Until the 19th century, themes, motifs, and forms in the literature composed in modern languages ... more Until the 19th century, themes, motifs, and forms in the literature composed in modern languages in India were largely traditional. Artistic refinement and literary individualism were achieved through the ways and means of how given subjects were treated, and how repetition and mannerism were avoided in dealing with them. Subjects were mostly taken from the huge stock of religious imagination developed in the Sanskrit Purāṇ as and in Sanskrit epic literature or from the bardic and folklore tradition (→ oral traditions and folklore; → bards). Within the framings of tradition, a high level of literary creativity developed in the focal points of the production, performance, and transmission of literature, namely, the courts and temples. These were embedded in a multireligious and transcultural context with its multitude of Hindu and Islamic traditions and beliefs, yogic and Buddhist substrata, Jainism, Sikhism, and subaltern religiosity. Literary creativity was bound to these sources of inspiration and allowed a high level of artistic refinement and individual mastery within its framework. In many parts of India, these traditional resources are alive until today and continue to infuse society and imagination. Around 1800, Calcutta (Kolkata) with its Fort William College (founded 1800) turned into a prominent location of a new type of literature and language use. Prose literature writing had not been completely absent until then, but had remained largely marginal in many Indian languages and Persian. Through the inspiration of people like John Gilchrist (1759-1841), advisor to the bhākhā munśīs (vernacular language teachers), textbooks in various languages for the use of the language courses for East India Company staff officers were produced and inspired authors to produce textbooks in the spoken language. One of the literary products of the Fort Williams College textbook production was the Premsāgar by Lallūlāl (1763-1825), a retelling of the classical → Kṛ ṣ ṇ a biography following a Braj version by Caturbhuj Miśra of the Bhāgavatapurāṇ a
The book contains translation from selected parts of the Guru Granth Sahib, the Dasham Granth, As... more The book contains translation from selected parts of the Guru Granth Sahib, the Dasham Granth, Asa di Var and Janamsakhis into German. Most of the text selected are used as liturgical texts. Every translated text is introduced and located in the Sikh tradition, single words and phrases are frequently explained in endnotes. The book also includes an extended commentary, bibliography and 16 coloured plates.
Hindi/Hindustani from the Perspective of an Early Modern Globalized Citizen : Francois-Marie de T... more Hindi/Hindustani from the Perspective of an Early Modern Globalized Citizen : Francois-Marie de Tours and his lingua mogolana (1703)
Following the case of the brutal raping and death of an Indian student of medicine and the public... more Following the case of the brutal raping and death of an Indian student of medicine and the public outcry in India on this event in December 2012, the Western discourse on women in South Asia is more than ever before focussed on the question whether South Asia in general is a dangerous space for women. The article goes into the intricacies of this discourse, relating violence against women to structural forms of violence, but at the same time trying to avoid stereotyping South Asia as particularly misogyn.
Swansong on Jewish Identity in India? : Sheila Rohekar's novel "Miss Samuel: Ek Yahudi G... more Swansong on Jewish Identity in India? : Sheila Rohekar's novel "Miss Samuel: Ek Yahudi Gatha" (2013) in context
Mrityu aur sanskritiyon ki rupantaran kshamta : Pahchan ki rajniti ke daur men Kunvar Narayan ke ... more Mrityu aur sanskritiyon ki rupantaran kshamta : Pahchan ki rajniti ke daur men Kunvar Narayan ke mahakavya par
Until the 19th century, themes, motifs, and forms in the literature composed in modern languages ... more Until the 19th century, themes, motifs, and forms in the literature composed in modern languages in India were largely traditional. Artistic refinement and literary individualism were achieved through the ways and means of how given subjects were treated, and how repetition and mannerism were avoided in dealing with them. Subjects were mostly taken from the huge stock of religious imagination developed in the Sanskrit Purāṇ as and in Sanskrit epic literature or from the bardic and folklore tradition (→ oral traditions and folklore; → bards). Within the framings of tradition, a high level of literary creativity developed in the focal points of the production, performance, and transmission of literature, namely, the courts and temples. These were embedded in a multireligious and transcultural context with its multitude of Hindu and Islamic traditions and beliefs, yogic and Buddhist substrata, Jainism, Sikhism, and subaltern religiosity. Literary creativity was bound to these sources of inspiration and allowed a high level of artistic refinement and individual mastery within its framework. In many parts of India, these traditional resources are alive until today and continue to infuse society and imagination. Around 1800, Calcutta (Kolkata) with its Fort William College (founded 1800) turned into a prominent location of a new type of literature and language use. Prose literature writing had not been completely absent until then, but had remained largely marginal in many Indian languages and Persian. Through the inspiration of people like John Gilchrist (1759-1841), advisor to the bhākhā munśīs (vernacular language teachers), textbooks in various languages for the use of the language courses for East India Company staff officers were produced and inspired authors to produce textbooks in the spoken language. One of the literary products of the Fort Williams College textbook production was the Premsāgar by Lallūlāl (1763-1825), a retelling of the classical → Kṛ ṣ ṇ a biography following a Braj version by Caturbhuj Miśra of the Bhāgavatapurāṇ a
The book contains translation from selected parts of the Guru Granth Sahib, the Dasham Granth, As... more The book contains translation from selected parts of the Guru Granth Sahib, the Dasham Granth, Asa di Var and Janamsakhis into German. Most of the text selected are used as liturgical texts. Every translated text is introduced and located in the Sikh tradition, single words and phrases are frequently explained in endnotes. The book also includes an extended commentary, bibliography and 16 coloured plates.
Hindi/Hindustani from the Perspective of an Early Modern Globalized Citizen : Francois-Marie de T... more Hindi/Hindustani from the Perspective of an Early Modern Globalized Citizen : Francois-Marie de Tours and his lingua mogolana (1703)
Following the case of the brutal raping and death of an Indian student of medicine and the public... more Following the case of the brutal raping and death of an Indian student of medicine and the public outcry in India on this event in December 2012, the Western discourse on women in South Asia is more than ever before focussed on the question whether South Asia in general is a dangerous space for women. The article goes into the intricacies of this discourse, relating violence against women to structural forms of violence, but at the same time trying to avoid stereotyping South Asia as particularly misogyn.
Swansong on Jewish Identity in India? : Sheila Rohekar's novel "Miss Samuel: Ek Yahudi G... more Swansong on Jewish Identity in India? : Sheila Rohekar's novel "Miss Samuel: Ek Yahudi Gatha" (2013) in context
Mrityu aur sanskritiyon ki rupantaran kshamta : Pahchan ki rajniti ke daur men Kunvar Narayan ke ... more Mrityu aur sanskritiyon ki rupantaran kshamta : Pahchan ki rajniti ke daur men Kunvar Narayan ke mahakavya par
Uploads
Papers by Heinz Wessler