- Armenians in India
The association of
Armenians withIndia and the presence of Armenians in India are very old, and there has been a mutualeconomic andcultural association of Armenians with India for the last several centuries. Their presence has enriched India in several ways.Antiquity
It is believed that the Armenians might have first come to India around
2000 BC , along withSemiramis , the warrior queen ofAssyria who had invaded India, as faithful allies. Several centuries later, in327 BC , Armenians are believed to have come to India, when some Armenians joined the auxiliary elements of the forces under the command ofAlexander the Great when he crossedArmenia en route to India. The earliest documented references to the mutual relationship of Armenians and Indians are found inCyropaedia (Persian Expedition), an ancient Greek work byXenophon (430 BC –355 BC ). These references indicate that several Armenians traveled to India, [ [http://www.indianembassy.am/eng/india_arm_partners.html India and Armenia Partners - Embassy of India in Armenia [ENG ] ] and they were well aware of land routes to reach India, as also the general and politicalgeography , socio-cultural milieu, andeconomic life of theIndian subcontinent .History
Armenians had trading relations with several parts of India, and by the 7th century a few Armenian settlements had appeared in
Kerala , an Indian state located on theMalabar Coast . Armenians controlled a large part of the international trade of the area, particularly in precious stones and quality fabrics.An archive directory (published
1956 ) inDelhi , India states that an Armenian merchant-cum-diplomat, namedThomas Cana , had reached the Malabar Coast in780 using the overland route. Seven hundred years thereafter, in the year1498 ,Vasco da Gama reached the Malabar Coast. Thomas Cana was an affluent merchant dealing chiefly inspice s andmuslin s. He was also instrumental in obtaining adecree , inscribed on acopperplate , from the rulers ofMalabar , which conferred several commercial,social andreligious privileges for theChristian s of that region. In current local references, Thomas Cana is known as "Knayi Thomman" or "Kanaj Tomma", meaning "Thomas the merchant".The Armenians in India can justly be proud of a glorious past but their present and future are not at all bright. They have greatly decreased in number. Now there are hardly 100 Armenians in India, mostly in
Kolkata , where the Armenian College still functions.ettlements
Several centuries of presence of Armenians, described as "The Merchant Princes of India”, resulted in the emergence of a number of several large and small Armenian settlements in several places in India, including
Agra ,Surat ,Mumbai ,Chinsurah ,Candernagore ,Calcutta ,Saidabad ,Chennai ,Gwalior ,Lucknow , and several other locations currently in theRepublic of India .Lahore andDhaka – currently respectively inPakistan andBangladesh , – but, earlier part ofUndivided India , andKabul ,capital ofAfghanistan , also had an Armenian population. There were also manyArmenians in Burma andSoutheast Asia .*
Akbar (1556 -1605 ), the Mughalemperor , invited Armenians to settle in Agra in the 16th century, and by the middle of the 19th century, Agra had a sizeable Armenian population. By an imperial decree, Armenian merchants were exempted from paying taxes on the merchandise imported and exported by them, and they were also allowed to move around in the areas of the Mughal empire where entry offoreigner s was otherwise prohibited. In1562 , an Armenian Church was constructed in Agra.
*During the 16th century onwards, the Armenians (mostly from Persia) formed an important trading community inSurat , the most active Indianport of that period, located on the western coast of India. The port city of Surat used to have regular sea borne to and frotraffic of merchant vessels fromBasra andBandar Abbas . Armenians of Surat built two Churches and acemetery thereFact|date=July 2008, and atombstone (of1579 ) in Surat bears Armenianinscription s. The second Church was built in1778 and was dedicated to Virgin MaryFact|date=July 2008. Amanuscript written in Armenian language in1678 (currently preserved in Saltikov-Shchedrin Library,St. Petersburg ) has an account of a permanentcolony of Armenians in Surat.
*The Armenians settled inChinsurah , nearCalcutta ,West Bengal , and in1697 built a Church there. This is the second oldest Church inBengal and is still in well preserved on account of the care of the Calcutta Armenian Church Committee.
*During the period of Mughal EmperorAurangzeb , a decree was issued which allowed Armenians to form a settlement inSaidabad , asuburb ofMurshidabad , then the capital of Mughal suba (province) of Bengal. The imperial decree had also reduced thetax from 5% to 3.5% on two major items traded by them, namely piece goods andraw silk . The decree further stipulated that the estate of deceased Armenians would pass on to the Armenian community. By the middle of 18th century, Armenians had become very active merchant community of Bengal. In1758 , Armenians had built a Church of the virgin Mary in Saidabad’s Khan market.Personalities
Armenians in India share a history of 2000 years with Indians. In India, they had remained involved basically with trade and commerce, but had also contributed for enrichment of the Indian civilization and culture. Several Armenians in India rose to prominence at different point of time and under different
rulers .*Abdul Hai was the
Chief Justice of Mughal Empire during the time of Akbar.
*Domingo Pires was a Portuguese interpreter of Akbar’s court, and he was sent toGoa in September1579 to present royal invitations toJesuits to come to Akbar’s court forreligious discussions.
*Lady Juliana, believed to be a sister of one of Akbar’s Armenian wives, was a doctor in the royalharem of Akbar. Lady Juliana built the first Church in Agra. She was later married Prince Jean Philipe de Boubon of Navarre, a royal house ofFrance .
*Mariam Zamani Begum, one of the wives of Akbar, was believed to be an Armenian. Marium Zamani Begum’s palace still stands inFatehpur Sikri ,Uttar Pradesh ,India . But now most historians agree that Mariam Zamani was the First Hindu Wife of Akbar and the princess of Amber.
*An Armenian lady, Nawab Sultan Mariam Begum Saheba, also known as Vilayati Begum (literal meaning English Queen) was married to King Ghaziuddin Hyder, who became a king ofOudh , when the British conferred on him the title of King in1814 .
*Mirza Zul Quarnain, adopted son of Akbar and his Armenian wife, was an Armenian. He was well versed in several languages, particularly Portuguese. Upon the death of his father in1613 , he succeeded as a collector of tax levied on salt produced in Sambhar (Rajputana ). His rise was fast and he held positions in turn as the Governor ofSambhar ,Mogor ,Babraich (Oudh),Lahore and Bengal. EmperorJahangir conferred on him the title ofAmir . He also maintained very cordial relations with Jesuits in India of his time. Mirza was also apoet , singer andplaywright , and he composed verses inUrdu and Persian.
*"Sarmad " (an Arabic word for “eternal”), an Armenian of Aurangjeb’s (1658 -1707 ) time was a scholar and a mystic saint and his grave is near theJama Masjid . His poetic talents are often compared with gifted poets likeFirdausi ,Sayadi ,Hafez andKhayam . He was allegedly executed by Aurangjeb in1671 .Thackers Indian Directory (1864-1960) lists many Armenian names in business and government.Contributions
Medical profession
Armenians in India have also contributed to the medical profession, and some prominent Indo-Armenian personalities associated with medical sciences include:
*Dr. Joseph Marcus Joseph,M.D. , an Armenian joined the Indian Medical Service in1852 and rose to the level of Deputy Surgeon General by 1880. The Indian Army, under the British, had several Armenians Lieutenant Colonels, Surgeon Captains, and Surgeon Majors.
*Stephan Manouk, son of a prominent business man, Hovsep Manouk, obtained a Diploma Of Doctor Surgeon from theRoyal Medical University ,London , in1862 . His services during acholera epidemic of that time earned him a Certificate of Honors by the British Government.
*Dr. Sargis Avetoom of the Indian Army, participated in British Army’s actions in Afghanistan, Egypt and Burma, and was honored by the British Government, Medal and Clasp and Khedives star with Clasp from Egypt, and Medal and Clasp from Burma. He discovered a medicine fordysentery , and was fluent in many languages like Armenian, Russian, English, German,Hindi , Bengali,Belugi andPashto .
*Doctor Arthur Zorab, an eye specialist, perfected an operating style forglaucoma , which was named after him as the “Zorab operation”.
*Dr. Stepen Owen Moses pioneered St. John’s Ambulance Courses in Calcutta, and initiated the first Red Cross ambulance in Calcutta during theWorld War I .
*Dr. Marie Catchatoor, an Armenian lady, was the first woman of India to be appointed as Presidency Surgeon of West Bengal. She retired in early1980 s as the superintendent of Lady Dufferin Hospital, Calcutta.Legal profession
The Indo-Armenian community in India had produced a number of leading barristers, solicitors and advocates, including members of the Bengal Assembly and the Bengal Legislative Council. Some such illustrious Indo-Armenians are:
*M. P. Gasper, a leadingbarrister of the Calcutta High Court, was the first Armenian who passed the Indian Civil Service Examination in1869 .
*Gregory Paul, who had graduated from Cambridge University, held different posts in the High Court in India.Other areas
Contributions of Indo-Armenians in several other fields are also notable, like:
*Joseph Melik Beglar , anarcheologist in the Public Works Department of British India, was associated with significant archeological excavations, which included excavations ofMahabodhi Temple complex inBodh Gaya , India.Sir Gregory Charles Paul, an Armenian born in Calcutta, educated at Cambridge University, was the Advocate General of Bengal during British rule. He served as Advocate General for more than 30 years and his ahievement were honoured with him being Knighted and given the title of Sir Gregory Charles Paul. He lies buried in the Greek Cemetery, Narkeldanga. The Armenian Church committee at this death refused to allow him to be buried in the Armenian Church precincts. His distinction can be measured by the fact, thatfor more than 30 years, British Government allowed itself to be represented by an Indian born Barrister.
It was Sir Gregory and other eminent Armenians Barristers of the day who brought the Calcutta Armenian Trusts under the Administration of the Calcutta High Court in 1888. (John Gregory Apcar and ors versus 1. Thomas Malcom and 2. Sir Gregory Charles Paul, Advocate General of Bengal, Calcutta High Court 1888. Two Trusts were formulated by them one for the Management of the Armenian Charity Trusts managed by the officers of the Armenian Church and another Trust for the Management of the Armenian College and Phuilantrophic Academy. (Advocate General vs Arabella Vardon,Calcutta High Court).
It is these Trusts that have allowed the tiny Armenian Community to stay alive and recognised. Without these Trusts they would have disappeared.
It was Sir Gregory and other eminent Armenians Barristers of the day who brought the Calcutta Armenian Trusts under the Administration of the Calcutta High Court in 1888. (John Gregory Apcar and ors versus 1. Thomas Malcolm and 2. Sir Gregory Charles Paul, Advocate General of Bengal, Calcutta High Court 1888. Two Trusts were formulated by them one for the Management of the Armenian Charity Trusts managed by the officers of the Armenian Church and another Trust for the Management of the Armenian College and Phuilantrophic Academy. (Advocate General vs Arabella Vardon,Calcutta High Court).It is these Trusts that have allowed the tiny Armenian Community to stay alive and recognised. Without these Trusts they would have disappeared.
[edit]
Thomas Malcolm (1837-1918 )Warden of the Armenian church for 50 years, born 1837 Bushire, Persiadied 6 Mar 1918 Calcutta India
-for more information, Armenians in India by M J Seth page 444 (in reprint 2005 edit. )
-grave marker at the Armenian Church Cemetery Lower Circular Roadreads:
Thomas Malcolm
Born at Bushire
Died on the 6th March 1918
Aged 81 years
Remember friends as you pass by
That all mankind are born to die
Then let your love on Christ be cast
That you may dwell with Him at last
see:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~chaterfamilytree/st_gregorys_churchyard_pics.htm
urnames of Armenian's that have settled in India
-Aviet
References
Further reading
*"Armenians in India - From the Earliest Times to the Present" (ISBN 81-206-0812-7) by Jacob Seth Mesrovb
External links
* [http://menq.am/history/chap1_part01.htm Armenians in India]
* [http://www.agbu.org/agbunews/display.asp?A_ID=27 The Armenians of India]
* [http://www.indiaprofile.com/lifestyle/armenians.htm Merchant Princes of India]
* [http://www.armeniapedia.org/index.php?title=Madras The last Armenians in Madras]
* [http://www.armenianchurch.in] Website of the Armenian Holy Church of Nazareth, Kolkatacorrection:
Armenians in India by Mesrovb Jacob Seth, b 15 Mar 1871 New Julfa, Persiad 31 Oct 1939 Calcutta, India
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