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Vol. XVII, No. 3
57
des Häla (1881), an important ancient Indian Prākrit anthology of lyrical songs of life and love, given to us by the great German Indologist A. Weber. I, for one, as a part of my tribute to him, would present now a few observations on this anthology and also place before you a novel experiment of translating into English Free verse--Free Quatrain, some gāhās picked up from A. Weber's critically edited text itself8.
Notes And References:
1. (i) For more details vide German Indology, Shakuntala Publishing House, Bombay, 1969, pp. 1-3 (ii) During this period in India there was no planned or regularised provision for
Indological or oriental Studies. However the Central Government, on the recomendation of the Butler Committee that met at Simla in 1911, decided to depute every year two Indian young scholars to the Western Universities to study the functioning and proceedings of the International Congress of Orientalists that had held its first Session in Paris in 1873. Shree P. D. Gune was the first to get such benefit. The last scholar so deputed in 1921 was Shri. P. L. Vaidiya. In 1921 Education became the State subject; and, hence,
this scheme stopped there alone. (iii) Shri P. D. Gune returned from Germany in 1914. At the same time
Shri. S. K. Belavalkar returned from U. S. A. Whatever new Research Methodology and Oriental knowledge they had brought with themselves, was appreciated and actively encouraged by a team of several other scholars and the result was the birth of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Insritute at. Poona in 1917. Gradually Indology and Oriental studies were put on a new track of teaching, and research. Shri A. N. Upadhye was the first to get his Master's Degree in Prakrit, taught and trained by Dr. R. D. Vaidya and Dr. S.K.
Belavalkar etc. in this very Institute. (iv) For further details in respect of (ii) and (iii) above, Vide the General
President's Address by Dr. P. L. Vaidya, Silver Jubilee Session, A. I, O.
Conference, Calcutta, 1969. (v) Prakrit Studies in Indian Universities were given a tangible shape and push by
about 1930. Dr. A. N. Upadhye, Dr. Hiralal Jain, Pt. Bechardas and Pt. Malvania etc. can be said to be doyens in this regard. Zeitschrift der Deutsche Morgenlaendische Gosellshaft (ZDMG), reputed Journal, is the research organ of this Society. For details of individual work and contribution of these scholars to Prakrit and
Jainological studies, vide the relevant parts of the following - (i) German Scholars on India Vol. 1, Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series, Varanasi,
1973 and Vol. II, Nachiket Publication, New Delhi-1976. Both published by the
Culural Deptt. of the German Embassy, New Delhi. (ii) Ludwig Alsdorf: Kleine Schriften, Glasenapp-Stiftung, Band-10, Wiesbaden. (iii) A Random Selection of Researches in Jainology by Foreigners, Dr. N. M.
Tatia, Tulasi-prajñā, Vol. V, 9-10 (1979-80); and Further Selection of Researches in Jainology by Foreigners, Dr. N. M. Tatia, Tulasi-prajña, Vol, V, 11-12, (1980).
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