Question

With reference to the influence of Christianity during the Mughal period, answer the following question:

Explain the role of Christian missionaries in promoting language, literature, and art in India.

Answer 1

The Christian missionaries spread Christianity in India and played a significant role in promoting language, literature, and art.

1. The missionaries in order to understand and be understood by the Indian people brought out grammars and dictionaries of the Indian languages.
2. St. Francis Xavier learned the language of Malabar and brought out a manual of grammar and vocabulary which helped the Jesuits and other missionaries to learn the language of the people of Malabar.
3. The English Jesuit, Thomas Stephens, brought out an epic in Konkani and a grammar book. Diogo Ribeiro, another English missionary, wrote a grammar book and booklets on Christian doctrines.
4. The Missionaries, besides working in language and literature, contributed to other arts. They began teaching Western music in Church schools in India. Apart from music, they also taught dance and instrumental music. Many churches had music schools so that in every church hymns were sung, accompanied by organ and instruments.
5. The Missionaries and the Church were also teachers and patrons in India of the arts of painting, carving, and sculpture. Most of the paintings were religious in theme and adorned the Churches. These paintings influenced the Mughals. Portuguese, English, and Mughal records show the interest of Akbar and Jahangir in Christian works of arts.
6. The Missionaries were the best interpreters of India to the Western world with their popular letters from the mission field.