Goethals Indian Library and Research Society, Kolkata.
Vol. IX No. 3 Bulletin July - September- 2006
New GB Member: Fr. Provincial who is the ex-officio president has appointed Frs. Peter Arulraj, Mathieu Schillings and Jerome Francis as new GB members of the GILRS in the places of Frs. Ruy Cordeiro, Beckers and M. Fohshow. The GILRS extends a warm welcome to the three new members. The GB thanks Frs. Ruy, Beckers and Fohshow and places on record their contribution to the Society.
Final Profession of Fr. Dominic: Our prayerful wishes to Fr. Dominic Savio, one of GILRS’s GB members who took his final vows in the Society of Jesus on September 8. May his commitment enable him to reach out to people in the Ignatian spirit of magis.
The Dance of The Divine
Do you see the dance of the divine in the smiles of these little ones?
Children are innocent, sweet, graceful, gentle, simple, beautiful, pure, peaceful, powerful and divine. They evoke love and admiration. They become center of attraction and observation. We like to lift them, pinch them, hold them and kiss them. In their smiles, we see the dance of the Divine. “Let the children come to me, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these”. (Lk. 18:16).
Chesterton was not as great a poet as Wordsworth but he was certainly as great a child. Chesterton became Christ-like by remaining child-like. In ‘A Second Childhood’ he shows us the wisdom of wonderland.
When all my days are ending
And I have no song to sing,
I think I shall not be too old
To stare at everything;
As I stared once at a nursery door
Or a tall tree and a swing.
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Essay Competition “Jesuit Education: A Means for Social Transformation” 1st Prize – Rs. 1,000/- 2nd Prize – Rs. 600/- 3rd Prize – Rs. 400/- Last date: 30th September, 2006. Essays can be sent via email or hard copy to Director, Goethals Library |
Br. P. Arockia Samy, Kolkata, on Santal
Dr. Patrick Loo Heng Chuen, Kolkata, on Philosophy & Theology
Dr.
Rila Mukherjee, Kolkata,
on History
Fr.
Cyril Raphael Veliath, Japan, on Raja Rammohan Roy, Fr. Antoine and Fr. Fallon.
Fr.
J. Santham, Kolkata, on Brahmabandhab Upadhyay
Fr.
Paul Jackson SJ, Patna, on Fr. Victor Courtois.
Mr.
Angelo Pugliese, Kolkata, on Indology
Mr.
Anil Elias Pereira,
New Delhi, on Theology
Mr.
Jeevan Mendonsa, Delhi, St. Xavier’s College Mumbai.
Mr.
S. Maskarnas Sagayaraj, Kolkata, on Santal Culture
Mr.
Somy Mathew,
Jamshedpur.
Mr.
Soumen Dutta,
Kolkata, on Sir Daniel Hamilton’s life and work
Mr.
Yohan F. Alphanso, West Bengal, on Theology
Ms.
Maitreyee Choudhury,
Kolkata, on Himalayan Studies
Ms.
Priyanka Dhanani,
Kolkata, on Economics
Ms.
Samudrika Tankha,
Kolkata, on History of St Xavier’s College
Ms Saloni Jalan, Ms Saloni Jalan, Ms. Disha Dugar, Ms. T. Sonia, Ms. Neha Daga and Ms. Nisha Garodia, Kolkata, St. Xavier’s College
New Arrivals:
1.
Contemporary Art in India by Pran Nath Mago, National Book Trust of India,
2001
2.
The Jesus Dynasty by James D. Tabor, Harper Collins Ltd., 2006
3.
INDICA
by Heras Institute of Indian History and Culture, Mumbai, March, 2006
4.
Santiniketan and Sriniketan: A History Introduction
by Uma Das Gupta, The Visvabharati Quarterly, May1975 - April 1976
5. The Future of India by Bimal Jalan, Penguin Books, India, 2006
6. Religions in Christian Theology by K. P. Aleaz, Punthi Pustak, Kolkata, 2001
7. The History of Bengal - Volume II - Muslim Period 1200 AD–1757 AD by Sir Jadunath Sarkar, B. R. Publishing Corporation, Delhi, 2004
8.
The History of Bengal - Volume I - Hindu Period
(ed.) R. C. Majumdar, B. R. Publishing Corporation, Delhi, 2003
A cry for Peace
THE
WORLD is crying
for peace. The West is desiring the restoration of peace through a League of
Powers. But can Powers find their equilibrium in themselves? Power cannot be
made secure only against power, it must also be made secure against the weak;
for there lies the peril of its losing balance. The weak are as great a danger
for the strong, as quicksands for an elephant. They do not assist progress,
because they do not resist, they only drag down. The people who grow accustomed
to wield absolute power over others are apt to forget, that by doing it they
generate an unseen disruptive force, which some day rends that power into
pieces. The dumb fury of the down-trodden finds its awful support from the
universal law of moral balance. The air which is thin and weak gives birth to
storms that nothing can resist. This has been proved in history over and over
again; and stormy forces arising from the heart of insulted humanity are openly
gathering in the air even in the present day. Yet the psychology of athletic
might stubbornly refuse its lessons and despise to take count of the
terribleness of the weak. This is the gross stupidity, that, like an unsuspected
worm, burrows at the bottom of the muscular bulk of the prosperous and the
proud. Have we never read of the gorgeousness of a power, supinely secure in its
arrogance, in a moment dissolving in the air at the explosion of the outraged
weak? Politicians calculate upon the number of mailed hands that are on the
sword-hilts; they do not possess the third eye to see the great invisible hand,
that clasps in silence the hand of the helpless and waits its time. The strong
form their League by combination of Powers, driving the weak to form their
league alone with their God. I know I am crying in the wilderness, when I raise
my voice of warning; and while the West is busy in its organization for building
its machine-made peace, it will still continue to nourish, with its iniquities,
underground forces of earthquake in the vast bosom of the Eastern Continent. The
West seems unconscious that Science, by providing it with more and more power,
is tempting it to suicide, encouraging it to accept the challenge of the
disarmed, not knowing that this challenge comes from a higher source. –from
The English Writings of Rabindranath Tagore edited by Sisir Kumar Das
The Golden Temple –
The
most sacred temple of the Sikhs is the Golden Temple at Amritsar. The name of
Guru Nanik, the founder of Sikhism, is revered and honured all over the Punjab
and Sindh. He is the builder of the purest form of theism in India. The Giranth
Sahib, the sacred book of the Sikhs, is rich with gems and devotional verse. In
the golden temple, the bavas (Sikh priests) read the Giranth and distribute
parsad with great religious awe and veneration. It was dewali night; the
temple was crowed with visitors and Upadhyayji purchased a ticket for
amritsar. He was not allowed, however, to travel by the mail train, as he was
dressed as a poor bhikshu. The policeman actually whipped him on his attempting
to get into the train, but he patiently bore it, saying it is not right to get a
poor countryman into truble. An influencial Punjabee, however soon put him into
the train, but great was this man's disappointment on learning that he had
helped a Christian sannyasi! Ancient God of India, bless the land that was once
so great and glorious, when brothers of different faiths lived in peace under
the same parental roof!
The temple is a sea of moving figures. About a lac of persons are within
its walls, moving in opposite directions round a pong in the centre. A poor old
woman is being crushed to death by the pressure of the multitudes surrounding
her. She groans with pain but her sobs are drowned, in the hubbub of the exited
mob. The sympathetic heart of Upadhyayji went out to the old lady in distress
and shouting at the top of his voice to the selfish, thoughtless crowd, he saved
the helpless woman from being done to death. -From 'Swami Upadhyay Brahmabandhav': A story of his
life by B. Animananda.
Remembering the ‘Moulvi Saheb’
By
Fr. Julian S. Das, SJ
The second half of the
twentieth century witnessed talented, daring Jesuits of Calcutta Province, who
defied the prevalent trends in order to put into practice what the later Vatican
Council II would recommend as a new approach. There were Jesuits therefore who
felt the urgent need to reach out to the people of other faiths with an open and
friendly approach. Many of their contributions opened up new avenues in looking
at other faiths not with animosity, but with warm and cordial feelings. Thus
today one still remembers the path-breaking contributions of Frs. Johannes,
Antoine and Fallon, who made a serious attempt to understand the Hindu
sentiments, and there was Fr Victor Courtois, who single-handedly reached out to
the Muslim community in and around the City of Joy, and he still remains the
person who could not be replaced even after about four decades.
Building cordial relationship
between Muslims and Christians is a process that was initiated by the Vatican
Council II, and several Christians had undertaken serious efforts to clarify
misconceptions about Islam in order to foster friendly ties. In the later years
following the Council, even several Muslim had come forward to reciprocate and
initiate ‘meeting points’ in building a healthy lasting cordial
relationship.
Christian Troll in one of his unpublished essay pays
homage to the father of Muslim-Christian dialogue in the subcontinent in the
following words: “In the Indian subcontinent, no doubt, Fr. Victor Courtois,
S.J. has been the outstanding Catholic pioneer in fostering better
Christian-Muslim relations. He has been the first to make the modern Catholic
Church in India aware of the Muslim dimension of its apostolic task”. Troll
adds that the work of Courtois was all the more challenging, because almost
single-handedly he tried “in teaching and writing, to inform Christian leaders
about Islam and to create in them an attitude of openness and empathy towards
the Muslims”
Addressing the Agra Consultation on Dialogue with Muslims, about 20 years after the untimely death of Courtois, Troll invited the participants “to heed to Fr Victor Courtois’ voice and to resume the task where he left it to us. We have to respond to his message creatively, here and now”. That is perhaps the best of compliments showered upon a pioneer in Muslim-Christian dialogue, who is slowly sinking into oblivion. The present paper is an attempt to revive the memories of the great work that Courtois had initiated, and its relevance to Christian life in India today. …………. … (for the full paper please visit www.goethals.org)
I. Introduction
The world of history is agog with new histeriographical concepts. New tools are being invented to analyse and interpret complex configurations of individual and collective human behavior in the past. While these recent theories have added new dimensions to the study of history, no historical literature can be properly interpreted if the cultural and social milieu of the age in which it was produced is not taken into consideration. Further, no historical work can be properly understood if the psychology of the author is not carefully analyzed.
This historian’s goal is to bring the past to life so that we may enter into the experience of earlier generations and become the better for having done so. History as an academic discipline endeavors to show what actually took-place in the past or, the facts in reality. However, it is said that facts become history only when interpreted. This implies the subjectivity of the interpreter and the objectivity of facts. Objectivity, if carried to an extreme, results in dry and lifeless cataloguing of events; subjectivity, if carried to an extreme, results in a highly biased work often divorced from reality. What is needed is judicious combination of both elements, which will give real history based on foundation of historical facts carefully selected from the vast mass of sources having varying degrees of credibility. This can be achieved only if the historian follows certain proven methodologies and stands as a spectator rather than participant, in the events in history.
Within these parameters an attempt is being made in this paper to understand and evaluate the relatively large tracts of historical literature produced by the Jesuit historian Father Henry Hosten.
Widely acknowledged for his scholarship in history, Hosten seems to have spent a lifetime of historical research not only in Indian Jesuit history but also in general Church history of India and the Indies. His literary produce, scattered, and in series are, have been compiled into a monumental 43-volume work titled, The Collected Works of Rev. H. Hosten, SJ, which is preserved in the archives of Vidyajyoti College of Theology, a 115-year-old national Jesuit Theology College in Delhi. This study is based on the ‘Hosten Collection’ and his other published and unpublished materials.
Unearthing
a historian of the past and the sources he used which are still more remote from
the present times, necessarily involves a bifocal movement in time: first, a
movement toward the period of the sources he used, and second, toward the person
of the historian himself. This also implies a two-way conversation: between the
source materials and the present historian on the one hand, and between the past
historian and the present historian, on the other. This paper being an
explorative study does not claim to have any in-depth understanding of
Hosten’s historical literature, nor of his person. At best it is intended that
this study will provide a glimpses of the labyrinth of source materials which
Hosten seems to have made available to scholars for the writing of an Indian
history. This is also a modest attempt to situate Hosten in the realms of Asian
Church history in general and Indian Jesuit history, in particular.
…………. … (for the full paper please
visit www.goethals.org)
Centenary Celebrations of
Swami Brahmabandhab Upadhyay
The Goethals Indian Library & Research Society will be hosting a National Seminar in October 2007, on the life and work of Swami Brahmabandhab Upadhyay. A committee has been formed which is looking into a Drama on BU’s life and a short documentary film on him.
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Oriental Scenery and Old Calcutta Views We have in our library the complete set of all the plates of the Oriental Scenery by Thomas & William Daniell and Old Calcutta Views by James Fraser and William Wood. We also have them on CD. To maintain the century old library and to support its projects, we plan to raise some funds by supplying digital prints of these plates. These prints, either laminated or framed, could decorate your homes, living rooms, offices, corridors etc. The price chart is given below: Size in inches
Price (Rs.) 4 x 6 ---- 30/- 8 x 12 ---- 300/- 10 x 15 ---- 500/- 10 x 15 ---- 1000/- (Laminated) For copies of digital prints contact the Library Office. Tel: 2280 1919 |
A mighty warrior king. He spent his time training his armies, perfecting his military strategies, and winning wars. One after another. He collected victories. Yet, despite the fact that he already had many, it was never enough. A new war and a new victory would leave the king satisfied only for a short time, and then the excitement would subside and fade away.
But, you see... deep down, he often felt alone, and even lonely, he really didn't have any friends. Not even one person to really talk to.
Then, one night he had a strange and vivid dream. In it, he saw a young boy. This boy didn't run away, as everybody else did when they saw the king coming close. Instead, the boy looked at the king, asked "Are you happy?" and smiled.
Even though the king knew it
was only a dream, he could not get this simple question out of his mind. It
stayed with him, and would jump into mind at various unpredictable moments.
At first, the king simply
ignored the thought. Then, as the thought persisted, he got more and more
frustrated, annoyed, and even angry. Eventually, he started thinking about the
question, and once even asked himself out loud, "Am I happy?"
"This was a quick and easy battle, "thought
the king to himself, as he was riding his horse back to the palace. It was
indeed, for the enemy was not prepared for the swift attack by the king and his
selected troops. The king felt tired, disillusioned, and irritated. "I need
to find something else to do."
He noticed a little creek through the edge of the forest and turned towards it, thinking of the refreshing cold water on his face. He got off his horse, and as he was about to kneel down, he noticed a movement out of the corner of his eye. Right there, to his right, in between the trees...
Quietly, step by step, he
sneaked in closer, while remaining hidden from view. As he carefully moved the
bushes aside, he saw an opening between the trees. In the center of it, there
was an old man. He was wearing strange robes, and certainly didn't look local.
He was moving in circles, with his arms spread to the sides, occasionally
touching a tree or bending to put a hand on the grass. It looked like an odd
ritual, or perhaps a weird dance. The king could hear him chanting in a foreign
language.
"What
is it you are doing here?" asked the king, as he stepped into the center.
The old man finished the last
circle and stood facing the king. "There is war on this land," said
the old man, "and the land is suffering. Animals are being killed for food,
trees are being cut for fires, and water is being polluted with blood of the
innocent. I am performing an ancient ceremony which helps the land heal."
"Not much help you are,
aren't you?!" smirked the king. "I am coming back from yet another
war."
"Yes, I know, there is
only me here. I could certainly be of some help. After all, what can one old man
do?"
"Are
you happy?" The thought popped up again into the king's mind. He looked at
the old man, who - despite the enormous task he was faced with - looked
peaceful, serene, almost smiling.
"Well,
old man" said the king. I am a king, and I am going to help you with your
task."
"Ohh... thank you for your offer," replied the old man. "It is most kind of you. But you see... you cannot. A warrior cannot be a peacemaker."
Never in his life has the king
felt rejected before. And by who? Some strange old man, who dared to say no to
the greatest warrior of his time?! As his hand instinctively reached for the
sword, the image of the smiling child crossed his eyes again. "Are you
happy?" As the king stared into the old man's eyes, they suddenly looked
like the eyes of the boy in his dream. Peaceful, gentle, yet radiating something
extremely powerful in a way the king never felt or experienced before.
His
hand froze on the tilt of the sword, and then gently moved away, as if guided by
its own will. "Will you... will you teach me?" quietly asked the king.
It was almost a whisper, yet the old man heard it and smiled again. "I will
be happy to. This land needs all the help it can get, and the time is
short."
With
these words, the old man moved to face the king and stared deeply into his eyes.
He was holding three necklaces
with colourful stones in them. "These are special stones that hold ancient
powers," he said. "They were given to me by my teacher. Carry them
with you and use them wisely."
He
put the first necklace, with a red stone, around the king's neck, saying
"With this stone, I release the pressure in your chest".
He
took another necklace, this one with a blue stone, and gave to the king.
"With this stone, I remove the tears from your eyes and heart that you have
been crying because of all the people lost in the war."
Putting
the third necklace around the king's neck, this one with a green stone, he said
"With this one, I release your voice, so that you too can start speaking
for peace."
He
then said to the king, "Now, go and bury your sword, so that we can put our
minds and hearts together to see what kind of a world we can leave for our
children."
One
night, the boy from his old dream appeared again. He just sat there, smiling yet
saying nothing, looking at the king. And the king saw himself, in the dream,
saying "I am now."
I had a simple and very meaningful celebration of my Birth
Day at Loyola School, Kidderpore. Around fifty SNEGAM children of Kidderpore
Centre along with their parents wished me long life in love and service. Most of
them are drop-outs or left out from mainstream of education. We try to reach out
to them so that they feel loved and cared for.
Goethals
is a very nice and well-maintained library. Ms. Neha Daga
It was a great joy to see the wonderful Collection of
Books. Library is maintained well. Such a collection will help many to do
research. Mr. Yohan F. Alphanso
The library has a very impressive collection of
materials. Dr. Patrick Loo Heng Chuen, Kolkata
Good Collection of rare books, easy way of accession
references. Ms. Maitreyee Choudhury, Kolkata
I appreciate the collection you have preserved for
years. It will be a great help to generations of research students. Mr. Anil
Elias Pereira, New Delhi
Quiet and peaceful environment and absolutely
conducive for the kind of research work it is meant
for. Thank you for keeping it this way. Ms. Vatsala Goel, Kolkata
The service at the library is excellent and efficient. Fr. Cyril Raphael Veliath, SJ. Japan.
As
a student of St. Xavier’s College, I visited The Goethals Library, I was
overwhelmed by this peaceful treasure trove of information. I am privileged to
use the materials available at the library. I thank Fr. Felix Raj for giving me
permission to use the library. I spent many a delightful hour reading through
old and dusty issues of The Xavierian and other material related
to the history of the College, in the ample daylight that comes streaming in
though the windows. I also thank the staff at the library for their mending
enthusiasm and co-operation. Samudrika Tankha, B.A (Eng), St. Xavier’s
College.
It
is very nice to see that the website has become more colorful. Hope you will
publish the full papers in the form of a book. Abanti, Kolkata
Thank you for sending me the Goethals News. It's very informative and I appreciate your good work. The research scholars working in various fields give a glimpse of what Goethals is doing. May your library be a spark and light to many and may it's findings reach out to millions to gain knowledge and wisdom. Thanks once again for giving a space in our joint effort to do something honourable for our great pioneer Brahmabandhav Upadhyay, in the field of inculturation. Fr. Sunil Rosario, Kolkata
I am one of those who wrote and sent a brief write-up about Fr Beckers. Should the person who is putting together the volume wish to get a machine copy of what I sent, so that time may not be wasted re-keying it, I can send it. Joe Cleetus
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Goethals Indian Library & Research Society, St. Xavier’s, 30 Mother Teresa Sarani, Kolkata-700 016, India.
Tel: 0091-33-22801919; Email: goethals@dataone.in and info@goethals.org Web-Site: www.goethals.org
Director: Dr. Fr. Felix Raj, SJ; Staff: Mr. Sunil Mondol and Debu Mondal.