>Monkbot at 03:49, 17 January 2021

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{{short description|Russian musician and linguist}}
{{Culture of Bengal}}
'''Gerasim Stepanovich Lebedev''', also spelled ''Herasim Steppanovich Lebedeff'' ({{lang-ru|Гера́сим Степа́нович Ле́бедев}}; 1749 – July 27, 1817), was a [[Russians|Russian]] adventurer, linguist, pioneer of [[Bengali theatre]] (founded [[European-style proscenium drama theatre in India]] in 1795), translator, musician and writer.<ref name=banglapedia1>{{cite book
|last=Ghosh |first=Prodyot |year=2012
|chapter=Lebedeff, Gerasim Steppanovich
|chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Lebedeff,_Gerasim_Steppanovich
|editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref> He was a pioneer of [[Indology]].<ref name=embassy1>{{cite web
| url = http://www.india.mid.ru/sp_06.html
| title = Text of the Message of the Russian Ambassador, Alexander M. Kadakin, on the Occasion of the Stone Laying Ceremony of the Russian Culture Pavilion in the International Town of Auroville (Tamil Nadu, India)
| access-date = 2006-12-08
| last = Kadakin
| first = Alexander M.
| author-link = Alexander Kadakin
| date = February 26, 2002
| work = Ambassador's Interviews, Speeches and Articles
| publisher = The Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Republic of India
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070808044620/http://www.india.mid.ru/sp_06.html
| archive-date = 2007-08-08
}}</ref><ref name=culturerussia>{{cite web
|url=http://www.russian-centre-mumbai.org/russianindology/personalities.htm
|title=G.S. Lebedev — Founder of the Russian Indology (1749-1817)
|access-date=2006-12-08
|work=Russian Indology: Personalities
|publisher=Russian Cultural Centre, Mumbai
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070823042637/http://www.russian-centre-mumbai.org/russianindology/personalities.htm
|archive-date=2007-08-23
}}</ref>

==Early life==
Lebedev was born in [[Yaroslavl]], [[Russian Empire|Russia]], to a family of a church choirmaster.<ref name=Vanyashova>[http://www.volkovteatr.ru/pages/media/media5_rus.htm ''Sons of Yaroslavl Melpomene: Volkov. Dmitrievsky. Lebedev''. Chapter III. ''Gerasim Lebedev''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102013033/http://www.volkovteatr.ru/pages/media/media5_rus.htm |date=2018-01-02 }} by Margarita Vanyashova. {{in lang|ru}}</ref> Gerasim was the oldest son in the family. He had two brothers: Afanasy and Trefil and sister Antonida.<ref name=Vanyashova/> The family later moved to [[Saint Petersburg]] where Lebedev's father worked in a church. Lebedev learned [[English language|English]], [[French language|French]] and [[German language|German]] by his own effort.<ref name=banglapedia1/> In Saint Petersburg Lebedev became acquainted with [[Fyodor Volkov]], the founder of the first permanent Russian theater. Lebedev was a singer in the court choir and participated in the performances of Volkov's theater as well.<ref name=Vanyashova/>

He was a self-taught violinist and accompanied [[Andreas Razumovsky]], the ambassador designate from Russia to [[Vienna]], as a member of a musical group.<ref name=dailytimes>{{cite web
|url = http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006%5C06%5C17%5Cstory_17-6-2006_pg3_5
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060622104127/http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006%5C06%5C17%5Cstory_17-6-2006_pg3_5
|archive-date = June 22, 2006
|title = Fiddler on the loose
|access-date = 2006-12-08
|last = Sahni
|first = Kalpana
|date = June 17, 2006
|work = Foreign Exchange
|publisher = Daily Times
|url-status = dead
}}</ref> He fled the entourage and travelled across Europe, earning his livelihood as a violinist. He soon joined an [[English people|English]] military band that was being sent to [[India]]. Lebedev arrived at Madras (now [[Chennai]]), a port in [[South India|southern India]] in August 1785.<ref name=Vanyashova/><ref name=dailytimes/> He was felicitated by the mayor of Madras and earned some money from musical programmes. However, the conservative society stifled him and so after living in Madras for a couple of years he left for [[Bengal]].<ref>Sengupta, Subodh Chandra and Bose, Anjali (editors), (1976/1998), ''Sansad Bangali Charitabhidhan'' (Biographical dictionary) Vol I, {{in lang|bn}}, p503, {{ISBN|81-85626-65-0}}</ref>

==In Calcutta==
{{quote box|width=300px|quote=The [[Young Bengal]] generation would act Shakespeare at David Hare Academy and the Oriental Seminary. Inevitably, the New Bengalis came to conceive the idea of a new Bengali theatre.

Interestingly though, the first Bengali plays had been staged well before this, not by a Bengali but by a remarkable Russian scholar-adventurer, Gerasim Lebedeff (1749-1818). With the help of his Bengali tutor Goloknath Das, he made free adaptations of ''The Disguise'' by an ‘[[Richard Paul Jodrell|M. Jodrelle]]’ and [[Molière]]’s ''L’Amour Médecin''. This double bill was presented on 27 November 1795 and 21 March 1796 at a ‘New Theatre in the Domtulla (now Ezra Street) Decorated in the Bengallee style.’ The 200-seat house was ‘overfull’ on both nights; but Lebedeff left India soon after, and his pioneer efforts bore no fruit. |source=Raha, Kironmoy <ref>Raha, Kironmoy, Calcutta Theatre 1835-1944, in ''Calcutta, the Living City'', Vol I, edited by Sukanta Chaudhuri, p187, Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|0-19-563696-1}}</ref>}}

Lebedev lived in Calcutta (now [[Kolkata]]), then the capital of [[British India]], for about ten years. During his stay, he started to learn [[Hindi]], [[Sanskrit]] and [[Bengali language|Bengali]] from a local schoolteacher named Golokhnath Das. In exchange, Lebedev had to teach Das violin and European music.<ref name=culturerussia/> With the support of a Russian doctor, then practicing in Calcutta, he was soon established as a musician. Tickets for his musical programmes were priced at [[Rupee|Rs.]] 12. Lebedev was the first person to use Indian tunes on Western musical instruments.<ref>Sengupta, Subodh Chandra and Bose, Anjali, p503</ref>

[[File:Plaque of Gerasim Stepanovich Lebedev.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Plaque in memory of Gerasim Stepanovich Lebedev in [[Kolkata]]]]
With assistance from local intellectuals, Lebedev founded the first European-style [[proscenium]] drama theatre in India.<ref name=culturerussia/><ref name=dailytimes/> This theatre opened in Calcutta in 1795. Lebedev translated two plays into Bengali; they were ''Love is the Best Doctor'' and ''The Disguise''. These two were the first performances in the theatre, with music composed by Lebedev himself and lyrics borrowed from the Bengali poet [[Bharatchandra Ray]].<ref name=banglapedia1/><ref name=bharatchandra>{{cite web
| url = http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=199580
| title = Staging a recovery
| access-date = 2006-12-09
| last = Ghosh
| first = Swarnab
| date = September 3, 2006
| work = The Real Page 3
| publisher = Indian Express Newspapers (Mumbai) Ltd
| archive-url = https://www.webcitation.org/6CLCzjeIK?url=http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=199580
| archive-date = November 21, 2012
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>

The theatre Lebedev established at Domtala (Ezra Street) used for the first time Bengali actors and actresses. The show held on 27 November 1795 is considered the first performance of the modern Indian theatre. At that time there were two theatre halls for the English in Calcutta. Lebedev was so successful that it aroused envy in Englishmen and two of them burnt down his theatre.<ref name="Sengupta p503">Sengupta, Subodh Chandra and Bose, Anjali (editors), p503</ref> Lebedev’s attempt was somewhat premature, but it proved that a nucleus of clients ready to pay for public performances had already been formed in the city.<ref>Majumdar, Swapan, ''Literature and Literary Life in Old Calcutta'', in ''Calcutta, the Living City'', Vol I, edited by Sukanta Chaudhuri, p187, Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|0-19-563696-1}}</ref>

He compiled a small [[Bengali language|Bengali]] dictionary, wrote a book on arithmetic in Bengali and translated part of ''Annadamangal'' into [[Russian language|Russian]].<ref name=banglapedia1/> His dictionary was published in 1801. He wrote to the Russian ambassador in London about publishing Bharatchandra Ray’s works in Russia.<ref name="Sengupta p503"/>

However, the British administration was not supportive of Lebedev‘s activities and was annoyed by his sympathetic stance towards the Indians.<ref name=culturerussia/> He also lost a court case against an employee, theatre decorator [[Joseph Batsh]] and was broken financially.<ref name=Vanyashova/> Finally, the British authorities expelled him from India in 1797. He was virtually bankrupt, possessing only a small bag of belongings valued at Rs. 295. He was forced to stay a few months in [[Cape Town]] to earn money for the ticket to Europe.<ref name=Vanyashova/>

==Return to Russia==
[[File:Lebedevgrammercover.gif|left|frame|Cover of the grammar of Indian dialects by Lebedev]]
Lebedev stopped in [[London]] on his way back to Russia. In London he published ''Grammar of the Pure and Mixed East Indian Languages''<ref name=culturerussia/> which was based on his studies of the character of some of the Indian languages, their sources of origin and affinity with Asian and European languages.<ref name=tribune2>{{cite news
| first = M.L.
| last = Madhu
| title = Vajpayee's visit will boost Indo-Russian ties
| url = http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20011104/edit.htm#1
| work = Perspective
| publisher = The Tribune
| date = November 4, 2001
| access-date = 2006-12-08
}}</ref>

[[File:Lebedev Grave.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Tablet on Gerasimov's grave]]
On his return to Russia, he was employed by the Foreign Ministry. He established in [[St. Petersburg]] a printing house equipped with [[Devanāgarī]] and [[Bengali alphabet|Bengali scripts]],<ref name=culturerussia/> the first of its kind in Europe.<ref name=dailytimes/> He published his second book ''Unbiased observations on [[Brahmin]] customs'' (“Беспристрастное созерцание брагменских обычаев...”), and prepared two other books but could not finish those due to illness. Lebedev died in his printing house on 15 July ([[Old Style|O.S.]]; 27 July [N.S.]) 1817<ref name=banglapedia1/><ref name=Vanyashova/> and was interred in the Gergiev Cemetery of [[Bolshaya Okhta]] in Saint Petersburg.<ref name=Vanyashova/>

==Works==
*''A Grammar of the Pure and Mixed East Indian Dialects'' (London, 1801),<ref name=banglapedia1/> or, ''A grammar of the pure and mixed East Indian dialects,: With dialogues affixed ... arranged ... according to the Brahmenian system, of the Shamscrit language ... Jones, respecting the Shamscrit alphabet''
*''An Impartial Contemplation of the East Indian Systems of Brahmins'' (St Petersburg, 1805)<ref name=banglapedia1/> or ''An Impartial Review of the East Indian Brahminical System of Sacred Rites and Customs''<ref name=culturerussia/>
*''A Collection of Hindustani and Bengali Arias''

==See also==
* [[Hindu Theatre]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*"Gerasim Stepanovich Lebedev", by Hayat Mamud. Bangla Academy (1985)
*{{in lang|ru}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20180102013033/http://www.volkovteatr.ru/pages/media/media5_rus.htm Biography on the website of the Yaroslavl Volkov Theatre]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20111003075057/http://yro.narod.ru/yar/internet/Exhibition1.htm Exhibition to commemorate Russia's first Indologist], ''Malaysia Sun'', Saturday 19 January 2008 (IANS)
*{{in lang|ru}} [http://www.museum.ru/N33248 Celebrating Lebedev's jubilee in Yaroslavl]
{{Bengali theatre}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lebedev, Gerasim}}
[[Category:1749 births]]
[[Category:1817 deaths]]
[[Category:History of Kolkata]]
[[Category:Russian Indologists]]
[[Category:Linguists from Russia]]
[[Category:Russian musicians]]
[[Category:Russian printers]]
[[Category:People from Yaroslavl]]
[[Category:Bengali theatre]]

Gerasim Lebedev - Revision history

>Monkbot at 03:49, 17 January 2021