GEORGE (YURI) NIKOLAIEVICH ROERICH (1902-1960)
Yuri Nikolaievitch Roerich is one of the greatest Encyclopaedists of the West and the East. Linguist, researcher, archaeologist, art critic, historian, thinker and knower of culture, he didn't know borders in the sphere of knowledge, neither between the ancient and contemporary, nor between the West and the East, nor between different branches of science. First of all he was interested in a human being - he was a genuine humanist. As a person, Yuri Roerich is even higher than as a scientist. He forged a golden link of bond not only between India and Russia , or between the West and the East, but also between all nations of the world and all Ages.
Nirmal Singh,
Director of the Institute of Buddhist Studies,
Gangtok, Sikkim, India
“The space of the human knowledge grows unceasingly, and as if by miracle new and new horizons appear. The infinity of the possible attracts human mind which knows not quietude and not fearing to burn down that, what has been already realized: it is only this condition that opens the way towards the real research.
Still recently orientalism has been enclosed domain, in which serious scientific investigations were carried out, which treasures, however, were inaccessible for the outer world and hidden behind dense curtain of the time.
But the time has come, and it is precisely this science, that deals with revival of the past, which will show new paths to the humanity - new paths, facilitating mutual understanding between the two great centers of the world civilization.
A new stage in orientalism, is the total synthesis, that, responding to the demands of contemporary science, would reflect historical development of the Oriental countries in aggregate. Multicolored long line of the nations would unfold before our sight: one by one would follow in it all those nations, that still yesterday had lived only by the memory of their great past.
(GEORGE ROERICH. From: GOLDEN AGE OF THE ORIENTALISM, 1925)
George Roerich, the elder son of Nicholas and Helena Roerich, was born on 16 August, 1902, in Okulovka, in Novgorod region of Russia. In Russia, George received his school education in the renowned Gymnazium of K.I.May, which was known to give Russia many famous cultural and scientific personalities.
Already in his childhood, George was very much interested in the East and started to take philological classes from famous orientalist Turaiev. George had shown also an exceptional talent for painting – most interesting are his two sketches of his father, in which Nicholas Roerich is for the first time presented as a thinker, according to art critics.
George used to write poems too. Following is the excerpt of his poem ‘The Legends’ written at the age of 10:
“Buried are the old temples in the ancient sites.
No one could see them yet.
Only now and then the bell is heard
dolefully drawn beneath the land.
When were the temples buried?
No one is aware of it.
But the legend narrates about:
“The temples would rise at the time
when in the day of unprecedented glory
mother Rus would eagerly need for them.”
In the West, George received his higher education in the School of Eastern Languages at London University, on Indo-Iranian department (1919-1920). From London he came to USA, to Harvard University, and completed the course of Indian philology. In 1922-23 he worked in Paris University, in Department of Middle Asian, Indian and Mongol-Tibetan Studies, cooperating with famous orientalists of his time - Professors Pellio, S.Levi, and others. At the same time he studied at the military and juridical-economical department of the University, and continued in his study of Chinese and Persian languages. He received his M.A. degree in Indian philology.
At the age of 21 George started his independent research work and at 23 published his first book dedicated to the Tibetan Art, ‘Tibetan Paintings’.
Nicholas Roerich with his family arrived to India in 1923. They settled in Darjeeling and started most intense preparations for long cherished Central Asiatic expedition, which was to be led by Nicholas Roerich. George took upon himself all practical preparations for the coming expedition. Besides this, he was continuing learning Tibetan, Mongolian and other languages necessary for the expedition.
The magnificent Central-Asiatic expedition started in 1925, in Srinagar.
“What a joy rises, being aware of the common work spreading, growing, and embracing new possibilities for the future. Verily, manifold are the manifestations of the Origin. Every day brings more and more new aspirations, the predestined path is being created. And it is such a joy, that the heroic deed of the Service is being accomplished not in a praying veneration, but in ceaseless labor that crowns decision of the one who accepted the message of future age. What a joy is it to meet on this path, joy to share new discoveries and carry jointly the chalice of common labor. A song about the growing necessity of heroism is being created and rings, and happy is one who had grasped its essence.” Thus wrote George in the beginning of the expedition.
As the messengers of Peace went Roerichs through numerous countries - their goal was an extensive research on comparative studies of the cultural traditions of different nations, search of their common spiritual base; analysis of the natural-environmental conditions and cosmic factors in those places where the great ancient cultures originated.
This expedition was unprecedented both from the point of its duration (over 4 years), traversed distance and hardship, and from the point of the achieved scientific and cultural results. Roerichs were the first travelers who succeeded to fulfill the long-standing dream of the Russian scholars and to accomplish something what neither N.M.Prizhevalsky, nor M.V.Pevtsov nor P.K.Kozlov were able to do - to cross the whole Tibet from the side of Siberia and Mongolia and to enter to India. Along with this, unique archaeological, ethnographic and linguistic research was done, and most valuable scientific materials and collections were gathered. There were thousands of archaeological, geological, botanical findings. During the expedition Nicholas Roerich made hundreds of sketches and paintings.
George Roerich thus wrote about the tasks of the expedition:
“The expedition headed by Professor Nicholas Roerich, organized by the Roerich Museum in New York and International Centre of Art “Corona Mundi” had as its main task creation of the unique pictorial panorama of the lands and nations of Inmost Asia.
The second task, was research of the possibilities of the new archaeological excavations, and thus, preparation of the ways for the future expeditions in this region.
The third task was research of the languages and dialects of Central Asia, and gathering a big collection of objects, that depict spiritual culture of these nations.
Central Asia has been a cradle and a meeting place of many Asian civilizations, and inaccessible mountain valleys till our days preserved many invaluable linguistic and ethnographical materials, which can help to reconstruct the past of Asia.”
The most valuable geographical, archeological, ethnographical and linguistic observations carried out by George Roerich in almost unexplored regions of Asia during this expedition through the Central Asia, together with photographs and maps done by George himself, formed the basis of his monograph“Trails to Inmost Asia”. It’s publication at once placed the young orientalist to one line with famous researchers of Asia, such as Przhevalsky, Potanin, Kozlov and Hedin. ( “Trails to Inmost Asia” - published by Yale University Press, in 1930; First reprint in India: George N.Roerich. Trails to Inmost Asia. Book Faith India, 1996). This book was translated into several world languages.
After the expedition it was necessary to find the forms for the continuation of the work initiated so successfully, for the systematization and proper research of the collected materials.
Thus the idea came up to found a special scientific research institute for this purpose.
Supported by scientists from India, America and Europe, on 24th of July 1928, Nicholas and George Roerich initiated the work of the Himalayan Research Institute (as a branch of the New York Roerich Museum) in Darjeeling, called “Urusvati” which means ‘The Light of the Morning Star’. URU and SVATI are the ancient names from ‘Agni Puranas’. Spiritual Master of the Roerichs earlier gave this name to Helena Ivanovna. Nicholas Roerich became a honorary president and a founder of the Institute. George became the Director of the Institute and the main Editor of its Journal.
In December 1928, Roerich’s family moved to Western Himalayas and decided to settle in the ‘Valley of Gods’, the picturesque Kullu Valley, in the village of Naggar, which is situated at the altitude of 1760 meters. Kullu Valley is often described both in Indian and Tibetan literature. The most ancient path from India to Tibet goes along the Beas river, path to Kailas, Ladakh, Chotan, and from there, through the Gobi desert to the very Altai. According to legends, Buddha and Padma Sambhava walked in this valley; Arjuna and other Pandavas lived here. Saint Vyasa, the great compiler of the Mahabharata and Puranas labored on the banks of Beas river. Alexander Makedonsky with his army reached this place. The most ancient cultural memorials, from more than two thousand years ago were preserved here - copper artifacts from the 4th and 5th century, Himalayan miniatures from 14 - 15th centuries; picturesque ruins - remains of fourteen Buddhist monasteries which existed in Kullu valley according to ancient manuscripts.
“The Himalayas, which for centuries have inspired Hindu and Buddhist thought and art, embrace in their snows some of the most famed sanctuaries of India, worshipped for thousands of years. In the strange and beautiful Kullu valley alone are structures, groves and nooks sacred to 360 gods. Kullu collected all sublime names of the humanity - Manu, Buddha, Arjuna, Pandava heroes, Vyasa, Gessar khan. And Akbar the great, whose image is kept in Malana temple, and all masters and heroes, who either by sword or in spirit won great battles.”
“High here amid rugged slopes, where an aura of forgotten races emanates from strangely mingled remnants of ancient cultures and ancient wisdom, stands a new outpost of science - a key with which the archaeologist and naturalist, modernly equipped, will unlock doors sealed upon Central Asian secrets. A new outpost - most advantageously placed.
In this far valley of Kullu blend keen mountain air and warm southern sun. Here, too, wondrously blend races, languages, religions, arts and the natural phenomena of many diverse climes, to create anew a veritable paradise alike for the scientist who looks only to the present and for him who reckons man’s and Nature’s story in thousand-year units. On this spot, but no less on Asian sites within quick attainment, have the ages left more profound strata of the past than remain uninvestigated elsewhere on the globe.” - wrote George Roerich.
Here, in Naggar, in their Hall Estate, Roerichs spent almost 20 years, full of incessant and creative work.
As a symbol of the “Urusvati Research Institute”, a sign of double vajra (vishvavajra) was chosen -
a symbol of knowledge, and also of the harmony and balance of the Universe, supported by unity and oneness of the female and male origins, which build the worlds of space-time forms in constant fiery creation. Cosmic meaning of the symbol reflects the direction of the activity of the Institute.
Principles of research established by the Institute, connect most contemporary scientific discoveries with the ancient wisdom of the East.
Thus, the Himalayan Institute, dedicated to original investigation in the fields of Biology, Medicine, Botany, Zoology, Bio-Chemistry, Pharmacology, Astro-Physics, and allied research, blazed new trails for scientific achievements and serving in all measures of humanitarian causes.
The Institute had established cultural relations with more than 200 Universities and Institutions of the world.
It was achieved mainly because of full dedication and untiring efforts of George Roerich, Director of the Institute.
Dr. George Roerich also led several archaeological-ethnological linguistic expeditions into Lahul.
Urusvati Himalayan Research Institute took the most active part in spreading the noble Message of the Roerich Pact of Culture throughout the world.
In the years of 1934-35, on behalf of the American State Government Department of Agriculture, Nicholas and George Roerich were requested to launch another expedition to Chinese Manchuria and Inner Mongolia, with the task of collecting the seeds of the draught-resistant plants for the needs of American Government.
Professor N.Roerich was heading the expedition, George Roerich was the assistant of the leader and responsible for the medicinal research.
The expedition gathered the collection of the medicinal plants and herbs according to the Tibetan pharmacopeias, and seeds of draught-resistant plants. The most important Tibetan medicinal treatises were found, as well as a valuable list of recipes in manuscript. Soil samples were taken in each of the explored sights.
George Roerich himself made maps and carried out photo survey of the region along the whole expedition’s route.
Further research of the expedition was soon transferred back to India, and in October 1935, the Roerichs returned to the Kullu valley.
Dr. George Roerich is the author of many books. Some of them are:
— Tibetan paintings. Paris, P. Geuthner, 1925
— Animal Style among the Nomad Tribes of North Tibet. Seminarium Condacovianum, Prague, 1930.
Well known Russian thinker Lev Gumilev wrote, that this book is evaluated as an epoch-making by the historians of the Scythian art.
— Trails to inmost Asia. New Haven, Yale university press; London, Oxford university press, 1931
— Dialects of Tibet: the Tibetan dialect of Lahul. Tibetica; 1. New York: Urusvati Himalayan Research Institute of Roerich Museum, [1933].
— Textbook of colloquial Tibetan; dialect of central Tibet. [Calcutta, Govt. of West Bengal, Education Dept., Education Bureau, 1957].
— Comparative Grammar Colloquial Tibetan.
Besides, he translated into English “The Blue Annals, stages of the Appearance of the Doctrine and Preachers in the land of Tibet”, one of the most important books in Tibetology, which establishes a firm chronology of events of Tibetan spiritual history.
(Gos Lo-tsa-ba Gzon-nu-dpal. The blue annals. Translated by G.Roerich
Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal. Monograph series, v. 7. Calcutta, 1949-53)
He had undertaken a colossal work on creating multi-volume Tibetan-Sanskrit-English-Russian Dictionary (10 volumes, published in Moscow, USSR, by the Academy of Sciences, Institute of Oriental Studies, in 1980-ies).
"We try to find the publisher for the dictionary;
The dictionary is Tibetan-English, but offers Sanskrit equivalents of the main Buddhist terms, as well as the words borrowed from the Chinese, Mongolian, Hindi, Urdu, Persian and other languages.
It contains a great number of new words, never recorded before. I thought of adding the Russian text to the dictionary. That would help its spreading in Russia, where the Tibetan studies are carried out rather actively. The dictionary will include the richest materials, discovered in various lexicographic works printed in Tibet, China and Mongolia. They were still not investigated by the western scientists.”
(From the letter of George Roerich, Kullu, 1940-ies)
He was also a renowned contributor to the “Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal”, “Revue des Arts Asiatigues” and other Western and Indian journals.
In the year of 1947, his father Nicholas Roerich passed away, and because of political unrest in that area, George with his mother left their house in Naggar and shifted to Kalimpong, where he stayed till 1956.
During this time Dr.George Roerich was closely associated with establishment of the Institute of Tibetan Studies in Gangtok. Also he had many students in Kalimpong, in ‘China-Bharata-Sanskriti’school of classical Indian, Chinese and Tibetan languages.
In 1955 his beloved mother Helena Roerich passed away. Stupa was erected to her memory on the top of the Durpin Dar mountain overlooking the Kalimpong city.
Dr.George Roerich returned to USSR in 1957, to continue his scientific work in the Institute of Oriental Studies in Moscow, and within 3 years founded a new direction of Tibetology, gathering around himself many disciples, Russian and foreign.
He really had what to share with his pupils. Practical knowledge of more than 20 languages, highest erudition, first-hand experience of the East, complete self-dedication to chosen path and ideals set up by his parents - these are just a few features of George Roerich, one of the most renowned orientalists of the XX century.
Tatiana Yelizarenkova, well known Russian scholar and a disciple of George Roerich, recollected:
“George Roerich received his amazing knowledge from different sources:
his extraordinary family, western universities, and finally, from his amazing and uncommon life: he traversed the huge Central-Asiatic region, its unexplored places; he communicated with Tibetan tribes, studied their languages, collected material that formed the basis of his scientific works.”
“George Roerich used to say, that there is the path of science, but there exists another path as well. Humanity had this another path till the moment it started to move towards civilization. And according to this movement, this second path was forgotten. It remained somewhere in the East, with those, who do not participate in civilization.”
As a milkmaid whips cream from the milk, as the gods of the ancient Vedas churned the waters of the primary ocean, extracting the nectar of immortality, thus nomadic tribes, in the rhythms of their migrations created conditions for the formation of the new ethnic groups and interaction of the cultures.
George Roerich, as ingenious scientist, was able to grasp the essence of this world process. His science had created foundations of the meta-history of the humanity.
