Wanda Dynowska
Encyclopedia
Wanda Dynowska (30 June 1888 - 20 March 1971) Polish
writer
, translator, social activist, promoter of intercultural exchanges between India
and Poland
, jogini, foundress of the Indian-Polish Library.
) to a family of Polish nobility. Studied in Krakow
and Lausanne
. From 1919 she became an active promoter of theosophy
in Poland.
In 1935 Dynowska came to India and got involved in new Hindu
religious movements (with Ramana Maharishi, and philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti
, among others). She also became a close collaborator of Mahatma Gandhi
supporting Indian movements for independence
.
In 1944, together with another Polish Hindu Maurice Frydman
, she founded the Indian-Polish Library in Madras, which became for more than thirty years a major editorial body for Polish translations of main Hindu religious texts (e.g. Bhagavat Gita, Mahabharata
, Ramayana
) as well as for contemporary Indian poetry
and literature
.
Dynowska translated from Polish to English
, Tamil
, and Hindi
most important works of Polish poets, and published these works in India. She was an exceptionally active promoter of Polish culture and history in India.
From 1960 she started helping Tibet
an refugees
in India. Living in their main centre in Dharmasala, Dynowska organized schools, education, and social infrastructure there. Additionally, she published Polish translations of Buddhist texts.
She died in Mysore, and according to her will, her burial had an inter-religious (Catholic
-Buddhist-Hindu) character.
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, translator, social activist, promoter of intercultural exchanges between 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 Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, jogini, foundress of the Indian-Polish Library.
Biography
Born in Sankt-Petersburg (RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
) to a family of Polish nobility. Studied in Krakow
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
and Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
. From 1919 she became an active promoter of theosophy
Theosophy
Theosophy, in its modern presentation, is a spiritual philosophy developed since the late 19th century. Its major themes were originally described mainly by Helena Blavatsky , co-founder of the Theosophical Society...
in Poland.
In 1935 Dynowska came to India and got involved in new Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
religious movements (with Ramana Maharishi, and philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti
Jiddu Krishnamurti
Jiddu Krishnamurti or J. Krishnamurti or , was a renowned writer and speaker on philosophical and spiritual subjects. His subject matter included: psychological revolution, the nature of the mind, meditation, human relationships, and bringing about positive change in society...
, among others). She also became a close collaborator of Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
supporting Indian movements for independence
Indian independence movement
The term Indian independence movement encompasses a wide area of political organisations, philosophies, and movements which had the common aim of ending first British East India Company rule, and then British imperial authority, in parts of South Asia...
.
In 1944, together with another Polish Hindu Maurice Frydman
Maurice Frydman
Maurice Frydman , aka Swami Bharatananda , was an engineer and humanitarian who spent the later part of his life in India...
, she founded the Indian-Polish Library in Madras, which became for more than thirty years a major editorial body for Polish translations of main Hindu religious texts (e.g. Bhagavat Gita, Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
, Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
) as well as for contemporary Indian poetry
Indian poetry
Indian poetry, and Indian literature in general, has a long history dating back to Vedic times. They were written in various Indian languages such as Vedic Sanskrit, Classical Sanskrit, Oriya, Tamil, Kannada, Bengali and Urdu. Poetry in foreign languages such as Persian and English also have a...
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....
.
Dynowska translated from Polish to English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
, and 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...
most important works of Polish poets, and published these works in India. She was an exceptionally active promoter of Polish culture and history in India.
From 1960 she started helping Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
an refugees
Tibetan Refugee Self Help Center
Tibetan Refugee Self Help Center in Darjeeling, India is a rehabilitation centre for the Tibetan refugees in the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region. It was established in 1 October, 1959...
in India. Living in their main centre in Dharmasala, Dynowska organized schools, education, and social infrastructure there. Additionally, she published Polish translations of Buddhist texts.
She died in Mysore, and according to her will, her burial had an inter-religious (Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
-Buddhist-Hindu) character.
Bibliograhy
(in Polish)- Kazimierz Tokarski „O Wandzie Dynowskiej-Umadevi”,
- Tadeusz Margul „Wanda Dynowska- wielka ambasadorka kultury polskiej”,
- Ryszard Sawicki „Gdzie się Ganges toczy”,
- Ewa Dolińska „Świetlista Dusza” (Orzeł Biały-Na Antenie, październik 1981),
- Gandhi, aszramy i Tybetańczycy. Wywiad z Wandą Dynowską, Tygodnik Powszechny 1969,