JAJPUR: While the lockdown may have induced boredom and inertia among many, a 12-year-old boy in Jajpur has used this time to tap into his creativity and translate one of the greatest Hindu epics Mahabharata into Odia language.
With schools remaining closed and a lot of free time at hand, Udaya Kumar Sahoo, son of one Jayanti Sahoo and Chandrakant Sahoo of Kharamangi village under Barachana block, has completed translating the Mahabharata in 250 pages in Odia.
Having found a Hindi version of Mahabharata on the internet, he decided to translate it when schools were closed after the lockdown was announced in March.
“Our school was closed due to the pandemic for the last couple of months. Besides online classes and some homework, I had nothing to do and was contemplating how to utilise the free time constructively. I remembered that a similar feat had been achieved by a boy of my age who had translated the Ramayana in 56 pages, few months ago. It was then that the idea of translating the Mahabharata struck my mind,” says the 12-year-old who is a Class VII student of Shree Aurobinda Nodal School in Jajpur town.
Udaya devoted almost three to four hours daily to the task.
He says his parents encouraged him to engage his creative skills.
“I did find the process difficult. So I decided to make the translation compact, as per my understanding,” says Udaya whose work has earned praise.
“We are amazed at the great work the boy has done at this tender age. The village is proud of him,” said Umakanta Sahoo, a local.