Contributions of German missionary, scholar and linguist Hermann Gundert to Malayalam language and culture were remembered at a seminar organised in connection with the Gundert bicentenary celebrations.
The seminar titled ‘Gundert’s world’ organised by the Information and Public Relations Department and the District Institution of Education and Training (DIET) at Palayad at Thalassery was inaugurated by historian M.R. Raghava Warrier.
He said Gundert was still being remembered for his commitment to learning and teaching the language and culture of this region. He landed in India for missionary activities and carried a Western sense justice, Dr. Warrier said, adding that Gundert had made deliberate attempts to instill the human-centred Western beliefs to replace the universe-centric Indian beliefs.
During his stay in the region, Gundert had not only learned the language, culture and history of India in general and Kerala in particular but had also written about them, the historian added.
Dr. Warrier said that Gundert had taken great pains to study for years the local language traditions, learn even different shades of meanings of Malayalam words, and compile them in a dictionary. Though the German missionary had gone to different places in the country, no other language had influenced him as much as Malayalam, he said.
Artist K.K. Marar also spoke on the contributions of Gundert to the cultural life of the region. It was the German missionary who had brought photographers here to capture photos of the vistas of Kerala.
Hermann Hesse had learned the rich cultural heritage of India from Gundert, his grandfather, Mr. Marar said.
He also stressed the need for preserving the Gundert Bungalow at Thalassery as a historical monument.
Dharmadam panchayat president P.M. Prabhakaran presided. DIET Principal C.M. Balakrishnan and I&PRD Officer E.V. Sugathan were among those present at the function.
