 |
| Fr. Henry D'Almeida |
Fr Henry D’Almeida SJ is a
professor of Indian Philosophy and Religion at Jnana Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune. His
philosophical expertise is as well known as his command over Kannada language
and literature. Every year, he makes his way to our Novitiate to give Kannada course
to the Novices. This year we thought it good to know more about the
Kannada guru’s personal interest in Kannada. This interview was taken precisely
for this reason.
Father, what urged your deep
study in Kannada Sahitya? When did it begin?
Kannada has a rich history of 1500
years. The earliest record goes back to Halmidi shasana of 450 CE. This language
abounds in literary and spiritual beauty. The early interest nurtured during my
high-school days urged me to cultivate a deep personal interest.
You spoke about auto-formation in
the course. Is your fascination and expertise in Kannada a result of
auto-formation?
Though I studied as a Kannada medium student till my SSLC, my
present interest and knowledge to a great extent are a result of personal
study. A crash course given by Fr Jerome D’Souza SJ during my Juniorate also
contributed towards this end.
Can you tell how the study of Sahitya (literature) enriches one’s spiritual
life?
Sahitya or literature means life. Kannada literature has rich religious
literature belonging to Jainism, Veerashaivism and various traditions of
Hinduism like Dvaita, Advaita and Visistadvaita. Even Christian literature is
quite much. One can mention two recent epics on Jesus Christ – Siribhuvana
Jyoti by B. S. Talwadi and Yesu Mahadarshana by Lata Rajashekar. I strongly
believe that the study of Kannada literature can enrich one’s spirituality.
Which Kannada literary figure
approaches closest to Christian thought and faith?
The compositions of
Basavanna and his followers strongly advocate the values of the Kingdom of God i.e., equality, classless society,
dignity of women, work as worship, human being as the temple of God, etc. The
Dasa Sahitya celebrates the love of God and servant spirituality in the
Kirtans.
What does a person lose if he/she
fails to at least become familiar with the literary treasures of his/her
culture?
We cannot be abstract human beings. Our identity is formed by a
particular socio-cultural milieu. If a person fails to acquaint oneself with
the local literature, I would say that he/she has become a less of human being.
What is the greatest lesson you
have learnt in pursuit of your Kannada studies?
It has broadened my view of
other religions and given me a greater sense of belonging to my land and my
people.
Thank you, father.
No comments:
Post a Comment