Fr Jacquier's work schedule in Ghogargaon

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H$m{_b nmaIo 

gwJmdm àH$meZ

7) {‘eZH$m‘mV, IoSw>Vm§‘Ü`o a‘bobo Om{H$`a~m~m

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Journey of Fr Gurien Jacquier — a French missionary

Faith and humanity

Sakaal Times

Monday, May 17, 2010 AT 12:00 AM (IST)

Tags: Literature,   book,   Camil Parkhe,   Linda Polman,   missionary

Journalist Camil Parkhe has retraced the journey of Fr Gurien Jacquier — a French missionary, who arrived over a century ago in Ghogargaon, Auranagabad, to sow the first seeds of Christianity there in the book Fr Gurien Jacquier of Ghogargaon. The revered missionary made that place his home and did his best to uplift the downtrodden in the region.

Parkhe offers anecdotes about the missionary’s early life and how his contemporaries portrayed him. There are also chapters on missionaries, like Fr Forel and Archbishop Doering. Along with some rare photographs of the missionaries and places, the book tells us how Fr Jacquier dealt with the prevalent social malaises in Marathwada — the exploitation of the tamasha artistes, and the humiliation of the dalits. In all, it is an interesting book about faith, humanity and a noble soul.

Fr Gurien Jacquier of Ghogargaon

By: Camil Parkhe

Publisher: SFS

Pages: 144

lated News Bestsellers that were game-changers Preamble for little ones On a new page Second edition of Nadkarni’s book out Raising questions on State

Comments On 31-05-2010 20:00:50 robert Das said: hi Camil, It's great to hear ab the review on the catholic Missionary. It shows ur love fo the Missionary, and a tribute to ur journalistic talent. I must say that u have matured as a Journalistic with a substance. i am proud of u. Keep it up. waiting to meet and relax with u, or come over to Sangamner. love, robert sj. On 5/31/2010 10:17 AM Joseph Pithekar said: Dear Camil, Congrats. It is a wonderful service. The missionaries were not interested only in converting the masses or the untouchables. They were interested in making them bette human beings. this could be frihgtening for the prejudiced indians. Hope many of the readers will think differently. j m piithekar. On 5/30/2010 6:40 PM Rahul P said: This is books gives very good insight to the christians missionary work in maharasthra - people who have heard the name of Fr Gurien Jacquier but didn't have much information about how he worked in this region being a foriegner &lived with common people. I have been looking for this kind of information for a very long time. I would recommend this to all the readers & my best wishes to the author to come up with many more books.. Thanks Rahul

Review of Book on Fr Jacquier, MSFS

Faith and humanity

Sakaal Times
Monday, May 17, 2010 AT 12:00 AM (IST)
Tags: Literature, book, Camil Parkhe,  missionary

Journalist Camil Parkhe has retraced the journey of Fr Gurien Jacquier — a French missionary, who arrived over a century ago in Ghogargaon, Auranagabad, to sow the first seeds of Christianity there in the book Fr Gurien Jacquier of Ghogargaon. The revered missionary made that place his home and did his best to uplift the downtrodden in the region.
Parkhe offers anecdotes about the missionary’s early life and how his contemporaries portrayed him. There are also chapters on missionaries, like Fr Forel and Archbishop Doering. Along with some rare photographs of the missionaries and places, the book tells us how Fr Jacquier dealt with the prevalent social malaises in Marathwada — the exploitation of the tamasha artistes, and the humiliation of the dalits. In all, it is an interesting book about faith, humanity and a noble soul.

Fr Gurien Jacquier of Ghogargaon
By: Camil Parkhe
Publisher: SFS Publications, Bangalore, 2009
Pages: 144

http://www.sakaaltimes.com/SakaalTimesBeta/20100517/4974060955087910067.htm

Christianity in Aurangabad diocese from 1892 onwards

"Fr Gurien Jacquier of Ghogargaon
Catholic Mission in Aurangabad diocese (Maharashtra) - 1892 onwards"

By Camil Parkhe
Published by: SFS Publications,

PB No 5639

Rajajinagar, 1st Block,

Bangalore, 560 010



ISBN 81-85376-78-6

First edition 2009

Copyright : SFS Publications



29) Formation of Aurangabad diocese

(Christianity in Aurangabad diocese from 1892 onwards)

Fr Gurien Jacquier arrived in the four-year-old Ghogargaon mission centre in November 1896 and breathed his last in the same village five decades later. From October 1915 to January 1922, he had been on deputation to Rahata in neighbouring Ahmednagar district. During his 50 years vocation as a missionary, Jacquirbaba took rest and visited his motherland only once - from 1926 to 1928 - when he was forced to slow down his work on health grounds.

Jacquierbaba worked tirelessly for 40 long years in Ghogargaon and Borsar mission centres. It was during this period that Christianity took deep roots in Aurangabad district. It is significant to note that the MSFS priests had been working in Amravati, Chikhaldhara, Akola, Kapustalani and other parts of the Vidarbha region during this period. However, due to various social, religious, political and economic factors, the work of these Catholic missionaries in most of the areas was almost wiped out by the time India gained Independence.

Fr Azarias D’Mello had taken charge of Ghogargaon in 1944. In January 1951, Fr John D’Souza was sent to be his assistant. In May 1951, Bro Ambrose came to help him. In May 1952, Fr Azarias D’Mello was transferred to Achalpur. Fr Olivet Vas took charge of Ghogargaon with Fr Edwin Alvares as assistant.

In 1948, the political situation in Nizam’s Hyderabad princely state became tense. India had gained independence from the British rulers on August 15,1947. But the Nizam government in Hyderabad in Central India refused to join the Indian Union. Efforts for a peaceful settlement failed. Economic sanctions were imposed by the Indian government. According to the notes written by Fr Monteiro, the blockade paralysed the mission activities. As a result, catechists and masters were discharged and the children’s boardings were closed. At night fall, no one went outdoors. The missionaries also could not go out.

On September 14, 1948 began the Police Action against the Nizam state. Action was taken against the Razakars, the special army of the Nizam. By September 18, the Hyderabad princely state was taken over by the Indian Government and peace was restored. The Police Action was planned by the then Union Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

In the meantime, many of the discharged catechists had secured jobs in sugar factories and were not prepared to return to their work and their small pays. The Scheduled Castes Federation was very active and won many adherents form the converts, wrote Fr Joseph Monteiro.

MSFS historian Fr Moget has dealt in details on the missionary activities and the number of baptisms given to local people in the Vidarbha region. However a glance at the statistics of the Catholic population in the present Nagpur, Amravati and Aurangabad dioceses reveals that some of the people converted to Christianity in the early 20th century have embraced Buddhism along with other followers of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar in the 1950s and 1960s.

The factors responsible for the spread of Christianity in Aurangabad district. its stunted growth or subsequent disappearance in some parts of the Marathwada and also in the neighbouring Vidarbha region can be well illustrated with the parable on the seed of the Word of God narrated by Jesus Christ. The parable goes like this:

“A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. Some fell on rock: and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and chocked it. But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” 1

Even today, the number of Catholics in Gangapur and Vaijapur talukas of Aurangabad district – the area where Fr Jacquier sowed the seeds of the Word of God – is far more conspicuous as compared to the rest parts of the Marathwada and for that matter, even the whole Vidarbha region. It would be incorrect to solely credit Jacquierbaba for this. But the fact remains this was the missionary who toiled for 40 years for the most downtrodden, the untouchable folks of these two talukas and preached the gospel to them. He was also the first social reformer in this rural area to spread literacy among local population of mixed castes and religions. He had opened so many schools in villages under his Ghogargaon mission centre. He also tried to various social evil practices like untouchability, child marriages and bigamy.

It is difficult to believe that a great soul existed in this small village which remains obscure to this date. He tried his best to transform the lives of the whole population in this region. The large number of tales associated with this Mahatma, as told by people even today with much reverence to this missionary, are testimony of the great works carried out by Jacquierbaba in this region.

Jacquirbaba traveled on horseback, in bullock cart or horse cart to various villages which now come under the jurisdiction of the present Ghogargaon, Borsar, Kannad, Vaijapur, Gangapur, Wahegaon parishes.

Fr Stephen Almeida is the present parish priest at the Christ the King in Ghogargaon, a post held for four decades by Jacquierbaba. Ironically Ghogargaon village to this date remains inaccessible to the world in the absence of asphalted, motorable road. The church parish runs a primary, middle and higher secondary school in the village, attended by hundreds of Christian and non-Christian children from neighbouring villages. The Holy Cross sisters who run a dispensary in the village offer medical facilities to the rural populace here.

When Fr Jacquier arrived from France to work in India, the then Nagpur province was entrusted to his MSFS religious congregation. The Catholic Church has in the latter years bifurcated this giant province into the present Nagpur, Amravati, Chanda and Aurangabad (all in Maharashtra) Jabalpur, Khandwa, Raipur (Chhattisgarh) and Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh). Each of this diocese are headed by an archbishop or bishop.

During the past 100 years, the Missionaries of St Francis de Sales (MSFS) of which Jacquirbaba was a member preached Christianity in the then Central Province, Berar, and Marathwada. The MSFS congregation priests purchased land, built on them schools, churches, dispensaries and hostels for the girls and boys. Later the Catholic Church established new dioceses in these areas and the secular or the diocesan priests under the new bishops started working in this villages. In keeping with the Catholic Church tradition, subsequently the MSFS congregation took a back seat and handed over the huge real estates, schools, churches, hostels and other establishments to the bishops, the heads of the newly created dioceses in the respective areas.

Similar transfer also took place in the neighbouring Ahmednagar district after the Nashik diocese was carved out of the Pune diocese in 1987. There, the Jesuits – members of the religious congregation Society of Jesus - handed over the land and institutions to the new diocese and shifted their attention to work in the area where no one had trodden.

This novel tradition of handing over ownership of real estate and reputed institutions to others exists only in the Catholic Church and there cannot be any other parallel to this custom.

The diocese of Aurangabad was erected by the Decree 'Qui Arcano' (No. 1139/78) dated December 1997. It comprises of eight revenue districts. Of these, Aurangabad, Jalna, Parbhani and Nanded were taken from the diocese of Amravati while Latur, Beed and Osmanabad were detached from the archdiocese of Hyderabad. This entire region under the Aurangabad diocese constitutes a political unit named Marathwada in Maharashtra. Fr Dominic Abreo, a diocesan priest from Vasai in Thane district who had presided over the seventh Marathi Christian Sahitya Sammelan (literary meet) held in 1973 was appointed the first bishop of Aurangabad diocese. 2 Bishop Edwin Colaco who was appointed as bishop of Amravati in 1995 has been bishop of Aurangabad diocese since 2007.

As per the statistics provided by the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), there are 16,000 Catholics in Aurangabad diocese. As far as the Christian (Catholic and Protestants) population and the number of Church establishments are concerned, Aurangabad diocese is one of the most important dioceses in Maharashtra, next only to Mumbai, Pune and Nashik dioceses.

Aurangabad Catholic diocese has 22 parishes. There are 15 high schools, one higher secondary schools, 15 upper primary schools, 12 hospitals, nine hostels and five orphanages. 3







References:



1) Gospel according to St Mathew, 4:1-9,



2) The other former bishops of Aurangabad diocese are Bishop Ignatius D'Cunha (1989-98) and Bishop Sylvester Monteiro (1999-2005)





3) Directory of Aurangabad Catholic Diocese, published by Bishop’s House, Aurangabad (2003)

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Jacquierbaba challenges custom of untouchability

"Fr Gurien Jacquier of Ghogargaon
Catholic Mission in Aurangabad diocese (Maharashtra) - 1892 onwards"
By Camil parkhe

Published by: SFS Publications,
PB No 5639
Rajajinagar, 1st Block,
Bangalore, 560 010

ISBN 81-85376-78-6
First edition 2009
Copyright : SFS Publications

23) Jacquierbaba challenges custom of untouchability

Even after their conversion to Christianity, there was absolutely no change in the lifestyles of the members of untouchable community in any parts of India. They carried on with their traditional occupations (the vatandari) and customs, i.e, disposal of cattle carcasses, eating flesh of the dead animals, following orders of the members of the upper castes and making the two ends meet on whatever meager was paid to them in the form of grains. 1
The untouchables were so accustomed to the inhuman treatment meted out to them that they never even considered anything wrong or unjust with it. Even if anyone were to raise a murmur of protest against this treatment, the person would have found it difficult to live in the village community. First of all, he or she would have been ostracised by the members of the upper castes and would be denied any source of livelihood.
With the arrival of missionaries in the rural areas, the Mahar, Mang men and women who otherwise were compelled to move around with heads lowered and faces covered, slowly gained a self-esteem.
There was however some sort of relief for the Dalits when they embraced Christianity. Most of the Catholic and Protestant missionaries in Ahmednagar, Jalna and Aurangabad were from Germany, Switzerland, America, France etc. There were very few British priests in India. These missionaries tries to change the lifestyle of the untouchable communities by offering them education, jobs in the church complex.
Though the European missionaries were familiar with terms like slaves and slavery, they found it difficult to understand the concepts of casteism and untouchability, a legacy found only in India. According to this custom, a person was born as untouchable and died as untouchable. There was no way to make the person climb the social order and be a part of the higher caste community.
The Mahars, Mangs and other members of the other untouchable communities members were pleasantly shocked when the European missionaries mingled with them freely and also ate along them. Earlier no person superior to them in any respect would ever dare to physically touch them. These missionaries also worked for the upliftment of these forsaken communities by admitting their children into the Church-run schools. Children of untouchables in Ahmednagar, Sangamner, Rahata, Ghogargaon, Aurangabad and other adjoining areas had special schools run by these missionaries.
I have often heard my parents and relatives speaking about an incident associated with my maternal uncle, Waman Shingare, who had served as a horse cart driver to Fr Jacquier. This incident is a classic example of the psychological support extended by the Christian missionaries to the Dalits against their higher caste oppressors. During the 19th and 20th centuries many foreign missionaries must have boosted the morale of the newly baptized Christians in this manner.
Before the Independence, jurisdiction of Ghogargaon mission centre included several villages in Gangapur and Vaijapur talukas of Aurangabad district. Fr Jacquier frequently visited these villages with my uncle Waman Shingare in the cart driver’s seat.
During those days, there were several restrictions on the members of the untouchable communities. For example, they were not allowed to flaunt new clothes or wear footwear in the presence of the higher caste people. They were required to take off footwear while approaching an upper caste individual. The bride belonging to an untouchable caste was not allowed to move ceremoniously in a procession in the village while sitting on a horse back.
This was the situation prevailing in Maharashtra and most parts of India when Fr Jacquier preached Christianity in Aurangabad district. Therefore, the sight of a young Mahar speedily driving a horse cart through the village entrance gates was considered by the higher caste persons as most outrageous. They viewed it as a serious violation of the age-old chaturvarna (social hierarchy based on four categories) custom.
However Waman was a cart driver of a missionary who was an European, a white man. No one could dare to stop the cart in which Fr Jacquier was travelling. Scolding Waman for violating the rules of untouchability would have invited the wrath and displeasure of the white sahib. People knew how Jacquierbaba alone used to bring an abrupt end to stage shows of tamasha troupes at various places. It was necessary to prevent the untouchable Waman from riding his cart through this village entrance gate in this ‘objectionable’ style. His act would have encouraged many other lower caste youths and others to challenge the custom of untouchability and the prevailing social hierarchy.
Once Waman was driving the horse cart through a village gate when the local village Patil could no longer contain his rage. He signaled Waman to halt the cart as soon as the vehicle approached nearer.
"Hey you Mahar, how can you be so arrogant? How dare you seat in the cart while crossing the village gate? Step down immediately from the cart and walk. And don’t you dare to repeat driving the cart in this village again," the village chief shouted.
Threatened in this manner, Waman immediately slowed down the cart, stepped down and started on foot still holding the reigns in his hands. He occupied the cart driver’s seat again only after moving out of the village border when he was totally out of the sight of the patil.
It was later that Waman informed Jacquierbaba about the conversation transpired between him and the village patil. He told Jacquierbaba that the members of the untouchable communities had no right to ride a horse cart while crossing a village entrance gate or when an upper caste individual was nearby. An untouchable individual was expected to run either before or after the cart when his master was sitting in the horse cart.
Jacquierbaba was furious but he decided to wait for another occasion to react to this barbaric custom. Some days later, Jacquierbaba’s horse cart was returning to Ghogargaon via the same village. Coincidentally, the village patil along with a few other persons was sitting in the Chawadi, the village community place, when the horse cart approached nearer. As instructed by Jacquierbaba, Waman slowed down the pace of the cart. His fears came true as the enraged village chief rushed to the cart. Abusing Waman, he snatched away the horse bridle.
Jacquierbaba had never imagined whatever had transpired before his eyes. He was furious that his cart driver was being humiliated on the grounds of his untouchable caste. Within a few seconds, Jacquierbaba stepped down from the cart. It is said that he trashed the village chief in the presence of the local villagers gathered at the site. The missionary did not stop there. He later approached Aurangabad district collectorate to complaint against the village patil's behaviour. The village chief subsequently had to face music for halting the horse cart of the European missionary. Eventually, Patil apologised over his high handedness and true to his nature, Jacquirbaba pardoned him immediately and also withdrew the complaint against him.

This episode relating to the custom of untouchability had caused a sensation in rural parts of Aurangabad district. The incident must have served as a warning to many upper castes persons who used to exploit the Christians and others belonging to the untouchable communities.


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Exploitation of tamasha artistes and Fr Jacquier

Fr Gurien Jacquier of Ghogargaon

(Catholic mission in Aurangabad diocese - 1892 onwards)



By Camil Parkhe
camilparkhe@gmail.com

Published by: SFS Publications,
PB No 5639
Rajajinagar, 1st Block,
Bangalore,  560 010

ISBN 81-85376-78-6
First edition 2009

Copyright : SFS Publications


Price: Rs 95, US $ 6.75
Published in 2009

22) Exploitation of tamasha artistes and Jacquierbaba

In the 1960s, there was a wave of tamasha-based films in Marathi film industry. ‘Pinjara’ (The Cage), directed by veteran film director V Shantaram, was one of these films. The hero of the film, a school teacher, attempts to prevent staging of a tamasha show in his village. The teacher whose role is played by Dr Shriram Lagoo single-handed disrupts tamasha shows notwithstanding the presence of hundreds villagers gathered there to enjoy this sensuous folk art presented by beautiful women. The school teacher (master) believes tamasha is an unethical art and it is his moral duty to keep people away from it. Even those villagers who enjoy the show do not offer any resistance when it is abruptly brought to an end.
The belief and action of this ideal teacher reflects the attitude of the society towards this old traditional folk art. What this master did in the film produced in 1970s was precisely done in reality in Aurangabad district by Fr Jacquier half a century earlier. A majority of the artistes in this folk art were the members of the untouchable community among whom this priest was working. The French missionary believed tamasha encouraged adultery, involved sexual and social exploitation of the women and other artiste members of the troupe.
In my childhood, tamasha shows used to be held on every Friday - the day of the weekly bazaar - in my home town, Shrirampur. The bazaar site was hardly 500 meters away from home. A tent, smaller than the circus tent, used to be erected on the ground adjacent to the weekly bazaar. From morning to evening on that day, we children used to hear the publicity of the show made on loudspeakers fitted on vehicles having pictures of dancing women with heavy make up and turban-wearing men playing dholkis (drums) and other musical instruments.
The tamasha shows were attended by a large number of men folks, majority of them residents of neighbouring villages. I do not remember any member of my or my friends’ families ever attending the tamasha shows. We children were allowed to see films in local theatres but never ever we entertained the thought of attending the tamasha show. The tamasha shows which consisted of obscene songs and dialogues, seductive dances with reciprocated response from the excited members of the audience was naturally not meant for people with good character, we were told.
Research scholar Dr Milind Kasbe in his book in Marathi Tamasha: Kala Ani Kalawant (Tamasha: Art and artistes’) says, “ the immorality which quietly creeps into this folk art is a matter of grave concern. The feudal mentally of the high caste people forces women belonging to the lower castes like Mahar, Mang and Kolhati to dance on the stage and throw cash towards her to make her strip. The question is why one should preserve this folk art if this mentality is not changed.1
Veteran Marathi stage and film actor Nilu Phule who has acted in many tamasha-related films in his preface to the above mentioned book has said: “Most of the tamasha artistes are people belonging to the so-called backward and untouchable castes like Mahar, Mang, Kolhati, and Gopal. Indebtedness is a major crisis plaguing the tamasha industry. The tamasha troupe owners take loans from moneylenders and the tamasha artistes take loans from the troupe owners. Thus, all constituents of this trade – the troupe owners, the artistes and the labourers – are deep neck into the debt trap. A majority of those offering loans belong to higher castes. The women tamasha artistes have to surrender themselves to the moneylenders if they are unable to repay their loans. I have always wondered why these artistes, despite always living in penury have clung on to this folk art.”
The opposition to the obscenity in tamasha became more vocal after India gained independence. The chief minister of the Mumbai province B G Kher had imposed a ban on this folk art in 1948. A tamasha reform committee, led by Mahamahopadhyay Datto Waman Potdar, was subsequently constituted to recommend changes in the content and performance of the folk art. The committee suggested imposition of conditions like performance as per the written script, avoiding obscene dialogues, ban on the members of the audience physically touching the women artistes. The ban was lifted when the tamasha troupes agreed to abide by these rules. 2
The University of Pune’s Pawala Paththe Bapurao Sahitya, Sangeet, Lok Kala Academy and Pathfinder International had organised a tamasha festival and workshop in Pune in October 2007. A brochure released on the occasion speaks on the origin of this folk art. Accordingly, the word tamasha has apparently has its origin is Persian language and was adopted in Marathi language through Urdu. Some scholars believe the folk art owes its origin to the Muslim influence in the medieval period. The brochure underlines that the folk art remained confined to the Mahar, Mang, Gondhali, Kolhati and Dombari, the untouchable and other depressed communities in Maharashtra. Of course, the patrons of the folk art who socially, economically and sexually exploited the tamasha artistes were the upper caste people.
For centuries, the traditional professions in India have been caste-based and so was the case with several folk arts. Tamasha art was mainly developed and preserved by Mahar and Mang communities. The women of these castes used to sing and dance while the men used to also sing and play various traditional musical instruments like the dholki, tuntune, manjira, duff, Halgi, kad and harmonium. The caste of these tamasha artistes speaks volumes for the social status or reputation enjoyed by this folk art in the society as a whole.
The season for the stage shows of tamasha normally started after the Dasara festival, that is after the monsoon season and ended after the Askhay Trutiya festival which marked commencement of the marriage festival. During the marriage season and also during the annual village temple festival (yatra), the Mahar folks offered music accompaniment.3 I remember during my childhood, sons of my uncles used to play pipani, dholki and other musical instruments during the village marriages. Only after reading this reference recently did I realise the social factors connected to this seasonal job. It meant the seasonal job was also caste-based and that my maternal cousins may have picked up the musical skill from some elder members in the family. Some members of either my father’s family in Wahegaon or mother’s family in Ghogargaon might have been associated with the tamasha trade in some way or the other as was the case with most members of the Mahar community at that time.
Veteran Marathi poet Narayan Surve in his article on Shahir Annabhau Sathe also underlines the social stigma associated to tamasha. In his article written in 1969, Surve writes: “Twenty five years ago, the word ‘tamasha’ was akin to an untouchable. Tamasha meant a form of theatre which was not meant for the gentlemen or girls and womenfolk. It included a nachya, (a dancer boy or man with long hair) who made indecent and obscene gestures, sang sensual songs. It was believed tamasha spoilt the cultural taste of the gentle folks. The tamasha artistes are untouchable persons and to see this folk art was considered a sin.” 4
This was the social scenario which prompted Jacquierbaba to persuade the members of untouchable community not to allow their sexual, social and economic exploitation by the higher social classes. He indeed resorted to the coercion route when persuasion failed and the local Christians continued their association with this folk art. The school teacher (master) in the film Pinjara (Hindi version of this film was also made) forcibly halts staging of a tamasha show with the same conviction that the folk art involved unethical, sinful activities. The present Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, R R Patil, has imposed a ban on dance bars in his state, on the ground that the singing and dancing by girls and women in hotels and bars is unethical and sexual, economical exploitation of the women concerned.
In the published writings related to the life and works of Fr Jacquier, I have never come across the campaign launched by this missionary against this folk art. Nonetheless, I have repeatedly heard from my parents and my maternal uncles about this priest’s solitary drive to bring down the curtain down to this stage art for once and for. My two maternal uncles, Shantwan and Waman Shingare, had for some years served as drivers of Fr Jacquier’s horse cart. There is not ground to doubt the credibility of the testimony of the old residents of Ghogargaon who had lived during the times of Fr Jacquier. My Mother, Marthabai, now nearing to be an octogenarian is also among those who had seen Fr Jacquier during his last years.
Fr Jacquier who was based in Ghogargaon since 1896 had earned the respect of the untouchable Mahar community - majority of whom had converted to Christianity - as well as the the upper castes Maratha and Brahmin communities. He also commanded respect among the government officials of the Hyderabad’s ruler Nizam. As an European and highly educated man, he was also feared by the otherwise powerful people in Gangapur and Vaijapur talukas of Aurangabad district. Under such circumstances, when Fr Jacquier single handedly opposed tamasha stage shows, there was hardly anyone who could challenge his moral or legal authority to do so.
Fr Jacquier had understood the social nature of this folk art. After arriving from France, Fr Jacquier had taken lessons in English and Marathi and acquired mastery over both these languages. Later, for several years, this French missionary used to teach the local populace to sing Marathi hymns and bhajans. He must have studied tamasha thoroughly before he decided to oppose on the grounds of its social and ethical implications.
It is said that whenever a tamasha show was staged in the villages around Ghogargaon, Fr Jacquier used to reach there. He would climb the stage and force the artistes to stop the show midway. Tamasha shows are always held at nights and continue till the break of the dawn. Jacquierbaba did not mind losing his sleep to travel a long distance at night if it meant preventing members of his flock from straying away from the moral path. He used to force the women artistes to unstrap the heavy ankle bells (ghoongaroos), each weighing five to seven kilos, and confiscate them. Sometimes, he also cut the long hair of the nachya to prevent him to play the same role at least for the next few weeks. Often, the priest used to return home carrying in his horse cart the dholkis (drums), cymbals and other musical instruments to prevent the tamasha troupe to stage another show.
Considering Jacquierbaba’s the strong opposition of Fr Jacquier to tamasha, it is doubtful whether any shows of this folk art were ever staged in Ghogargaon as long as this six ft-tall missionary was physically able to travel on horse back or in horse carts to stop the shows.
I have often heard my parents saying that two rooms in Ghogargaon’s church complex were filled with musical instruments confiscated by Jacquierbaba during his drive against tamasha. When I visited Ghogargaon in 2005, the local parish priest Fr Stephen Almeida endorsed this view. He told me that even he had heard from his parishioners that the musical instruments were stored in some rooms till a decade back.
Jacquierbaba’s drive against tamasha, of course, had social reference of the century-old period. Now, the times have changed and there are attempts by the government administration as well some cultural organisations to preserve this traditional folk art. However, despite the abolition of untouchability in India after the country gained independence, the caste-related references to this folk art have not changed. The tamasha artistes continue to belong to the lower castes like Mahar, Mang and Kolhati. Despite the state patronage to this folk art, tamasha artistes have failed to achieve economic prosperity or social respect. Artistes playing roles in Marathi theatre shows or in films now enjoy both prosperity and glamour. This fortune has eluded the tamasha artistes.
The exploitation of tamasha artistes has continued to this date as it was during the days of Jacquierbaba. No tamasha artiste would like her or his children to take up this profession. There seems to be some truth in the question posed by actor Nilu Phule as to why these artistes have clung on to this art if it has failed to offer them happiness and prestige. In the light of these circumstances, one may wonder whether the steps taken by Jacquierbaba to end this folk art were indeed in the interests of the tamasha artistes.

References:
1) Dr Milind Kasbe: Tamasha: Kala Ani Kalawant (Tamasha: Art and artistes) Marathi book published by Sugawa Prakashan, Pune (2007) (page 9)
2) As above, page 29
3) V M Dandekar and M B Jagtap, ‘Maharashtrachi Grameen Samajrachana’ (Rural social structure in Maharashtra), Publisher: D R Gadgil, Gokhale Institute of Economics, Pune 411 004 (1957) (Page 20)
4) Narayan Surve, “Manoos, Kalawant Aani Samaj” (Marathi), (Human, an artiste and the society), Published by Popular Prakashan, 36 C, Malaviya Marg, Mumbai, 400 034 (1992), (Page 68)
5) Dr Milind Kasbe: Tamasha: Kala Ani Kalawant (Page 51)
* *

Marathi book on Fransalian missionary Fr Jacquier

News published in MISSIONARIES OF St. FRANCIS DE SALES (Fransalians) Pune Provincial website, January 2009

Release of Book on Fr. Jacquier Gurien msfs
30th December 2008, on the day of the Final Profession of 18 of our brothers from Fransalians Seminary a book on Fr. Jacquier Guerin of Ghogargaon was released by Fr. Mario D’souza msfs in the presence Fr. Sebastian Annaikandathil the provincial of Nagpur Province and large number of confreres and guests. Fr. Mario said that normally it would be someone from the Congregation who would write about its history or about its members, but today it is someone who has been touched by the great missionary work done by the congregation who writes about an msfs and about the congregation. It only goes to show the appreciation and the acknowledgment of the good that we as msfs have done, and are doing. Mr. Camil Parkhe a renowned journalist from Pune Sakaal Times expounds the history and the mystery of this great saintly Fransalian Jacquierbaba. He attempts to narrate objectively the spiritual journey of Jacquierbaba from France to Ghogargaon and how he worked untiringly for the up-liftment of the people of Marathawada. This book is certainly a source book of inspiration based on the life and the spirit of Fr. Jacquier Guerin a committed Fransalian Missionary and Visionary. Our Province has sponsored the complete printing and the publication of this book in Marathi as part of our province commitment during this Salesian Year. We thank Mr. Camil Parkhe for his commitment and dedication in bringing out a book on a Fransalian.