Rahul with PM India Nehru
Book by Rahul
Rahul
Sankrityayan did many
more stunning achievements in the fields of exploration, literature and
learning.
We are grateful to Rahul Sankrityayan.
But unfortunately many are bundled in
the back room of Old Museum, Patna in Bihar, which was gifted by him to Bihar
Government.
Little work was done to preserve them and to know what is written
in it.
Most of these were a part of the libraries of Ancient
Vikaramshila and Nalanda (Visvadalaya) Universities.
These objects had been taken to Tibet by
fleeing Buddhist Monks during the twelfth (12th) and subsequent centuries
when the invading Bakhityar Khilji’s
Muslim invading army had destroyed universities in India.
Nalanda was burnt and Udvantnagar and Vikaramshila Universities were destroyed.
Some accounts state that Rahul
Sankrityayan employed twenty-two mules to bring these materials
from Tibet to India.
Patna
Museum, Patna, Bihar has a special section of these materials in his
honour, where a number
of these and other items have been displayed.
Many of Rahul's personal collections including the ones he
gathered from his multiple trips to Tibet were distributed across to multiple
Universities and Museums.
Patna Museum
has an extensive collection of Buddhist scrolls which he assimilated through
his journeys across Tibet.
Many of these are considered rare gems of Indian
scriptures translated into Tibetan.
Although he had little formal education, in view of his
knowledge and command over the subject, University
of Leningrad appointed him Professor of Indology in 1937–38 and again in 1947–48.
Sankrityayan was both a polymath as
well as a polyglot.
He wrote 140
books of high scholarly value. He wrote in five
languages – Hindi, Sanskrit, Bhojpuri, Pāli and Tibetan.
He learned how to read,
write and speak in nearly 30 languages. He was well versed in several languages and dialects
including Hindi,
Sanskrit, Pali, Bhojpuri, Magahi, Urdu, Persian, Arabic, Tamil, Kannada,
Tibetan, Sinhalee, French and Russian.
He
was also an Indologist, a Marxist theoretician, and a creative writer.
He
started writing during his twenties and
his works covered a variety of subjects, including Autobiography, Biography, sociology, History, Philosophy, Buddhism, Tibetology,
Lexicography, Grammar, Textual editing, Folklore, Fiction, Essays,
Pamphleteering, Science, Drama and Politics.
Many
of these were unpublished.
He
translated Bodh Dhamma book Majjhim Nikaya from Prakrit to Hindi.
He is referred to as the 'Greatest Scholar' (Mahapandit)
for his scholarship.
The Government
of India awarded him the civilian honour of the Padma Bhushan in 1963.
The historian Kashi Prasad Jayaswal compared Rahul Sankrityayan
with Buddha.
Rahul's personality was as impressive and memorable as are his
achievements.
Personal Life marriage
and Family:-
Rahul was married when he was very young and
never came to know anything of his child-wife, Santoshi. Probably he saw her
only once in his 40s as per his autobiography: Meri Jivan Yatra.
During his stay in Soviet Russia a second time, accepting an
invitation for teaching Buddhism at Leningrad University, he came in contact
with a Mongolian
scholar Lola (Ellena Narvertovna Kozerovskaya).
She could speak French, English, and Russian and write
Sanskrit. She helped him in working on Tibetan- Sanskrit dictionary.
Their
attachment ended in marriage and birth
of son Igor.
Mother and son were not allowed to accompany Rahul to India
after completion of his assignment due to restrictions imposed by Stalin
regime.
Late in life, he married Dr. Kamala, an Indian Nepali lady and had a daughter (Jaya),
two sons Jeta and Jayant.
Rahul accepted a teaching job at a Sri Lankan University, where
he fell seriously ill. Diabetes, high blood pressure and a mild stroke struck
him.
Most tragic happening was the loss of memory. He breathed his last in
Darjeeling in 1963.
His last residence at Darjeeling was at 21 Kacheri Road: Rahul
Nivas.
Rahul Sankrityayan was a rare
genius who did not let his lack of formal education come in his way to reach
greater heights.
He gained knowledge through self-study and extensive
travelling.
He learnt to speak and write in several languages.
His life’s credo
is reflected in one of his inspirational quote,
“Oh!
Ignorant, go and travel all over the world. You will not get this life again. Even if you live long, youth will never return.”
Rahul's Tomb stone is situated at Darjeeling.
This tombstone is established at a place called "Murda Haati" which
is a cremation ground downtown in the lower altitudes of Darjeeling around 25
minutes drive from the Chow Rasta.
The same place also has the tombstone of
Sister Nivedita or Bhagini Nivedita of Vivekananda fame.
In Hindi
Novels
·
Baaeesween Sadi – 1923
·
Jeeney ke Liye – 1940
·
Singha Senapathi – 1944
·
Jai Yaudheya – 1944
·
Bhago Nahin, Duniya ko
Badlo – 1944
·
Madhur Swapna – 1949
·
Rajasthani Ranivas – 1953
·
Vismrit Yatri – 1954
·
Divodas – 1960
·
Vismriti Ke Garbh Me
Short Stories
·
Satmi ke Bachche – 1935
·
Volga
Se Ganga – 1944
·
Bahurangi Madhupuri – 1953
·
Kanaila ki Katha – 1955–56
Autobiography
·
Meri Jivan Yatra I – 1944
·
Meri Jivan Yatra II – 1950
·
Meri Jivan Yatra III,
IV, V – published posthumously
Biography
·
Sardar Prithvi Singh – 1955
·
Naye Bharat ke Naye
Neta (2 volumes) – 1942
·
Bachpan ki Smritiyan – 1953
·
Ateet se Vartaman (Vol
I) – 1953
·
Stalin – 1954
·
Lenin – 1954
·
Karl Marx – 1954
·
Mao-Tse-Tung – 1954
·
Ghumakkar Swami – 1956
·
Mere Asahayog ke Sathi – 1956
·
Jinka Main Kritajna – 1956
·
Vir Chandrasingh
Garhwali – 1956
·
Simhala Ghumakkar
Jaivardhan – 1960
·
Kaptan Lal – 1961
·
Simhal ke Vir Purush – 1961
·
Mahamanav Budha – 1956
Some of his other books are:-
·
Mansik Gulami
·
Rhigvedic Arya
·
Ghumakkar Shastra
·
Kinnar desh mein
·
Darshan Digdarshan
·
Dakkhini Hindi ka
Vyaakaran
·
Puratatv Nibandhawali
·
Manava Samaj
·
Madhya Asia ka Itihas
·
Samyavad hi Kyon
In Bhojpuri ]
·
Teen Natak – 1942
·
Panch Natak – 1942
In Nepali (Translation).
·
Bauddhadharnma Darshan – 1984
Related to Tibet.
· Tibbati Bal-Siksha – 1933
·
Pathavali (Vol. 1,2
& 3) – 1933
·
Tibbati Vyakaran
(Tibetan Grammar) – 1933
·
Tibbat May Budh Dharm-1948
·
Lhasa ki or
·
Himalaya Parichay Bhag
1
·
Himalaya Parichay Bhag
2
End
