etc. The appreciation of those pioneers was taken up only after their death. They could not enjoy personally those appreciation when they were alive. Keeping in view these developments, Jodha Chandra could read over the writings of appreciation about his lifetime achievements as well as the love and affection extended to him from different circles during his lifetime. Everybody knows that the art of writing is not an easy thing. The writing of a prose work naturally takes several months. Thus thr portrayal of the true picture of a writer, critical appreciations of his prose and poetry works and the production of critical books of literature shold not be taken easily.
(To be contd)
Contd from previous issue
He could sell almost all the copies of the book within one and half years and publish the second edition of the book. Indeed the sale of the second edition of the book was also completing shortly. In fact he was determined to donate the respective awards as mentioned above in the names of his father, mother and brother as a token of his devotion to all of them from the sources of the large sums which were unexpectedly procured from the sale of his translation works. The names of his parents and brother remain remembered forever.
Disbursement of sale proceeds procured from the sale of books for the betterment of society
The sale proceed procured from the sale of the book, Discovery of India written by Jawaharlal Nehru is flowing endlessly till today. In Manipur the sale proceeds of the books, such as Anglo-Manipuri Dictionary of Rajkumar Shitaljit, Khamba-Thoibi Sheireng of Hijam Anganghal, Chei-tharol Kumbaba of Ibohal and Khelchandra are also equally ceaselessly flowing. Jodha Chandra Sanasam’s translation work of Khamba Thoibi Sheireng of Anganghal followed the same flow without stoppage. The writers themselves and their publishers who are in possession of the copyrights have gained the profit whatever they want to the utmost of their satisfaction. As for Jodha Chandra, he was determined to disburse the amount procured from the sale of his books for the betterment of the society in the names of his father, mother and brother. Keeping in view such objective he had donated literary awards to the leading literary organisations. It is undeniably true that such journeys or ventures are brought to success amidst several disturbances and hardships if there is honesty and sincerity of the brave man. It is also true that wealth follows success spontaneously. Thus Jodha Chandra Sanasam could show the possibility of spending the wealth or amount which was earned by means of wisdom and valuable thoughts, in the public interests.
A Successful Life
The 16th May, 2022, Wednesday was a dark day for Manipuri literature. It was the day when Jodha Chandra Sanasam passed away in the morning at 9 peacefully. His brothers, sisters, relatives, friends and several scholars could not take part in his cremation due to COVID-19. The crematorial function was performed peacefully although there was pain for the absence of his well wishers in the function. However the members of the family were free from indebtedness and burdensome of dependence upon others. Indeed his soul was great. Once the wife of Jodha Chandra Sanasam, Smt. Biona Kharubon said, “He was a man of benevolence and dignity. Really his life was successful.” I also thought of it as true.
The Person to keep commitment
Jodha Chandra Sanasam was the person who kept commitment in his life. As for me, I found four figures like him in my life. Mention may be made of the names of Elangbam Nilakanta, B. Jayentakumar Sharma, Nongmaithem Tombi and Maibam Nabakishore. Indeed it was the nature of Jodha Chandra to keep his commitment in advance instead of posponement of the actual settlement. One of my personal experiences in this regard may be remembered as follows:
During the period of lockdown of COVID-19 in April 2020, I had approached him to translate into English the poetry book, Gandharigee Mitkhumphi and the prose, “Prof. Nongmaithem Tombi Singhgee Punshi Khongchat : Nouhouna Yengba” both written by Nongmaithem Tombi and I handed down copies of the two books to him. He agreed to try his level best end and I requested him to complete the translation work within three months. By that time he carried on his normal task of writing daily without stoppage.
After crossing over one month, one evening of 29 May, Friday he informed me through telephone unexpectedly and said, ‘Surjit I have completed the translation work which was entrusted to me by you. I give the title of the article as “A Refreshed View at the Life Journey of Prof. Nongmaithem Tombi, so you may take it now.” I was surprised by his commitment to complete the translation work within 33 days earlier out of 90 days as per the settlement.
Such experiences were shown not only for me but for others also. Jodha Chandra Sanasam had performed several unforgettable works within the short span of 19 years of his literary journey in Manipuri literature. The journey of his life had gone free from resistence like the journey of the Sun, the large fireball. His cousin brother, Sanasam Umananda once said, “He never accepted negative thinking. During the youthful stage of his life he used to cherish any idea to launch a movement. He denied the lazy life.” It was a fact that he carried out many dignified works in the interest of the nation keeping aside laziness, tiresome and retread.
He was always successful due to his will power and strong determination untill and unless he had got his end reached. Prof. Nongmaithem Tombi once appreciated his cherished dream for literature as such, “Jodha Chandra’s literary world is of Satyam-Shivam-Sundaram (worldly Truth-Good-Beauty). He wants to be a member of the non-violent society. He wants to experience the taste of ugliness, bitterness and acidity. He is thirsty for a good government and society. He is a great humanist. He is a romantic idealist who dreams of a beautiful world.”
Jodha Chandra Sanasam had emerged as one of the rare figures of Manipur. His life becomes one of the icons of Manipuri society for our life time in the 21st century to show that a born leader has come out for every century generation by generation. As a result of his uniqueness as a man, there was the least of what he could not sacrifice, contribute for the sake of Manipuri literature during his short span of life for 19 years. Renowned writers and the general mass had shown gratitude and respect with their deep expression, ‘We know what you contribute and sacrifice.’ He could find the opportunities to read personally their writings to honour him.
To some extent, he was more fortunate than the then pioneers of Manipuri literature, like Anganghal, Chaoba, Kamal and Irabat etc. The appreciation of those pioneers was taken up only after their death. They could not enjoy personally those appreciation when they were alive. Keeping in view these developments, Jodha Chandra could read over the writings of appreciation about his lifetime achievements as well as the love and affection extended to him from different circles during his lifetime. Everybody knows that the art of writing is not an easy thing. The writing of a prose work naturally takes several months. Thus thr portrayal of the true picture of a writer, critical appreciations of his prose and poetry works and the production of critical books of literature shold not be taken easily.
(To be contd)