New Delhi, June 16 (IANS) Coming up are a Hindi-Spanish dictionary and translations of works by Nobel laureates Octavio Paz and Camilo Jose Cela in Indian languages as Spain spreads cultural roots in India’s vast hinterland.
‘We are working on a Hindi-Spanish dictionary with Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia and Embassy of Spain to take Spanish to more Indian readers in the hinterland and introduce them to the rich culture of the country,’ Oscar Pujol, director of the Instituto Cervantes, the Spanish cultural centre in the capital, said.
‘We have also commissioned translations of more Spanish literature in vernacular languages like Hindi, Marathi and Bengali. The titles include books by Nobel Prize winning authors like Gabriel Garcia Marquez (1982 prize winner), Paz (Nobel winner of 1990) and Cela (Nobel winner of 1989),’ Pujol said.
The envoy was addressing a media conference at the institute to announce the ‘Spanish Language Day’ showcase June 19 in the capital to be co-hosted by the Embassy of Spain and the missions of those nations that use Spanish as their official language.
The language day is celebrated in 73 centres of Instituto Cervantes spread across five continents.
‘Penguin-Books India is translating the literary works of M. Rodoreda, a Catalan writer. Besides Spanish, we also want to teach and promote Catalan language in India,’ Pujol said.
The institute is also offering a 10 percent discount on Spanish courses as part of its Language Day bouquet and is also looking for more Spanish language teachers in India, he said.
‘One of the most striking linguistic aspects that link India to Spain are the gypsies who speak a local Spanish dialect punctuated with words of Indian (Hindi) origin. Lores say the gypsies migrated to Spain from India nearly a thousand years ago,’ Pujol said.
The institute is trying to ensure ‘increased cultural cooperation between the countries despite the severe recession in Spain that have forced stringent austerity measures’.
‘Spending on culture has been slashed and we are looking for private funding to keep our projects afloat,’ he said.
The day-long fiesta June 19 will feature ‘glimpses of Spanish culture, cuisine, performing and visual arts and literature’.
