Hello, I had heard about Father Santapau as a legendary botanist but I had no idea whatsoever about his Spanish / European background. Thank you so much Viplav ji for this extremely interesting and well-written email at the right time.
-- Best regards, Arundhati On 5 December 2012 22:26, [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote: > > Dear all, > > I have just been informed by a good friend from Spain that today is the 109th > birth anniversary of Father Santapau. My friend Miguel's uncle, also a Jesuit > and serious plant aficionado, knew him very well and both of them shared the > same birthplace in north-east Spain. > > In addition to his diverse publications in English, Father Santapau also > wrote about Indian flora in his native Spanish and these papers were > published in journals of the Madrid Botanical Garden, the Antonio José > Cavanilles Institute of Botany et al. I have been reading some of his Spanish > writings on the flora of Bombay, Saurashtra, Khandala, Mahabaleshwar etc. - > an absorbing mix of monograph, travelogue and anecdotes punctuated with his > own line drawings of maps and plant parts. > > The affectionate kinship and the deep sense of belonging with which he > introduced the plants and the forests of India to the native readers of his > motherland suggest that the flora of India had naturalized him long before he > became a formal Indian citizen. Concurrently, his love for the country of his > birth and youth prompted him to liken the red-yellow-red flowers of Gloriosa > superba as the most vivid manifestation of the Spanish national flag in > nature! > > Have attached an article on Father Santapau by Prof. PV Bole. Miguel had sent > me some Spanish newspaper clippings of Father Santapau's interviews from the > 1950s and one of these is also attached. > > Best wishes, Viplav > > "I suppose my birth along the banks of the river Ebro endowed me with an > innate love for plants. I come from the charming village of La Galera near > Tortosa. But, above all, I think I found my calling for flowers in the > beautiful mountains of Kurseong when I was studying theology in India." - > Hermenegildo Santapau, S. J. [in conversation with Antonio T. Nicolas, S. J., > 1956] > > > ---------- Mensaje original ---------- > De: Miguel Garriga <[email protected]> > Fecha: 5 de diciembre de 2012 17:12 > Asunto: 109 Aniversario del nacimiento del Padre Santapau > Para: Viplav Gangar <[email protected]> > > > Hola Viplav, > > Te gustaría saber que hoy es el día de cumpleaños de Padre Santapau y te > echamos de menos en la reunión con vino, buñuelos y un montón de recuerdos > del Padre que está evocando tío Joaquin ... los cuales le gustaría poder > volver a vivir ;-) Vendremos a Khandala en enero ... te voy a telefonear > pronto. La pintura indígena es sumamente preciosa, ya he puesto en un marco y > colgado en la sala! Por acá te mandan saludos Manolo, Cristina y Isabel > tambien. > > Hasta pronto ... Miguel > > -- > > > -- Best regards, Arundhati --
