Tamil poet Joseph Beschi alias Virmamunivar
Fr. Joseph Beschi alias Virmamunivar is well known for composing classical literature in Tamil language in the eighteenth century, and also as a researcher and language scholar who wrote grammar and dictionaries of Tamil language. He introduced westerners to the rich treasures of this south Indian language. This priest who was born in Italy came to India as a missionary and made Tamil Nadu as his home. There he learnt the local Tamil language and contributed to enrich this language. He occupies a place of honour in the history of the ancient Tamil language.
Beschi was born on November 8, 1680 at Castigline delle Stiviere in Mantua district of Venice province in Italy. Although baptised as Constantius Joseph Beschi, in India he is better known by his Tamil title 'Virmamunivar'. He joined the Society of Jesus in 1698 and was ordained a priest in 1709. A year later, he left his motherland to work as a missionary in India.
Fr. Beschi joined the Jesuit Madurai mission in 1711. A century before his arrival there, Jesuit priests like Robert De Nobili had propagated Christianity in some parts of south India.
St. Thomas, an apostle of Jesus Christ, had preached Christianity in Kerala 2,000 years ago. In the later centuries, however, Christianity remained confined to Kerala until the arrival of the European missionaries in the medieval period. It was due to hard work of De Nobili, a great Sanskrit scholar, and his companions that Christianity could take roots in Madurai and other parts of south India. Fr Beschi followed footsteps of his Jesuit predecessors. Like De Nobili, Joseph Beschi too has found a place of honour in the history of Tamil literature.
Fr. Beschi served as a missionary at Gurukalpatti, Madurai, Aiyampet, Vadugherpet and other places of Madurai diocese. But for most of the time of his life, he stayed at Elacurichi. His service to the literature in Tamil and other languages took place here only. This veteran scholar and poet passed away at Manapar in Kerala at the age of 67, on February 4, 1747.
Besides being a renowned expert of Tamil language, Fr. Beschi was also a veteran linguist. His biographer wrote that he knew languages like Tamil, Malayalam, Sanskrit, Telugu, English, French, Portuguese, Italian, Latin, Persian and Hindi. Available documents prove that he at least knew Italian, Portuguese, Latin, Tamil and French very well.
Beschi's Jesuit superior Fr Bourzes has written about Beschi's knowledge of Tamil and his mastery over the language in his annual report of 1715. Fr. Bourzes writes:
"Availing himself of the leisure enforced upon him, which he did not expect, Father Beschi gave himself to the study of Tamil poetry: for noting in the country is esteemed more than this study. In the space of a few months he made more progress in it than any other missionary since the foundation of the Mission. The result is that he writes Tamil verses most elegantly, and what is more difficult, he has read the ancient poets with much profit. From these poets he will one day be able to make a choice of beautiful maxims for the formation of good manners, and excellent arguments in support of the faith with these people who trust implicitly only their poets. But the enterprise is very arduous."
Among the work of literature by Fr. Beschi alias Virmamunivar, the poetry titled 'Tembavani' is considered to be his magnum opus. Fr. Beschi composed it in 1727 A.D. As per the tradition that prevailed then, Fr. Beschi, in his poetry, used the words from classical literature. Many of these words are no longer in use. Therefore today, it is not easy to understand the meaning of the words he had used in this classical literary work.
S. Rajamanickam in the book. "The Poem Tembavani by Joseph Beschi", has described Beschi as 'scholar, poet and missionary'. His contribution not only enriched Tamil literature but also helped to develop the language. Fr. Beschi has left behind a legacy of grammar books, short stories, and treaties on astronomy and Tamil alphabetical reforms. As a foreigner settled in Tamil Nadu, his efforts to develop the local language are definitely admirable.
Fr. Baschi explained preaching of Christianity and philosophy in the three-volume epic 'Tembavani' that has been composed with complete native background. Fr. Beschi presented this epic to the Tamil Sangha in Madurai. Language scholars of the Tamil Sangha appreciated this Tamil epic and honoured Fr. Beschi with the title 'Virmamunivar'. Fr. Beschi occupies an eternal place in the history of Tamil language with the name 'Virmamunivar'.
Virmamunivar's 'Tembavani' (the sweet or unfading garland) is one of the classical masterpieces in Tamil language. The poetry containing 14,460 lines has been deep rooted in the culture of Tamil soil. Though composed by an European missionary, the poetry is deeply rooted in Tamil culture.
The epic is based on the holy family, St. Joseph, Mother Mary and Jesus. The poet has given Indian names to many Biblical characters or has Tamilised these names. The animals, plants, trees and flowers described in the poetry are also totally Indian. There is a great similarity between Virmamunivar's poetry 'Tembavani' and Fr. Thomas Stephen's Marathi epic 'Kristapuran' composed in the 17th century. The Jesuit priest Stephens, a British missionary working in Goa, had composed the Marathi epic completely based on native background.
We come to know about Fr. Beschi's deep study of many concepts of Hindu religion from the use of metaphors in his 'Tembavani'. For example, 'Naam-jap' a special word from Hindu prayer, or sentences like, 'Hands of Jesus Christ are tulsi- the holy shrub, or - Christ rules with a Chakra (wheel) in his hand which reminds one of the Sudarshan chakra of Vishnu, etc. Every Hindu deity has a 'Vahana' (a vehicle) and this great poet has even mounted Christ on the 'Vahana' of clouds.
Fr. Beschi has got the recognition as the senior grammar composer in Tamil. He persuaded his companion missionaries to learn Tamil that had rich literary heritage. He therefore wrote Tamil grammar and dictionaries in foreign languages. He is credited with composing four Tamil grammars. One was a traditional type of grammar in Tamil; the second was grammar of spoken Tamil language written in Latin for the benefit of the foreign missionaries, the third grammar of high or literary Tamil was also for the use of the foreign missionaries. The fourth was a summary of the first traditional Tamil grammar written in Latin.
Amongst Indian languages, Tamil is one of the most ancient languages. Although, it has the classical literary heritage, western world were not exposed to the literary treasures of this language. Beschi introduced these rich literary treasures to western world for the first time when he translated classical Tamil epic 'Thirukkural' into Latin.
It is said that Fr. Beschi was an excellent diplomat. During the period when local rulers looked down missionaries upon with suspicion, Fr. Beschi gained favour from a local ruler Chanda Sahib. The popular story says that
Chanda Sahib had even appointed Fr Beschi as his Divan or prime minister and that the ruler had gifted him several villages. According to this legend, Fr. Beschi clothed in costly garments used to be carried in a palanquin. S. Rajamaickam has however dismissed these legends as 'unlikely' as there is no historical evidence to prove it.
There is however a stone inscription available which says that the ruler of Ariyalur had made a permanent donation of several hundreds of acres of land to the church of Elacurichi on August 4, 1734. It was indeed very surprising that a foreigner missionary got royal patronage from local ruler belonging to a different religion. This also proves Fr Beschi's influence in that area.
Among his companions, Fr. Beschi was called as 'Father of flowers' as he was very fond of flowers. He had developed a flower garden and had even asked for some flower seeds from Europe. But by the time these seeds reached him, they were stale.
A statue of this great linguist, scholar and missionary has been erected at the famous Marina Beach in Chennai in Tamil Nadu in recognition of his literary contribution in Tamil language. Fr. Beschi's name is mentioned along with other senior oriental and medieval Tamil linguists, in the global Tamil literary conventions. When a chair for Christianity was established in Madurai University, it was but natural to name it after Fr. Joseph Beschi.
Beschi's collection of humorous short stories entitled Paramartha Kuruvin Kathaikal, have been translated into many Indian and European languages. These stories with some adaptations were serialised on Tamil Nadu Doordarshan a few years back.
References: -
1. 'A Grammar of the Common Dialect of Tamil Language' by Constantius Joseph Beschi, Tanjore Sarasvati Mahal series no. 133, The Tanjore Maharaja Serfoji's Sarasvati Mahal Library, Thanjavur, 1971, Translated from the original Latin by George William Mahon.
The poem 'Tembavani' by Joseph Beschi, (S.J.) A Tamil epic on St. Joseph, Centre de Recherche et de Documentation, Montr'eal, 1994.
2. 'Jesuits in India : In Historical Perspective' Edited by Teotonio R de Souza and Charles J. Borges, Instituto Cultural de Macau, Xavier Centre of Historical Research, Goa (1992)
3. 'Beschi and inculturation' by V. M. Gnanapragasam, 'Jesuits presence in Indian History' - Edited by Anand Amaladoss (S.J), Commemorative volume on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the new Madurai Mission 1838 - 1988, Published by X Dias de Rio ( S.J), Gujarat Sahitya Prakash, P.B. No. 70, Anand - 388 001.
4. Fr. Joseph Beschi - 'The Italian who wrote masterpieces in Tamil' , Saints and Sages in India, by Fr. R. S. Lesser, Gujarat Sahitya Prakash, P.B. No 70, Anand - 388 001.
5. 'Marathi Vishwakosh' (Marathi Encyclopaedia) (Volume 11) Chief Editor - Tarkateertha Laxmanshastri Joshi, Maharashtra Rajya Marathi Vishwakosh Nirmiti Mandal, Mumbai (1982)
PUNE: Jesuits in the city have expressed concern over the fate of the fellow priest from Madurai province who has been abducted by some people while working for the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in Afghanistan.
