A Study of Tukarama's Select Translated Poetry

This research paper deals with the various English translations of Tukarama’s poetry, beginning with the pioneering work of Christian missionaries and extending to the modern poets and thinkers. The study focuses on how different translators, ranging from missionaries like Nelson Frazer and K. B. Marathe to literary figures such as Dilip Chitre and Arun Kolatkar. Saint Tukarama is considered a luminary among the saints of Maharashtra. Saint Namdeva and Saint Dnyaneshwara laid the foundation of the Varkari sect. Tukarama (1608–1649), one of the greatest exponents of the Varkari Bhakti tradition of Maharashtra, occupies a towering position in this literary and spiritual landscape. His poetry, composed in simple yet deeply moving Marathi Abhangas, continues to inspire generations with its universal values of devotion (bhakti), humility, truth, equality, and spiritual yearning.