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Extracted from "Researches and Missionary Labours Among the Jews, Mohammedans, and
Other Sects by Joseph Wolff
Published in 1837"
Entitled: Armenians in British India
Extract from “the Asiatic Journal & Monthly Register for
British and Foreign India 1822.Entitled:
"Brief Account of the Armenian
Press"
(Drawn up by an Armenian Gentleman, for the Calcutta Journal.)
Extracted from the "Calcutta Monthly Journal and General
Register" for 1836. Page 465.
Entitled: GENERAL MEETING AT THE
ARMENIAN CHURCH OF CALCUTTA.
Extract
from Madras in the olden time:
Entitled
"The First Appearance of Armenians in
Madras"
Extracted from “The Literary Panorama by Charles Taylor,
1807”
Entitled: Supplication for Rain by the
Armenian Christians.
Extracted from
"Researches and Missionary Labours Among the Jews, Mohammedans, and
Other Sects by Joseph Wolff
Published in 1837"
Armenians in British India
Johannes Avdal, at Calcutta, an Armenian and the author of the history
of Armenia, a gentleman of general knowledge, and well acquainted not
only with the Armenian, but likewise with the Persian, Turkish, English,
Latin, Greek and French languages gave me the following information
about the Armenians in British India. The number of Armenians in British
India amount to 1000. They visited India long before the discovery
of the Cape of Good Hope by the Portuguese. A few centuries ago
they carried on a commercial intercourse between Hindoostaun and Persia.
"Bolts Upon India Affairs" furnished ample information respecting
the Armenians in Hindoorstaun. There are Armenians at Calcutta,
Madras, Bombay, Penang, Singapore, Chinsurah, Sydabad, Dacca, Gwalior
and Surat. In all these places they have churches and chapels.
At Calcutta there are 300 Armenians some of them very rich. They are
engaged in mercantile pursuits others are employed as clerks in
different offices. They have a church at Calcutta, an alms house, built
14 year ago by Arratoon Petros. The following are respectable
Armenians at Calcutta: Messieurs Owenjohn Elias, Sarkies Owen, Arratoon
Kalloos, Aviet Agabeg, Sarkies T. Sarkies, Arratoon Apcar, Gregory
Apcar, Paul Jordan, Johannes Avdal.
In the Dutch settlements and the Burmese empire are about 30 families.
In the latter they have a beautiful church.
Mr. Sarkies Manook is the only principal Armenian at Rangoon. They have
at Calcutta an Armenian Philanthropic academy, founded in the year 1821,
solely by the generosity of Armenians. They study there grammar,
sacred and profane history, geography, arithmetic, geometry, moral and
natural philosophy etc., the Armenian, English, Latin, French and
Persian languages It contains above 70 students many of whom are
the children of parents residing in Calcutta, and the rest are from
Julfa, Sheeras, Rangoon, Batavia, Samarang, Dacca etc. Its funds
have accumulated to about 100,000 rupees by the bequests of Armenians. A
select library and printing press are attached to it. Mr. Arratoon
Kaloos, who was the first to pave the way to the education of the
Armenians in India, and who carried on a school of his own, for a period
of about 25 years prior to the foundation of the academy, is at the head
of this institution; and a respectable European who teaches the
classics, is attached to it, and John Avdal himself teaches in it.
Its affairs are managed by four directors, annually chosen from the
members. Goldsmith's history The Vicar of Wakefield, the Deserted
Village, Humphrey Prideaux's Life of Mohammed and Paul and Virginia
have been translated into Armenian by pupils of this institution.
In the year 1567 the use of the
Press began first among the Armenians. It has been established in many
cities; but in most cases, after continuing in operation a short time,
it has, owing to some cause or other, been abolished. It is permanently
established in Constantinople and Venice[1];
and at present there are printing offices in Paris, Vienna and
St. Petersburgh, which are all in constant employment.
In India the exercise of the Armenian Press began first at Madras, and
there is has undergone many changes. The Rev. Ter Arratoon Shamavon, of
that place, kept it going for many years, and printed off a great number
of books; but at present the presses of that Presidency are all
abolished.
In Calcutta a printing office was first established by the Rev. Ter
Joseph Stephanuse, who acted as editor for a time, and printed a few
books. It was afterwards sold. Mr. Gentloon Aviet succeeded to the
Rev. Ter Joseph Stephanuse. He also printed some books, but at present
nothing is done at his printing office. In the year 1819, Pogose
Vardanan Esq., of Madras, had a printing office, which he hade a present
of the Aid-spreading[2]
Society of Bombay; but on account of there
being but few Armenians at Bombay, this Society afterwards thought
proper to establish their press at Calcutta, in conjunction with the
Literary Society[3]
of the same place. It is now employed under the management of the said
Society.
Occurrences relating to the Press
at Calcutta
In the year 1820, on the 29th of
July, a prospectus was issued by the Literary Society, announcing to the
public their intention of establishing a Weekly Journal, to be entitled
“The Calcutta Mirror.” Owing to several circumstances, which a free
press is liable to produce, and to the mass of intolerable abuse which
were poured out upon its conductors (who were then Messrs. Mackertich A.
Aganoor, and John Avdall), the circulation of that paper was but of
short duration. Scarcely was the publication three months old, when the
conductors were secretly dogged through the public streets with fencing
sticks and clubs. Discord also broke out now and then between some of
the different families of the community, by which the circulation of the
paper was greatly injured. On account of these quarrels, the number of
subscribers to the press was diminished by one half; and at last,
encountered so many obstacles, the circulation of the paper was
unavoidably stopped.
After the discontinuance of the paper, Mr. Avdall’s[4] “Aunkidaz Aunpet” was put to press, on account of which the
opponents of the press began to pour forth a great deal of their
malicious venom. After the edition of the above book was thrown off,
Dr. Gregory’s Legacy was begun to be printed, it having been translated
into Armenian by the late Mr. Mackertich A. Aganoor[5].
Neither was this beautiful Tract exempt from misrepresentation and
abuse. As the opponents of the press were daily increasing in number,
and every possible effort making by them to overthrow the
printing-office establishment, the Rev. Deacon, Mr. Martin Macketich[6]
began to publish several Satirical Poems, in order to check their
audacity, and put a stop to their spiteful machinations. After the
embarkation of Mr. Mackertich on the Alexander to the Persian Gulph,
their hostility was carried so far, that the conductors were on the
point of shutting up the printing-office. But Mr. Mackertich
unexpectedly returning from sea, and observing the state of affairs,
published a pamphlet, containing an Appeal to the Community at large,
whereby he crushed in great degree their malicious efforts.
After the publication of this Address, Mr. Mackertich’s Comedy was put
to the Press. It is entitled “The Physiognomist of Treachery,”
and is divided into four Acts, containing about five hundred verses in
poetry. On the publication of this piece, the conductor of the press
was attached in a most unmanly manner, on a Sunday morning, after Divine
service, at the church gate, upon which a fighting match took place
between him and his aggressor. The adversaries of the press also gave
it to be understood, that on the republication of similar pamphlets,
worse treatment might be expected.
Observing that the audacious opposition of his adversaries was not
likely to case, he resigned his charge to another person, who took upon
himself the editorship of the press. The latter was also most grossly
insulted in the church; his stole and incense pan were snatched away
from his hand. This being contrary to the laws of the Armenian Church,
he now absents himself from divine service, until he can obtain legal
satisfaction.
The present condition of the Armenian press in Calcutta may be told in a
few words. Very few subscribers remain; but still the business is going
on; and a periodical magazine is begun to be published, which is now
distributed gratuitously amongst the community.
*We have thought it right to republish the foregoing statement. It is
scarcely necessary to add, that the style of it is very suspicious. We
shall be obliged, therefore, to any of our correspondents for further
information.
[1]
In Venice, at the Island of St. Lazarus, there is an Armenian
Society established, the members of which are all Ecclesiastical
persons, and of the Roman Catholic persuasion. It was founded
in the year 1712, by Mackythar Sabastyan, and the object of it
is to subject the Armenian Church to the Church of Rome. Many
books have been printed by this society, some of which are the
works of our ancestors, some translations from European
languages, and some written by themselves. The type they at
present use is preferable to that of any other Armenian books in
print.
[2]
In the year 1815 a Society was established at Bombay, entitled
“Ochanaspeur” or “Aid-spreading.” The object of this was to
preserve the adherence of the Armenian community to their own
Church, and to promote knowledge and science by printing useful
books, either original compositions or translations, and
distributing them gratuitously amongst the community. They have
now many works on hand read for publication, but owing to the
insufficiency of means, they remain unprinted. The following
are the members of the Society: Marcus Joseph (Chairman); Lukas
Joseph, Martin Mackertich, Mathew Joseph, Carapiet Chatoor.
[3]
In the year 1818 a Society was
established in Calcutta, entitled “Imastakhundir” or the
“Literary Society.” Their object is the same at that of the
Society of Bombay. Two books have been translated from the
English, and already printed by the Society; and they have on
hand many works ready for publication. The members of that
Society are as follow:
Mackertich A.
Aganoor (Chairman); Lazus Agabeg, John Avdall, Sarkies J.
Sarkies.
[4]
Mr. John Avdall is nineteen years of age, and was born in
Shirauz, in Persia. He was sent by his parents to Mr. Arratoon
Kaloo’s school, at Calcutta, where he received instruction in
the Armenian and English languages. The “Aunkidaz Aunpet”
(which signifies “useless to those who are stupids”) is
therefore dedicated to Mr. Kaloos. This book is compiled and
translated from the Elegant Extracts, and abounds chiefly with
portions of the beautiful writings of Addison, Johnson, Blair
Etc. It contains about three hundred and fourteen pages, and a
brief biographical sketch of the authors is attached to it.
[5]
Mr. Mackertich A. Aganoor was a native
of Bussorah, and educated in Bombay in the Armenian and English
languages. He died on the 29th March last [1821], in
the twenty-fourth year of his age. His translation of Gregory’s
Legacy is dedicated to his sister-in-law, Mrs. Agabeg. This
unfortunate young man did not live to see his translation out of
the press.
[6]
The Rev. Mr. M. Mackertich was born at Shirauz, and was
instructed in Armenian at Bombay. He is the first author who
had composed and published a dramatic work amongst the
Armenians. An Armenian gentleman at Madras also composed a
comedy, but from some cause or other he has not published it. A
comedy was also written by the Aid-spreading Society of Bombay,
where it was acted three times. A copy of this was delivered to
Mr. Mackertich that he might make in it whatever improvements he
should think necessary, and have it printed; and it is now ready
for publication. The Armenian press at Calcutta being at
present under his superintendence, he is writing a general
critique on this comedy, divided into three parts, two of which
are already printed, and the third is in the press.
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