The Hanuman Chalisa: Tr. Vikram Seth
Ego gratification or a labour of love?
When Vikram Seth, praised as the ‘best writer of his generation’ by The Times, and author of A Suitable Boy, called ‘the most prodigious work of the latter half of [the twentieth] century’ by, again, The Times, pens a translation of the Hanuman Chalisa, one of the most famous and revered works of 16th century CE Hindu poet, Goswami Tulsidas, one cannot but get a copy.
Apart from penning Ramcharitmanas, a retelling of the story of Lord Rama, Tulsidas' other famous work is Hanuman Chalisa, a collection of 40 verses in praise of Hanuman. Hanuman is considered both an avatar of Lord Shiva as well as the son of the wind God, Vayu. He was also a great devotee of Lord Rama.
