'Scouting for Boys in Tamil'

Sunday, April 19, 2015

'Scouting for Boys in Tamil'

Sri lanka Published - 1952

Ilaignar Saraniyam

Tamil Versions of 'Scouting for Boys'

A startling amalgam of Zulu war-cry and imperial and urban myth, of borrowed tips on health and hygiene, and object lessons in woodcraft, Robert Baden-Powell's Scouting for Boys (1908) is the original blueprint and 'self-instructor' of the Boy Scout Movement. An all-time bestseller in the English-speaking world, second only to the Bible, this primer of 'yarns and pictures' constitutes probably the most influential manual for youth ever published. Yet the book is at the same time a roughly composed hodge-podge of jingoist lore and tracker legend, padded with lengthy quotations from adventure fiction and B-P's own autobiography, and seamed through with the multiple anxieties of its time: fears of degeneration, concerns about masculinity and self-restraint, invasion paranoia. Elleke Boehmer's edition of Scouting for Boys is the first to reprint the original text and illustrations, and her fine introduction investigates a book that has been cited as an authority by militarists and pacifists, capitalists and environmentalists alike.

India Published - 1930, Indhiya Vaalibha Saaraniyam

Scouting for Boys book is one of the most translated books of the world. We are proud to say that 5 translations have been made in Tamil Language out of which 3 books survives till date.

The first Ever Attempt in Tamil was done by Thiru. K.R. Ramabadhran of Trivancore Province in 1930. He named the book as "Indhiya Vaalibha Saaraniyam". The speciality of this book is that it has a foreword by the founder Lord Baden Powell himself. Dr. Annie Besant and Sir.C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer have also given their views in this book. Unfortunately the wrapper of the book is not available. 2nd one is 'Scouting for Boys in India' (1st Indian ed.) don by General Headquarters of the Boy Scout Association in India. 1946. pp. 316 pages.

The next attempt was made in 1950 to 60 and not even one copy of it is available.

Srilankan Scout Association translated the book in Tamil and is still under circulation with a number of editions. It is named as "Ilaignar Saraniyam". The Image contains the book printed in 1999.

The latest translation is done by Mr. B. Ramachandran, LT (S), the present State Training Commissioner of Tamil Nadu state. The Book is named as "Siruvar Saaraniyam". Two copies of this book has been kept at Gilwell Park Library in London. * B. Ramachandran, LT(S), ed. (Dec 2008). Siruvar Saaraniyam (Tamil) (in Tamil). Chennai: BRJB Publishers. pp. 335 pages.