Camille Bulcke
Encyclopedia
Camille Bulcke was a Belgian Jesuit missionary in India
, who attained pre-eminence in the Hindi
language and came to be known as "India's most famous Christian Hindi scholar".
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, a village in Knokke-Heist
municipality in the Belgian province of West Flanders
Bulcke had already acquired a B.Sc. degree in civil engineering from Louvain University, when he became a Jesuit in 1930 After doing his philosophical training in Valkenburg
, Netherlands, (1932–34) he left for India
in 1934 and after a brief stay in Darjeeling, he taught Mathematics for five years at Gumla
(present Jharkhand
). It was here that he developed his lifelong passion for learning Hindi, as later recalled:
Theological training (1939–42) was undertaken in Kurseong
, India, during which he was ordained priest (in 1941). His interest in the classical language of India led him to do a Master's Degree in Sanskrit
at Calcutta University (1942–44) and finally a doctorate in Hindi
literature at Allahabad University
(1945–49) with a thesis titled, 'Ram Katha Ka Vikas'. ['The Development of the Rama Story']
and Hindi of St Xavier's College
, Ranchi
. But early hearing problems led him to go more for a scholar's than a professor's career. He felt much attracted by the 17th century's Hindi poet Tulsidas
on whose writings he made his doctoral thesis. Bulcke was often invited to give conferences on the Hindi poet and his devotional Rama
-songs, which he did with much enthusiasm. He brought people in touch with the profound values of their own spiritual traditions, and, according to him, Tulsidas was also an excellent introduction to the values of the Gospel
. He obtained Indian citizenship
in 1951, and - highly esteemed by the Government of India
- was made a member of the National commission for the promotion of Hindi
as the national language. He took on the name Bihar
i after acquiring Indian citizenship.
He died in Delhi on 17 August 1982.
, but to acquire a systematic knowledge of Indian Philosophy
and Literature
, he studied for his M.A.
degree in Hindi
from the University of Allahabad. It was, during this period of preparation for his M.A.
in Allahabad
that he had an occasion to read and study the Ramcharitmanas of Tulsidas
. The Ramcharitmanas was a highly influential devotional book for Hindus in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and was frequently read by Europeans learning Hindi. The more Bulcke studied the Ramcharitmanas, the deeper became his attachment to it. His sublime sense of righteous goodness, the lofty values and ideals of its characters and its poetic excellence fascinated him to such an extent that it almost became an object of worship for him. He found a striking resemblance between the ethical aspect of righteous conduct and values of life as portrayed by the author of the Ramcharitmanas and those propounded by Jesus Christ in his discourses. He, therefore, took up a relevant topic, viz. Ramkatha: utpatti aur vikas (The tale of Rama: its origin and development) and obtained his D.Phil degree from the University of Allahabad on the subject. His thesis was hailed by scholars all over India
and his name became known to litterateurs outside the Hindi
world also.
based on the four gospels, Muktidata ('The Saviour') and also translated the Bible
into Hindi, as well as liturgical and devotional books. His love for the Hindi language, his imposing appearance as well as his constant willingness to help students and scholars and to listen to the simple and the distressed gave him the reputation of being a 'guru' and, for this reason, many approached him for advice even in matters that had little to do with literature.
conferred on him the Padma Bhushan
, one of the premier civilian awards, second only to the Bharat Ratna
and the Padma Vibhushan
. The award was in recognition of his "outstanding contribution to Hindi literature
."
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, who attained pre-eminence in the Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
language and came to be known as "India's most famous Christian Hindi scholar".
Early life
Camille Bulcke was born in RamskapelleRamskapelle
Ramskapelle is a village in Knokke-Heist, a town in Belgium.Ramskapelle is also a village in Nieuwpoort, a town in Belgium.See also: West Flanders-External links:*...
, a village in Knokke-Heist
Knokke-Heist
Knokke-Heist is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Heist-aan-Zee, Knokke, Duinbergen, Ramskapelle and Westkapelle. On January 1, 2006 Knokke-Heist had a total population of 34,063. The total area is 56.44 km² which gives a...
municipality in the Belgian province of West Flanders
Bulcke had already acquired a B.Sc. degree in civil engineering from Louvain University, when he became a Jesuit in 1930 After doing his philosophical training in Valkenburg
Valkenburg aan de Geul
Valkenburg aan de Geul is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands.-History:Siege and conquest were characteristic of the history of Valkenburg. Each event is withheld, followed by subsequent restorations. This most definitely holds for the castle perched atop of a hill in the middle of the...
, Netherlands, (1932–34) he left for India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1934 and after a brief stay in Darjeeling, he taught Mathematics for five years at Gumla
Gumla
Gumla is a town which is also headquarters of Gumla district of Jharkhand state, India.-History:Long ago Gumla was a small hamlet. Fair ‘Gau-Mela‘ took place once in a year and continued for one week. Here all items of daily use, utensils, ornaments, grains, cattle etc. were sold & exchanged...
(present Jharkhand
Jharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
). It was here that he developed his lifelong passion for learning Hindi, as later recalled:
"When I arrived in India in 1935, I was surprised and pained when I realised that many educated people were unaware of their cultural traditions and considered it a matter of pride to speak in English. I resolved my duty would be to master the language of the people." - The Faith Of A Christian — Devotion To Hindi And To Tulsi.
Theological training (1939–42) was undertaken in Kurseong
Kurseong
Kurseong is a hill station situated in Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India.Located at an altitude of 1458 metres , Kurseong is just 30 km from Darjeeling...
, India, during which he was ordained priest (in 1941). His interest in the classical language of India led him to do a Master's Degree in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
at Calcutta University (1942–44) and finally a doctorate in Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
literature at Allahabad University
Allahabad University
Allahabad University , is a premier Central University located in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. Its origins lie in the Muir Central College, named after Lt...
(1945–49) with a thesis titled, 'Ram Katha Ka Vikas'. ['The Development of the Rama Story']
Career
In 1949 Bulcke was made Head of the department of SanskritSanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
and Hindi of St Xavier's College
St. Xavier's College, Ranchi
St Xavier's College, Ranchi, in the Indian state of Jharkhand, was started by the Ranchi Province of the Society of Jesus, a Christian religious order founded by St. Ignatius Loyola in 1540...
, Ranchi
Ranchi
-Climate:Ranchi has a humid subtropical climate. However, due to its position and the forests around the city, it is known for its pleasant climate. Its climate is the primary reason why Ranchi was once the summer capital of the undivided State of Bihar...
. But early hearing problems led him to go more for a scholar's than a professor's career. He felt much attracted by the 17th century's Hindi poet Tulsidas
Tulsidas
Tulsidas , was a Hindu poet-saint, reformer and philosopher renowned for his devotion for the god Rama...
on whose writings he made his doctoral thesis. Bulcke was often invited to give conferences on the Hindi poet and his devotional Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
-songs, which he did with much enthusiasm. He brought people in touch with the profound values of their own spiritual traditions, and, according to him, Tulsidas was also an excellent introduction to the values of the Gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
. He obtained Indian citizenship
Indian nationality law
The Indian citizenship and nationality law and the Constitution of India provides single citizenship for the entire country. The provisions relating to citizenship at the commencement of the Constitution are contained in Articles 5 to 11 in Part II of the Constitution of India...
in 1951, and - highly esteemed by the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
- was made a member of the National commission for the promotion of Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
as the national language. He took on the name Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
i after acquiring Indian citizenship.
He died in Delhi on 17 August 1982.
Camille Bulcke and Ramcharitmanas
To fulfill zealously the onerous duties of a missionary monk, Bulcke stayed for quite some time in Darjeeling to make an in-depth study of the scriptures, being deeply interested in PhilosophyPhilosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, but to acquire a systematic knowledge of Indian Philosophy
Indian philosophy
India has a rich and diverse philosophical tradition dating back to ancient times. According to Radhakrishnan, the earlier Upanisads constitute "...the earliest philosophical compositions of the world."...
and Literature
Indian literature
Indian literature refers to the literature produced on the Indian subcontinent until 1947 and in the Republic of India thereafter. The Republic of India has 22 officially recognized languages....
, he studied for his M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
from the University of Allahabad. It was, during this period of preparation for his M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in Allahabad
Allahabad
Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...
that he had an occasion to read and study the Ramcharitmanas of Tulsidas
Tulsidas
Tulsidas , was a Hindu poet-saint, reformer and philosopher renowned for his devotion for the god Rama...
. The Ramcharitmanas was a highly influential devotional book for Hindus in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and was frequently read by Europeans learning Hindi. The more Bulcke studied the Ramcharitmanas, the deeper became his attachment to it. His sublime sense of righteous goodness, the lofty values and ideals of its characters and its poetic excellence fascinated him to such an extent that it almost became an object of worship for him. He found a striking resemblance between the ethical aspect of righteous conduct and values of life as portrayed by the author of the Ramcharitmanas and those propounded by Jesus Christ in his discourses. He, therefore, took up a relevant topic, viz. Ramkatha: utpatti aur vikas (The tale of Rama: its origin and development) and obtained his D.Phil degree from the University of Allahabad on the subject. His thesis was hailed by scholars all over India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and his name became known to litterateurs outside the Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
world also.
Scientific output
His life long involvement in Hindi research and translation work led him to gather material for an English-Hindi Dictionary (40,000 words) that is still the most widely used in North India. Till the end of his life he kept updating it. He prepared a life of ChristChrist
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
based on the four gospels, Muktidata ('The Saviour') and also translated the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
into Hindi, as well as liturgical and devotional books. His love for the Hindi language, his imposing appearance as well as his constant willingness to help students and scholars and to listen to the simple and the distressed gave him the reputation of being a 'guru' and, for this reason, many approached him for advice even in matters that had little to do with literature.
Main publications
- (Hindi) Muktidata (The Saviour), Ranchi, 1942.
- The Theism of Nyaya Vaisheshika, Calcutta, 1947.
- (Hindi) Râmakathâ, Utpatti aur Vikâsa, Allahabad, 1950.
- (Hindi) Ramâkathâ aur Tulsîdâs, Allahabad, 1977.
- (Hindi) Naya Vidhana (New Testament), Ranchi, 1977.
- English-Hindi Dictionary, Ranchi, 1981 (3d ed.).
Recognition
In 1974, the Government of IndiaGovernment of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
conferred on him the Padma Bhushan
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
, one of the premier civilian awards, second only to the Bharat Ratna
Bharat Ratna
Bharat Ratna is the Republic of India's highest civilian award, awarded for the highest degrees of national service. This service includes artistic, literary, and scientific achievements, as well as "recognition of public service of the highest order." Unlike knights, holders of the Bharat Ratna...
and the Padma Vibhushan
Padma Vibhushan
The Padma Vibhushan is the second highest civilian award in the Republic of India. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by the President of India. It was established on 2 January 1954. It ranks behind the Bharat Ratna and comes before the Padma Bhushan...
. The award was in recognition of his "outstanding contribution to Hindi literature
Hindi literature
Hindi literature , is broadly divided into four prominent forms or styles, being Bhakti ; Shringar ; Veer-Gatha ; and Adhunik...
."
External links
- Profile, Biodata and Biography of Father Camille Bulcke at BiharSpider