Gitanajali by Rabindranath Tagore translated into Dangi Language - by Fr Raymund sj

Fr. C.M. Raphael sj, Subir, Dangs,India

Dear Fr. Raymund A. Chauhan sj,

What I said in appreciation of your monumental work on your then famous Dangi Grammar in 2010 was almost prophetic now, I think! The last paragraph of that write-up goes like this: ‘So now you must think of branching into still more scholarly work for the tribes of Gujarat, somewhat like the Encyclopedia Mundarica of Jesuit Fr. Hoffman of Ranchi. So God bless your work to establish the Dangi Cultural and Linguistic Identity with a scholarly grammar in the lingua franca of Dangs even if there could be disputes over who is a Dangi!’

I have almost quoted in full the above para just to show your abiding interest in the people and their literature and culture. So latest offering, at the feet of Dangis, with the World Famous GITANJALI of Nobel Laureate, revered poet Ravindranath Tagor, a poet par excellence, indeed into fluent and flowing Dangi is going to enhance the little known Dangi Literature itself enriching it a good deal more.

As I went through the text with you for corrections at Navjyot, Subir, in the month of May from 21^st to 23^rd , 2013, I was spiritually ennobled by the soul-full poems of this great poet, perhaps the greatest, not only in Bengali and Indian Literature but even in world literature itself.

I had read from Gitanjali a few of his poems in English translation years ago, but at that time they struck me only more as superb literature than as a spiritual classic. But now going through them line by line was really a nobler experience than that of just being brilliant literature. So I can think of not only congratulations but shower encomiums (praises) on you for the hard work you have done as a labor of love for the Dangis and their little known written literature, albeit, biblical, and of course, their spiritual folklore, in a way. So do keep up your deep interest in the tribals of Dangs and their nascent but significant literature and linguistics. Hence, all the strength to your intellect and emotions for the people of Dangs and their language, culture and traditions. God bless!

Fr. C.M. Raphael sj, Subir

Cover page of Gitanjali in Dangi