|
G.N. Roerich - the outstanding Russian
Orientalist, linguist, historian, fine arts specialist, ethnographer,
and traveller - made a great contribution to the world-wide Tibet studies,
India studies and Mongolia studies. Since early years he expressed love
for the immensity of the world, for travelling, discovery of the unknown.
He was keen on travelling both by feet and by horse; he showed skills
for foreign languages, as well as openness and love towards people. The
village ease and comfort of his early childhood in the open air of the
tender and mild Russian nature contributed to that. George Nicholaevich
was a first-born in the Roerich family. He was born on the 3 (16) August,
1902 in the Novgorod region, in the estate of Kunevo, near Okulovka village.
The childhood and adolescence of the future scientist passed in St. Petersburg
and in the Valdai, in the family which expressed great interest towards
the Orient.
Such issues as the Great Move of Nations, mysteries of birth and destruction
of nomadic empires, mysteries of ancient burial mounds and tumuli of the
Great Eurasian steppe - all these deeply entered the mind of the future
Orientalist since his youth, and constantly fed his creative imagination.
Already in K. May gymnasium the young boy's imagination was captured by
the ancient Culture of Egypt and Babylonia. Lessons with the outstanding
Egyptologist B.A.Turaev contributed to the boy's initial passion towards
the Orient. The youth's interests continuously expanded, and turned from
Middle East to the specific districts of Asia. He started studying the
Mongolian language and literature together with the well-known Mongolia
researcher A.D.Rudnev. And since then Central Asia had been absorbing
his attention increasingly more.
Since the end of 1916 the Roerichs lived
in Finland and later, when revolutionary movements in Russia became more
and more destructive, they moved to England. In 1919 a 17 year old George
Nicholaevich entered Indian and Iran Department of the Oriental Languages
School of London University. There he started studying the Persian language
and the Sanskrit with professor Denison Ross. By that time he knew Greek
and Latin well and had a good command of many European languages. George
Nicholaevich continued his studies in Harvard University in the USA, where
he improved his knowledge of the Sanskrit under the surveillance of professor
C.L.Lanman. At the same time George Nicholaevich started studying the
Pali and the Chinese languages. In 1922 he graduated from Harvard University,
the Indian philology Department with a Bachelor degree. And he finished
his education in 1923 in the Oriental Languages School at Sorbonne (the
biggest centre of the European Oriental studies). As a result George Nicholaevich
perfectly mastered the Sanskrit, Pali, Tibetan, Chinese, Mongolian, Iranian
and a number of living Indian dialects.
In 1923-1928 he took active part in the Central Asian expedition arranged
by his father. Having passed the places absolutely unknown to the world
science the expedition successfully finished the epic of great research
itineraries along Central Asia. These itineraries were started in the
19th century by N.M.Prezhevalsky, and G.N.Kozlov and continued by V.I.Roborovsky,
P.K.Kozlov, W.Rockhill and Sven Gedin. George Nicholaevich finally determined
himself as a scientist in this expedition. Having settled its base in
Dardjiling, the expedition of N.K.Roerich worked in Sikkima (India) from
the end of 1923 till the spring of 1925. The collection of Tibetan Buddhist
tankas drawn on silk, which were described in detail by G.N.Roerich in
his work "Tibetan Painting" was one of the results of this expedition.
During his work in Sikkima George Nickolaevich used his knowledge of the
Tibetan language for the first time while communicating to local lama-scientists.
At the end of autumn of 1925 the expedition started moving from Ladaka
across the Karakumy mountain range to Sindzian along one of the highest
caravan roads of the world.
The details of the expedition are depicted by G.N.Roerich in his book
"Along the Paths of Central Asia". During the long road full
of hardships George Nicholaevich was an indispensable helpmate for his
father. Besides scientific work he was responsible for the organizational
part of the expedition, which returned to India in 1928. The expedition
allowed G.N. Roerich to closely learn the Tibetan language and its dialects,
to get acquainted with the life, rites and every day life of the nomads,
their culture, carry out big research and collect rich data.
|
G. Roerich and S. Roerich. 1960
|
After the expedition was over, the Roerichs
settled down in the Indian valley of Kulu. George Nicholaevich headed
the Institute of the Himalayan Research "Urusvati" founded by
his father. The work of the Institute was aimed at the complex studies
of the Orient (history, archaeology, botany, zoology, mineralogy, anthropology,
etc). During twelve years from 1932 till 1942 he was the Head and the
spirit of the Institute. He arranged a few expeditions along the North
India, Kashmir, Sikkim, Ladak; held a highly intensive research and development
work. In 1931 in his article "Problems of the Tibetan Archaeology"
he gave a periodization of the archaeological monuments and outlined new
objects for research. In 1932 G.N.Roerich published his work "Study
of Kalachkara". In 1933 his article "The Tibetan Dialect of
Lakhula" devoted to the language of the small principality in the
Western Himalayan was published.
In 1934-1935 George Nicholaevich went with his father into an expedition
around North Manchuria, Barga and Gobi desert in the foothills of Hingan,
and visits Japan. While working in the Western Himalayas George Nicholaevich
maintained close scientific contacts with the greatest orientalists of
the world. He was editing "The Urusvati Journal", wrote a big
research work on the history of Central Asia, a few monographs on the
Tibetan philology, made up a dictionary of the Tibetan language. One of
the most significant scientific achievements of this period was "Blue
Annals". It is the translation and commentaries to one of the most
important works on the history of Tibet, created in 1476-1478 by the Tibetan
historian Go-Lo-tsava Shon-nu-pal. George Nicholaevich did not consider
Tibet as an isolated mountain district in the centre of Asia, but as a
special place on the earth where the key to the historical fates of many
nations are kept. His special attention George Nicholaevich paid to the
epos about Gathar-Khan. In 1942 he finished his work "Saga on tsar
Gathar form the Land of Ling" where he joined all the existing data
on Gathar. Many-sided interests of George included India studies, Tibet
studies, Mongolia studies, Iran studies and Turkey studies in very different
aspects. In the field of Tibet studies he was working in the areas of
history, ethnography, archaeology, linguistics, literature, historiography,
history of religion, philosophy and arts.
In 1948 after his father's death George Nicholaevich together with his
mother Helena Ivanovna left the valley of Kulu and settled down in Kalimpong
- on the border with Sikkim. Here he worked in the local University, published
a number of his new research works ("Amdoss dialects", etc),
finished the translation of the historical and geographical memorial "Life
of Dharmasvama", about the Tibetan pilgrim who visited India in the
15th century. He was elected a member of the Royal Asian Society in London,
Asian Society in Bengali, Paris Geographical Society, American Archaeological
and Ethnographical Societies, etc.
G.N. Roerich was never a cabinet scientist. He accumulated a richest research
and development materials following the Christ's precept on the well-known
painting by N.K.Roerich "Christ's Signs" - to walk with your
own feet and to get knowledge with your own hands. And he understood that
objective scientific knowledge together with the works of art formed the
basis for the development and refining of the human consciousness, hence
secured further existence of the planet. That is why he devoted so much
time and effort not only to scientific studies but to the public activities
as well. He contributed to the expansion of ideas and ratification of
the Pact on Protection of the Cultural Values During War; and upon return
to his motherland was soliciting about the foundation of the Roerich Museum
(and an affiliated school) in Leningrad.
G. Roerich and H .Roerich wanted
to return to Russia in the end of 1940-ies, feeling that their place is
there and that their knowledge and help were required, but they were refused
an entry. George Nickolaevich came to Moscow only in autumn of 1957, after
his mother's death, upon N.S. Khrushchev's invitation. He was granted
an apartment and a diploma of the Doctor of Fine Arts. He headed the Department
of the History of Religion and Philosophy of India in the Institute of
the Oriental Studies of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. He managed
the work on research, translation and publishing of ancient philosophical
monuments of the Orient, taught the Tibet and three Indian languages,
continued his own scientific research. Due to his efforts a series "Bibliotheca
Buddhica" was recreated. The first edition was "Dhammapada"
- the collection of Buddha's dicta, translated by V.N.Toporov, under the
edition of G.N.Roerich. Besides the scientist was working on the Tibet-Sanskrit-Russia-English
dictionary which was published in 1980-ies. He was writing the books "The
Tibetan Language", "History of Central Asia", etc, published
a number of articles. The importance of the short stay of George Nicholaevich
in Moscow was huge. He managed to recreate India studies school, prepare
specialists who made up the flower of the Russian and world Oriental studies.
The problem of cultural ties between India and Russia was one of G.N.
Roerich's favourite subjects. George Nicholaevich took active part in
the foundation of the Soviet-Indian and Soviet-Ceylon Friendship Societies.
The return of his father's creative heritage to Russia is his credit.
Under his initiative were organized exhibitions of paintings brought by
N.K.Roerich from India.
On May 21, 1960 G.N. Roerich passed away leaving a great area of commenced
work.
The Roerichs
|
