Showing posts with label Fr Gurien Jacquier. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fr Gurien Jacquier. Show all posts

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Working among untouchables in Marathwada village : Fr Gurien Jacquier

KmoJaJmdMo Om{H$`a~m~m
(‘amR>dmS>çmVrb {¼ñVr {_eZH$m`m©Mm B{Vhmg
- B g.1892 nmgyZ)

H$m{_b nmaIo
6) Om{H$`a~m~m§Mo ì`{º$‘Îd
’$mXa Om{H$`a `m§Mr {eS>uOdirb amhmVm `oWo H$mhr H$mi ~Xbr Pmbr hmoVr. nwUo Y‘©àm§VmMo Z§Va {ìhH$a OZab Pmbobo ‘mopÝgZmoa ao{OZmëS> JmoÝgmbdrg ho Ë`mH$mimV amhmË`mbm ’$mXa Om{H$`a `m§Mo ghm`H$ hmoVo. JmoÝgmbdrg `m§Zr ’$mXa Om{H$`a `m§Mo ì`{º$‘Îd Am[U Ë`m§Mr H$m`©e¡br `m{df`r {b{hbo Amho. `m ‘hmZ {‘eZarMo {MÌ Ë`m§Zr nwT>rb eãXm§V aoImQ>bo Amho.
""’$mXa Jw[aEZ Om{H$`a ho ^anya C§M Am{U ~iH$Q> hmoVo. Ë`m§Mr XmT>r H§$~aon`ªV hmoVr Am{U XmQ> ^wd`m§Imbr ^oXH$ S>moio hmoVo. Hw$R>ë`mhr àH$maMo H$ï> Vo gmogV AgV. H$R>rU n[apñWVrer Vo gm‘Zm H$aV AgV. IS>~S>rV, YwirÀ`m añË`m§dê$Z Amnë`m Q>m§½`mVyZ Vo {XdgmVyZ 30 ‘¡b àdmg H$aV AgV, CKS>çmda Hw$R>ohr PmonV AgV Am{U H$moaS>çm MnmË`m Am{U eo§JXmÊ`m§da Vo Amnbr ^yH$ ^mJdV AgV. AemàH$maÀ`m Xm¡è`mda Vo {H$VrVar AmR>dS>o AgV Am{U {‘eZ Ho$§Ðmda naVë`mZ§Vahr Vo AJXr VmOoVdmZo Am{U V§XwéñV AgV. Ë`m§Mm Agm hm {XZH«$‘ Vã~b nÞmg df} Mmby hmoVm! ’$mXa Om{H$`a AË`§V hwema hmoVo. B©ekmZ Am{U H°$Wmo{bH$ Y‘©{Z`‘m§Mm Ë`m§Mm Xm§S>Jm Aä`mg hmoVm. ^maVmV Amë`mZ§Va Ë`m§Zr B§J«Or Am{U ‘amR>r ^mfm§Mm Aä`mg MmbyM R>odbm hmoVm .Amnë`m Q>o~bmnmer noZ, H$mJX, {S>ŠeZar Am{U ì`mH$aUm§Mr nwñVHo$ KoD$Z Vo Aä`mg H$aV. H°$Wmo{bH$ Y‘©{ejUmÀ`m Aä`mgH«$‘mV Am{U ‘amR>r Jm`Zm§À`m nwñVH$m§V gwYmaUm KS>dyZ AmUÊ`mV Vo VmgZVmg JH©$ AgV. Vo EH$ AË`§V C? XOm©Mo g§JrVH$ma hmoVo. Amnë`m {‘eZH|$ÐmVrb bmoH$m§À`m VrZ-Mma {nT>çm§Zm Ë`m§Zr gmYrgmonr Jm`Zo Am{U g§JrV{‘ñgm {eH${dbr. Vo EH$ à^mdr dºo$ hmoVo. ‘mÌ Ë`m§Mm AmdmO daÀ`m {Q>nobm nmohmoMbm H$s T>Jm§À`m JS>JS>mQ>mMmM ^mg hmoB©. ~w{Õ~i, nÎmo Am{U {~{b`S>©g IoiÊ`mV Vo nma§JV hmoVo. {d{dY joÌm§Vrb Ëæmm§À`m `m H$m¡eë`m§‘wio Ë`m§À`m XJXJrÀ`m OrdZmV AË`§V Amdí`H$ AgUmam {da§Jwim {‘iV Ago. Ë`m§À`m `m H$m¡eë`mMm Ë`m§À`m AmgnmgÀ`m bmoH$m§Zmhr ’$m`Xm hmoV Ago.
Am¡a§Jm~mX {OëømVrb J§Jmnya Am{U d¡Omnya VmbwŠ`m§Vrb AZoH$ IoSy>V ’$mXa Om{H$`aÀ`m ê$nmZo n{hë`m§XmM EImXr `wamo{n`Z ì`ŠVr nmhmV hmoVo. Ë`m§À`m Ë`m XmQ> ^wd`m, C§Monwao VJS>o eara Am{U XwWS>r ^ê$Z dmhUmè`m JmoXmdarÀ`m nmÊ`mgmaIm JO©Umam Ë`m§Mm Vmo AmdmO Hw$UmÀ`mhr N>mVrV YS>H$s {Z‘m©U H$aUmam hmoVm. ñdV:hÿZ Ë`m§À`mH$S>o OmÊ`mMr Hw$UmMrhr qh‘V ZìhVr. ’$mXa Hw$R>ë`mhr dñVrV {eabo H$s {VWë`m Am`m~m`m Amnë`m S>moŠ`mdaÀ`m nXamZo Moham A{YH$M PmHy$Z KoV Am{U bJ~JrZo PmonS>çm§V {eaV. bhmZ ‘wbo~mio Km~ê$Z qH$MmiV, aS>V Xya niV OmV. nmamda nÎ`m§Mm S>md IoiV Agbobr nwéf‘§S>ir KmB©KmB©Zo nÎmo bn{dÊ`mMm à`ËZ H$aV. ‘mÌ Vmon`ªV Iyn Cera Pmbobm Ago. ’$mXam§À`m ZOaoVyZ Ë`m§Mm nÎ`m§Mm S>md {ZgQ>bobm ZgVmo. Amnë`m bm§~ T>m§Jm Q>mH$V Vo nmamOdi nmohmoMV Am{U nÎ`m§Mr ‘mJUr H$aV. Z§Va {VWë`mM EH$m XJS>mda ~gyZ Vo nÎmo {ngm`bm bmJm`Mo. Vmon`ªV ^rS> Monboë`m Ë`m ‘mUgm§H$Sy>Z Vo Ë`m§À`m nÎ`m§Mm S>md {eHy$Z KoV Am{U Z§Va Ë`m§ZmM Ë`m§À`m Ë`m S>mdm§V hadm`Mo. Amnë`mbm ‘mhrV Agbobo S>mdhr ’$mXa Ë`m Jmddmë`m§Zm {eH$dV AgV. nÎmo A{YH$ g§»`on`ªV H$go ‘moOm`Mo hohr Vo Ë`m {Zaja IoSy>Vm§Zm {eH$dV.
Ë`mZ§Va dfm©Zwdf} ’$mXa Om{H$`a Ë`m Am{U BVa Jmdm§Zm ^oQ> XoV am{hbo. Amnë`m Ë`m Zoho‘rÀ`m XJS>m§da dm nmam§da ~gyZ VoWrb JmdH$è`m§er Vo nÎmo IoiV, g§dmX gmYV. Vmon`ªV nwîH$i Jmdm§V AZoH$ bmoH$ {¼ñVr Pmbobo Agm`Mo. JmdÀ`m nmQ>rb Am{U BVa qhXy bmoH$m§erhr ’$mXam§Mo Mm§Jbo g§~§Y {Z‘m©U Pmbobo Agm`Mo. nwT>À`m H$mimV ’$mXa Om{H$`a Ambo Va VoWrb Am`m~m`m§Zm Km~ê$Z PmonS>rV {eaÊ`mMr JaO ^mgV Zgo. CbQ> Amnë`m bhmZ½`m ‘wbm§Zm KoD$Z Ë`m ’$mXam§Zm ^oQ>m`bm `m`À`m. Vmon`ªV CVmad`mH$S>o PwH$bobo ’$mXa Om{H$`a AmVm gJù`m§Mo Om{H$`a~m~m ~Zbobo AgV. H$mhr ‘wbo Va Om{H$`a~m~m§À`m H$‘aoda éiUmè`m XmT>rerhr Mmim H$aV. H$mhr XeH$m§nydu `mM bhmZ ‘wbm§Mo AmB©-dS>rb Am{U H$Xm{MV AmOr-AmOmo~mgwÕm ’$mXa Om{H$`abm nmhÿZ bm§~ nimbo hmoVo.""
’$mXa {‘Mob \$m°aob `m§Zr Om{H$`a~m~m§{df`r gZ 1909 ‘Ü`o {b{hbo hmoVo. ""Jobr nmM df} ‘mPo Jwê$ ’$mXa Om{H$`a `m§À`m ‘mJ©Xe©ZmImbr ‘r {‘eZH$m`m©Mo YS>o KoVmo Amho. `oWrb Am‘Mo gd© {¼ñVr bmoH$ ‘hma `m Añn¥í` OmVrMo AmhoV. Amnë`m OwÝ`m gd`r Q>mHy$Z {¼ñVr Y‘m©à‘mUo dmJUo Ë`m§Zm {VVHo$ gmono OmV Zmhr. H$mhr OUm§Mm AndmX gmoS>bm Va ho ~hþVoH$ gd© bmoH$ hiyhiy {¼ñVr àoaUm Am{U OrdZe¡brMm ñdrH$ma H$aVmV. ’$mXa Om{H$`a `m§Zm Vo Amnë`m {nË`mg‘mZ ‘mZ XoVmV. `oWrb EHy$U 3hOma 900 ~m{áñå`m§n¡H$s 3 hOma ~m{áñ‘o ’$mXa Om{H$`a `m§ZrM Ho$bo AmhoV. `oWrb ‘hmam§Zm ’$mXa Om{H$`a `m§À`m{df`r Iyn ^rVr dmQ>Vo Am{U Ë`mM~amo~a Ë`m§Zm Ë`m§À`m{df`r Iyn ào‘hr Amho. ~mhoarb BVam§er ~mobVm§Zm Vo AmXamZo ’$mXa Om{H$`a `m§À`m ñd^mdm~Ôb, Ë`m§À`m bm§~bMH$ XmT>r~Ôb Am{U Vo amJmV Agë`mda Ë`m§Mo S>moio {H$Vr ^r{VXm`H$ AgV `m~Ôb gm§JV AgVmV. ’$mXa Om{H$`a ñd^mdmZo IynM Mm§Jbo AmhoV Am{U AS>rAS>MUrÀ`m H$mimV Ë`m§À`m nmR>r‘mJo amhUmar Am{U Ë`m§Zm ‘XV H$aUmar Xwgar BVa Hw$R>brhr ì`º$s Zmhr Ago ho bmoH$ AJXr Iwë`m ‘ZmZo gm§JVmV.""
KmoJaJmdÀ`m {¼ñVamOm ‘§{Xa Y_©J«m_mÀ`m 'qMVZ' `m ‘wInÌmÀ`m E{àb 2004 A§H$mV ~miy Jm`H$dmS> `m§Mr hr H${dVm Om{H$`a~m~m§Mo {MÌ S>moù`mnwT>o C^o H$aVo.

H$mir Q>monr bm§~ XmT>r, emo^o Om{H$`a~m~mbm
hmM Iam ‘hmamï´>mV Y‘©Jwê$ n{hbm
d¡Omnya VmbwŠ`mV N>moQ>g§ ho Jmd
Am¡a§Jm~mX Y‘©àm§VmV n{hbo KmoJaJmd
ñ‘emZ^y‘rV amhÿZ ‘mJ© Xmdrbm OZm§Zm

Q>n Q>n KmoS>çm§Mm Q>m§Jm OmB© IoS>çm§da
Ho$bm Y‘m©Mm àMma ào‘ XrZm§da
gË` dmMZ ew^ AmMaU emo^o nm§T>è`m P½`mbm

{ZË` H$ar H«w$g àmW©Zm On‘mi
A{daV H$îQ>m§‘YyZ ~m§{Ybo XoD$i
KUKU K§Q>m dmOo Xmhr {Xem§Zm
hmM Iam ‘hmamï´>mV Y‘©Jwê$ n{hbm


7) {‘eZH$m`m©V, IoSw>Vm§‘Ü`o a‘bobo Om{H$`a~m~m
KmoJaJmdmV Añn¥í` ‘hma g‘mOmV ào{fVH$m`© Am{U gm‘m{OH$ à~moYZH$m`© H$aUo {VVH$s gmYrgwYr Jmoï> ZìhVr. eVH$mZweVHo$ Añn¥í` åhUyZ C?dUu` g‘mOmZo dmirV Q>mH$boë`m ‘hma g‘mOmÀ`m AZoH$ gm‘m{OH$ Am{U Am{W©H$ g‘ñ`m hmoË`m. Amnë`m Jmdm§Vrb C?dUu`, Am{U {deofV: JmdMo nmQ>rb Am{U gmdH$ma `m§À`mH$Sy>Z Ë`m§Zm AË`§V dmB©Q>, An‘mZmñnX dmJUyH$ {‘iV Ago. g‘mOmV gX¡d hoQ>miUrM dmQ>obm Amboë`m ‘hma bmoH$m§‘Ü`o H$mimÀ`m AmoKmV AZoH$ ~è`m~wè`m àWm éOë`m hmoË`m. ~mb{ddmh, H$mS>r_moS> qH$dm KQ>ñ’$moQ>, b¾m{dZm EH$Ì amhUo Aem àWm Ë`mdoir hmoË`m. Ë`m~Ôb Hw$UmbmM H$mhr J¡a dmQ>V ZìhVo. {¼ñVr Y‘m©À`m VÎdmZwgma bmoH$m§Mo AmMaU Agmdo `mgmR>r `m J«m‘rU ^mJmV `m naXoer {‘eZarg Iyn AmQ>m{nQ>m H$amdm bmJV Ago. Amnë`m `m Zd{¼ñVr g‘mOmÀ`m gm‘m{OH$, Z¡{VH$ Am[U Am{W©H$ pñWVrV gwYmaUm ìhmdr `mgmR>r Ë`m‘wio ’$mXa Om{H$`a `m§Zm AZoH$Xm H$mhr H$Qy YmoaU ñdrH$mamdo bmJV Ago.
Am¡a§Jm~mX {OëømV Ë`mH$mir àM{bV Agboë`m AZoH$ A{Zï> gm‘m{OH$ àWm ~§X H$aÊ`mgmR>r Ë`m§Zm Iyn H$ï> H$amdo bmJbo. EImXm ~mb{ddmh hmoUma Amho qH$dm EImXr ì`º$s Amnbr nËZr qH$dm nVr {Od§V AgVmZm Xwgao b¾ H$aUma Amho Ago H$ibo H$s ’$mXa Om{H$`a Amnë`m KmoS>çmda ñdma hmoD$Z {Xdgm qH$dm amÌr Xhm-drg ‘¡b àdmg H$ê$Z Ë`m Jmdr OmD$Z Vr àWm amoIV AgV. V‘mem `m bmoH$H$boVrb Aíbrb àH$ma Am{U `m bmoH$H$boÀ`m _mÜ`_mVyZ V‘mgJra ór-H$bmH$mam§Mo hmoUmao b¢{JH$ emofU `m~Ôb ’$mXa Om{H$`a `m§Zm àM§S> MrS> hmoVr. KmoJaJmd n§MH«$moerV AJXr a§JmV Ambobo V‘memMo à`moJ Ë`m§Zr AZoH$Xm ~§X nmS>bo hmoVo. ~mb{ddmh, Xwgao b¾ `mgmaIo àH$ma EH$Q>çmXwH$Q>çmZo amoIUo {VVHo$ ghO ZìhVo. ‘mÌ `wamo{n`Z Agë`mZo ’$mXam§Mm EH$ àH$maMm dMH$ Ago Am{U Ë`m§Zm {damoY H$aÊ`mMr Hw$Um EH$m ì`º$sg qH$dm AJXr O‘mdmghr qh‘V hmoV Zgo. H$m`XmH$mZyZMr ‘m{hVr Agë`mZo àg§Jr gaH$maXa~mar OmD$Z Ago A{Zï> àH$ma Vo amoIV AgV. Ë`m‘wio AZoH$Xm Ë`m§Zm Amnë`mM bmoH$m§Mm amofhr AmoT>dyZ ¿`mdm bmJV Ago. Ë`m_wio 1900 gmbr Amnë`m amoO{ZerV EH$Xm ’$mXam§Zr {b{hbo hmoVo : ""‘bm bmoH$m§Zr Iam~ gmho~ åhUOo H$S>H$, ^`§H$a Ago Zmd {Xbo Amho. ‘mÂ`m `m à{V‘oer gmOogo dV©Z H$aÊ`mMm ‘r A{YH$m{YH$ à`ËZ H$aVmo Amho.''
’$mXa Om{H$`a ñd^mdmZo {H$Vrhr H$S>H$ Agbo Var {‘eZH|$ÐmVrb Amnë`m bmoH$m§{df`r Ë`m§Zm ‘m`m, ào‘ hmoVo. {H$VrVar eVHo$ Añn¥í` åhUyZ hoQ>mië`m Joboë`m, Jmdm~mhoa hmH$bboë`m, Xodim§V àdoe ZmH$maboë`m ‘hma bmoH$m§Zm n{hë`m§XmM EH$ ì`ŠVr ‘mPo bmoH$ åhUyZ ñdrH$maV hmoVr. Ë`m§Zm Ë`m§À`m JwUm§-AdJwUm§gh ñdrH$maV hmoVr. IoS>çmnmS>çm§‘Ü`o `m bmoH$m§‘Ü`o dmdaVmZm ’$mXa Om{H$`a AJXr Ë`m§À`mn¡H$s EH$ hmoV, Ë`m§À`mgmaIr OrdZe¡br OJV. KmoJaJmd {‘eZHo$§ÐmVrb AZoH$ JmdÀ`m ‘hma bmoH$m§Zm `mMoM ’$ma ‘moR>o Aàyn dmQ>V hmoVo.
KmoJaJmdÀ`m n§MH«$moerVrb AS>mUr, Jmd§T>i Zd{¼ñVr bmoH$m§‘Ü`o H$m‘ H$aV AgVm§Zm `wamo{n`Z g§ñH¥$VrÀ`m ’$mXa Om{H$`a `m§À`m ghZeº$sMm AZoH$Xm A§V Pmbm AgUma. ‘mÌ {‘eZar d¥ÎmrZo H$m‘ H$aVm§Zm Ë`m§Zr Ë`m bmoH$m§Zm gm§^miyZ KoVbo. ñWm{ZH$ bmoH$m§Zrhr Ë`m§Mm {eñV{à` ñd^md, bmoH$m§À`m AS>MUrÀ`m doir ‘XV H$aÊ`m{df`rMr Agbobr Vi‘i g‘OmdyZ KobVr Am{U Ë`m§À`m H$S>H$ ñd^mdmH$S>o, AmH$m§S>Vm§S>dmH$S>o Xwb©j Ho$bo. EH$mM Jmdr Mma XeHo$ H$m‘ H$aÊ`mMr ’$mXam§Zm g§Yr {‘imbr. Aem n[apñWVrV EImÚm ì`º$sMo XwJw©U, ‘`m©Xm A{YH$ AYmoaoIrV hmoD$Z Vr ì`º$s ZmdS>Vr hmoÊ`mMr eŠ`Vm AgVo. Om{H$`a~m~m§À`m ~m~VrV Ago KS>bo Zmhr, CbQ> Ë`m§À`mer {ZJ{S>V Agboë`m AZoH$ KQ>Zm `m n[agamV AmOhr H$m¡VwH$mZo gm§{JVë`m OmVmV.
’$mXa ‘m[a`mZ Wm°‘g `m§Mr 1897 bm ZmJnyabm ~Xbr Pmë`mZ§Va H$mhr ‘{hÝ`mVM {demImnÅ>U‘bm ZwH$VoM Xrjm{dYr Pmbobo ’$mXa AZ}ñQ> WoìhZoQ> ’$mXa Om{H$`a `m§Mo ghm`H$ åhUyZ KmoJaJmdbm Ambo. {‘eZar H$m‘mV AmdS>rZo ^mJ KoUmè`m ’$mXa AZ}ñQ>Mr àH¥$Vr ‘mÌ IynM ZmOyH$ hmoVr. gVV AmOmar nS>V Agë`m‘wio ’$mXa AZ}ñQ> `m§Zm {‘eZar§Mr IS>Va OrdZe¡br Ponbr Zmhr. gZ 1898 À`m ‘Ü`m§Vamg Ë`m‘wio Ë`m§Mr Im§S>dm `oWo ~Xbr Pmbr. ’$mXa Om{H$`a KmoJaJmdmV nwÝhm EH$Xm EH$Q>oM am{hbo.
Amnë`m `m bmoH$m§{df`r ’$mXam§Zr {b{hbo Amho : ""‘hma bmoH$m§‘Ü`o AZoH$ AdJwU AmhoV. Ë`m§À`mV Zo_Ho$ Hw$R>bo Xmof ZmhrV ho gm§JUo AdKS> Amho. `mn¡H$s J{d©ï> ñd^md Am{U Aàm‘m{UH$nUm ho Xmof A{YH$ R>iH$nUo {XgyZ `oVmV. `m bmoH$m§er ‘m`oZo Am{U Ë`mM~amo~a I§~ranUo dmJmdo bmJVo. Ë`m§À`mH$SyZ EImXo Iyn ‘moR>o XwîH¥$Ë` hmoÊ`mnmgyZ Q>miÊ`mgmR>r Ë`m§À`m bhmZghmZ XwJw©Um§H$S>o H$mZmS>moim H$amdm bmJVmo. EImXm Xmof Xya H$aUo eŠ` Zgob Va ‘J Amnë`m VÎdmer ~m§{YbH$r H$m`‘ R>odUo Amdí`H$ R>aVo.''
1902 À`m Owb¡ ‘{hÝ`mV KmoJaJmdmV ‘moR>r Ymdni gwê$ hmoVr. `m{df`r ’$mXa Om{H$`a `m§Zr amoO{ZerV {b{hbo Amho : ""[‘eZ H§$nmD§$S>‘Ü`o ^aJ? H$m`©H«$‘m§Zr ‘moR>r OmZ Ambr Amho. Joë`m AmR>dS>çmV e§^amhyZ A{YH$ bmoH$m§Zm ‘bm OodU Úmdo bmJbo. `m AmR>dS>çmV 80 bmoH$m§gmR>r OodU ~Zdbo. Ë`m{edm` {‘eZ H§$nmD§$S>‘Ybo H$m‘H$ar bmoH$ Am{U emioVrb ~mo{S>ªJ‘Ybr ‘wbo AmhoVM. gÜ`m `oWo doJdoJù`m H$m_m§V bmoH$ X§J AmhoV. `oWo O‘boë`m bmoH$m§Zm Mma ‘mñVa Y‘©{ejU XoV AmhoV. Ë`m§À`m ‘XVrg H$Yr H°$Q>o{H$ñQ> emioVrb ‘moR>r ‘wbohr AgVmV. BWë`m emioÀ`m dJm©dJm©§V, ìham§S>çm§V Am{U PmS>m§Imbrhr {dÚmÏ`mªÀ`m Am{U àm¡T>m§À`m JQ>mJQ>m§Zm Y‘©{ejU {Xbo OmV Amho. `mn¡H$s H$mhr OU n{hë`m H$å`w{Z`ZMr V`mar H$aV AmhoV, Va H$mhr OU {ddmhnyd© à{ejUmV Y‘©{df`H$ kmZmMr COiUr H$aV AmhoV. Ë`m{edm`, ñd`§nmH$KamVyZ XJS>m§À`m OmË`m§da XiU XiÊ`mMm AmdmO Am{U ñd`§nmH$s ~m`m XiU XiVmZm JmV Agboë`m Amoì`m EoHy$ `oV AmhoV. EHy$U gJù`m n[agamV ~mobÊ`mMm Am{U Jm`ZmMm AmdmO H$mZmda nS>Vmo Amho. `m gd© Jmo§Yimda ‘mV H$aV ‘mñVa bmoH$ Amnë`m H$H©$e AmdmOmV ‘moR>çmZo gyMZm XoV AmhoV. Aem `m g§JrV‘` dmVmdaUmV ‘r ñdV: ho nÌ {b{hV Amho. M°nob‘Ü`o VmbmgwamV àmW©Zm Jm`ë`m OmV AmhoV. {OVH$m OmñV Jm|Yi Am{U JS>~S>, {VVH$m A{YH$ ‘r AmZ§Xr AgVmo. Á`mdoir qhXwñWmZr bmoH$ AmdmO H$aV Zmhr, Ë`mdoir Vo Pmonbo AmhoV Ago Iwemb g‘OyZ ¿`mdo.""
’$mXa Om{H$`a `m§Zr KmoJaJmdÀ`m n[agamV ZdZdr {‘eZH$|Ðo C^mabr. g§V ’«$m{Ýgg Po{d`aÀ`m gUm{Z{‘Îm åhUOo 3 {S>g|~a 1901 amoOr daIoS> JmdmV Zì`m M°nboMr H$moZ{ebm Amerdm©{XV H$aÊ`mV Ambr. Ë`mM ‘{hÝ`mÀ`m AIoarg ZmJnwamhyZ ’$mXa H$m°nob Am{U H$mhr H°$Q>o{H$ñQ> {gñQ>a KmoJaJmd {‘eZH|$ÐmVrb bmoH$m§gh ZmVmi gU gmOam H$aÊ`mgmR>r Ambo hmoVo. ZmVmimÀ`m nyd©g§Ü`obm åhUOo 24 {S>g§o~abm Am{U 25 {S>go§~abm KmoJaJmdmV ‘moR>m H$m`©H«$‘ Pmbm.
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Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Ghogargaon – First MSFS mission in Nagpur diocese


Ghogargaon – First MSFS mission in Nagpur diocese


From 

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

By Camil  Parkhe 

Published by SFS Publications, Bangalore

Till the middle of the 19th century, Christianity was almost non-existent in Central India. The Christians in this area were mainly the Irish, Goan and Tamil soldiers at the garrisons of the East India Company. The Goan priests of the Golcoda mission used to visit them occasionally.  
The MSFS or Fransalian congregation was founded by Fr Peter Marie-Mermier  (1862) in France on October 24, 1838 under the patronage of St Francis de Sales. The vast mission territory of Visakhapatnam in India was entrusted to the MSFS in 1845. Fr Mermier sent his best six men for the new mission. Fr Jacques Martin, Fr Joseph Lavorel, Fr Jean Marie Tissot, Fr Jean Thevenet, Bro Pierre Carton and Bro Sulpice Fontanel boarded the ship on June 8, 1845 and arrived at Pondicherry on September 8, 1845.
Visakhapatnam mission then included parts of the present day states of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Maharashtra.  Its four mission centres were Visakhapatnam, Yanam, Kamptee and Aurangabad.
Many of the missionaries who came to India learned many Indian languages and some of them even wrote books in these languages. The Visakhapatanam mission was divided into two in 1887, forming the new diocese of Nagpur, with Alexis Riccaz (MSFS) as its first bishop. During the last 125 years, this Nagpur diocese was further bifurcated to form various dioceses including Nagpur (1887),  Amravati (1955) and Aurangabad (1978).  During these years, the Fransalians too have spread out to the other parts of India. This religious congregation today has five provinces in India, namely Visakhapatanam, South–West, North–East, Nagpur and Pune.1
The first Fransalian missionaries, Fr Jean Thevnet and Fr Joseph Lavorerl, arrived in Central India in 1846. At that time, there were only three priests in the whole central India – Fr Murphy, Irish chaplain at Kamptee, his Tamil assistant Fr Emmanuel and Fr O’Driscoll, a military chaplain in Jalna.
            The Fransalian missionaries made several attempts to open mission centres in central India but they were unsuccessful. Fr Lavorel tried to work in Mandla in Madhya Pradesh. Fr Benistrand tried to work among the Kunbis and the Mangs in the Deccan and among the Kurkus in Vidarbha. An orphanage was also opened at Thana near Nagpur in 1865 but with limited success. 2
            The breakthrough came in 1892 when the first mission centre for the local people was opened at Ghogargaon in Aurangabad district.  There is an interesting story revealing how the seeds of Christianity were sowed in this region, now called Marathwada. 

            A mission among the Mahars had been opened by the Jesuits in neighbouring Ahmednagar district, on the other side of the Godavari River, in 1878. Other Jesuit mission centres followed at Kendal in 1879, Walan in 1889 and Sangamner in 1892. By that time, the number of the Catholic Mahars in Ahmednagar district had risen to 1,000 under Fr Marcel D’Souza, Fr Otto Weishaupt and Fr Kraig.

Some 16 miles from Kendal was Ghogargaon village, on the left side of the Godavari. It had half-a-dozen stone and brick houses, a 100 mud houses. Outside the village lived the Mahars, the Dalits who were one of the untouchable communities during those days. An orphaned young Mahar from Ghogargaon, Nathu Raphael Shingare, had married a girl from Walan. There he saw the Jesuit mission, became a Catholic and later a catechist of Fr Weishaupt. On his return to his village Ghogargaon in 1892, Nathu Raphael gave a glorious account of the Walan mission to his neighbours and relatives. The local people who were denied development and progress for generations were indeed impressed. They immediately sent a delegation to Walan with a request to the Jesuit fathers to start a mission center in Ghogargaon.

Walan parish priest, Fr Kraig, paid a visit to the village to see the situation there. As Ghogargaon then belonged to the Nagpur diocese, he informed the chaplain of Aurangabad, Fr Montagnoux, of the local people’s desire to become Christians. Fr Montagnoux forwarded the request to Nagpur. At that time, Nagpur had no bishop after the recent death of Bishop Riccaz. Thus, in October 1892, Fr Pelvat, Nagpur diocesan administrator, received a letter telling him that several people from the village of Ghogargaon were asking for a school and were desiring to become Christians.
           
Bishop Riccaz had wanted to open a mission centre among non-Christians. Fr Pelvat welcomed the proposal and appointed Fr Thomas Marian to open the first Catholic mission in the Moghulai.



References:

1) Fransalians, website of the Missionaries of St Francis de Sales (MSFS)

2) Fr Francis Moget (MSFS), “The Missionaries of St Francis de Sales of Annecy’, SFS Publications, Vinayalaya, Bangalore, Karnataka 560 055 (1985). Distributors: Asian Trading Corporation, 150, Brigade Road, Bangalore- 560 025 (pages 268-260)

Arrival of Christianity in Nizam’s Hyderabad state



Arrival of Christianity in Nizam’s Hyderabad state



From 'Fr  Gurien Jacquier of Ghogargaon 

(Catholic mission in Aurangabad diocese - 1892  onwards)

By Camil Parkhe

Published by: SFS Publications, Bangalore




Christianity in India is 2000 years old. It was St Thomas the Apostle - one of the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ - who first preached the gospel in Kerala, the southern parts of the country. Christianity took deep roots in Goa and Vasai in Thane district in Maharashtra after the arrival of the Portuguese at the west coast of India in the medieval period. A group of Jesuits were also present for some time in the court of the Mughal emperor Akbar in the 17th century. Christianity, however, did not spread in north India during those days.
The British East India established its political rule in India in early 19th century. Its military officials and soldiers were Catholics and Protestants and therefore Christian priests were needed in various cantonment areas to serve as military chaplains. The rulers of various princely states in the country also had Europeans or Goan Christians as officers and soldiers and they too needed Christian priests at their military bases. The rulers therefore donated land for building of the churches. This marked the arrival of the first Christians in different parts of the country, followed by the military chaplains and later the construction of chapels and churches in the nook and corner of the country. For example, the first church in western Maharashtra, Immaculate Conception Church or the City Church, was constructed in Pune on a land given by Savai Madhavrao Peshawa II (1774- 1795) in 1792.1
  According to Indian Catholic Church’s historian, Fr Ernest R Hull (S J ), since 1812 Fr Lopes da Conceicao, parish priest at this Pune’s City Church, used to visit the Catholic soldiers in Aurangabad where a chapel was built for the soldiers. He also visited the soldiers of the British camp in Sattor (probably Shirur in Pune district) and in Jalna, ministering to the European and Indian troops alike and the civilians. 2
 The first church in Nizam’s Hyderabad princely state was constructed at Sycundarabad by Thomas Midlton, a Protestant priest. The Society for Propagation of the Gospel (SPG) launched its missionary work in Jalna. The school opened by the SPG in Jalna offered education to children belonging to all castes and religions. The schools opened by the Hyderabad’s ruler Nizam had Urdu as medium of instruction and the Muslim teachers employed there also allowed mingling of the untouchable castes children with high castes Hindu children. This used to anger the high caste Hindus who did not wish to send their children to mingle with the children belonging to the lower and untouchable castes. But often they had no other alternative as during those days there were no other institutions offering formal education to children.
The SPG appointed Rev Narayanshastri Sheshadri to its Jalna mission centre in 1862. Rev Sheshadri expanded the missionary activities in this part of the Marathwada region.  Under his leadership, 1011 people belonging to the untouchable castes embraced Christianity in 1868. These Dalits (the depressed people) included people belonging to the  untouchable Mang, Mahar and Chambar (cobbler) castes. Along with his religious apostolate, Rev Sheshadri also worked for the social upliftment of the untouchables. He was one of the veteran social reformers of his age.
Rev Sheshadri had obtained from Sir Salarjung, the then prime minister of the Nizam, the ruler of Hyderabad state, 800 acres of land on 25 years lease without any taxes. On this barren land, Rev Sheshadri established a new village, Bethel, also called Bethelwadi. There, he built a colony for the people who had converted to Christianity, all of whom were untouchables. There he dug up six wells, built a market place, a church and also a  mosque for the new settlement. Dr L Y Aucharmal who has written history of the Dalit liberation movement in Nizam’s Hyderabad state, has said that the establishment of an independent colony for the untouchable community was indeed a revolutionary step taken by Rev Sheshadri. He has said that this independent colony was a big slap for the prevailing social inequality. An independent colony for the untouchables was indeed a better option for these people who otherwise were leading a banished life outside the boundary of the village. 3
When Fr Jacquier arrived in Ghogargaon, Christianity had already made its presence felt in the Nizam’s Hyderabad princely  state. The Catholic Church’s work in Marathwada was, however, confined to the military officers and soldiers employed in the British camps. Fr Marian Thomas, founder of Ghogargaon mission, and his successor Fr Jacquier were the pioneer missionaries working among the local populace in the Marathwada region.     


References:

1) Catholic Diocese of Pune  – Directory 2006, Published by Bishop’s House, Pune  (Page 13)


2) Fr Ernest R Hull (S J ) ‘Bombay Mission History – With a special study of the Padroado question’, Examiner Press, Mumbai, Retailed by B X Furtado and Sons, Mumbai (page 201)

3) Dr L Y Aucharmal, ‘Ambedkari Chalwal Aani Hyderabad Sansthanateel Dalit Mukti Sangram’, (Ambedkarite movement and participation of Dalits in liberation of Hyderabad princely state),  Publisher: Usha Wagh, Sugawa Prakashan, 861/1, Sadashiv Peth, Pune 411 030 (1997)
           
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