PANAJI
The Goa chapter of the UK-based Joseph Rufino Cordeiro Foundation (JRCF) has decided to take up a unique project to translate seven volumes of the Macklin Bible from English to Sanskrit.
The Macklin Bible is one of the largest illustrated English-language Bibles ever printed. Thomas Macklin was an English publisher who published these seven Bible volumes in 1800.
The project will be done in collaboration with Banaras Hindu University.
Addressing a news conference, JRCF founder Mary Anne Cordeiro said she wanted to translate the Bible in Sanskrit as it is the root of all Indian languages.
Cordeiro mentioned that she is aware of her Indian roots and before being Catholic, her ancestors were Hindu. She also believes that religion should be together amid a terrible time of conflict.
“We have to take the best of all the religions. My mother and father encouraged us to cherish our Indian roots,” said Cordeiro.
When asked why she had chosen Sankrit for the translation, Cordeiro replied: “I lived abroad and I could not learn to speak Konkani. I decided to learn the root of all Indian languages, Sanskrit, so that I can understand Hindi and other languages as well as Konkani better.”
Noted Goan singer Hema Sardessai, who was present at the news conference, supported Cordeiro and said people must rise above religion and make sure humanity comes together.
“We have to overcome pettiness and see the spirituality of every religion,” said Sardessai.
