Max Arthur MacAuliffe Commemoration ceremony shortlisted for Local Government Award 2020
Great to hear that an plaque of Max Arthur Macauliffe has been shortlisted for the Local Government Award 2020 in Ireland.
Michael MacAuliffe, also known as Max Arthur Macauliffe (10 September 1841 − 15 March 1913), was a senior British administrator, prolific scholar and author. MacAuliffe is renowned for his partial translation of Sikh scripture Guru Granth Sahib and history into English.
MacAuliffe entered the Indian Civil Service in 1862, and arrived in the Punjab in February 1864. He was appointed Deputy Commissioner of the Punjab in 1882, and a Divisional Judge in 1884. He retired from the Indian Civil Service in 1893.
MacAuliffe also wrote a rendition, English translation of the Sacred scriptures of the Sikh religion, the Guru Granth Sahib. He also wrote The Sikh Religion: its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors (six volumes, Oxford University Press, 1909). He was assisted in his works by Pratap Singh Giani, a Sikh scholar.
MacAuliffe converted to Sikhism in the 1860s and was even derided by his employers for having "turned a Sikh".
His personal assistant remarked in his memoirs that on his death bed, MacAuliffe could be heard reciting the Sikh morning prayer, Japji Sahib, ten minutes before he died.
In 1909, Newcastle West native Max Arthur Macauliffe, also known as Michael McAuliffe, translated the holy book of the Sikh religion into English and the translation, published by the Oxford University Press, has not been out of print since.
On September 11, 2019, the West Limerick linguist, scholar, and civil servant was celebrated with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque in Templeglantine Community Centre.
Max Arthur McAuliffe completed his classic translation of the holy book of the Sikhism Religion, the Guru Granth, in 1909. Oxford University Press published the first edition of his renowned work of art. ‘The Sikh Religion: Its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors’, in six volumes and running over 2,000 pages.
The focus of Macauliffe’s life is in his as a translator and interpreter of Sikhism to the English-speaking world. Sikhism is a monotheistic religion that has an estimated 28 million followers, making it the ninth-largest religion in the world.
Macauliffe was born in Newcastle West in September 1841 as the eldest of eleven other siblings, his parents moved their family to Templeglantine national school when he was eight-years-old after his father took the position of principal at the school.
He lived in the upstairs of the school with his family and won scholarships to attend Springfield College, Ennis (now St. Flannans College) and NUIG, eventually choosing to study at Queen’s College in Galway, graduating with a B.A degree with first-class honours in Modern Languages.
He was then selected in 1862 for the Indian Civil Service and was then assigned to the state of Punjab in 1864. He served for almost twenty years, during which he was promoted to deputy commissioner and divisional judge.
After retiring in 1893, he then developed his interest in the Sikh faith by undertaking writing, leading him to complete the classic translation into English the major parts of the Guru Granth, the holy books of the Sikhs.
Sikhism was founded in the sixteenth century in the Punjab district of what is now India and Pakistan. It was founded by Guru Nanak Dev Ji and is based on his teachings and those of the nine Sikh Gurus who have followed him.
This year, the Max Arthur Macauliffe commemoration ceremony has been shortlisted for the Local Government Award 2020.
The Local Government award recognises the skills, hard work, innovation, and enthusiasm within local government that can often go unrecognised. The Excellence in Local Government Awards are held in partnership with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, taking place as an annual celebration of the value of the continuous work and effort happening locally. This celebration of local projects and the Local Authorities behind them is part of a broader partnership between businesses and government nationwide, which continues to evolve to support collaboration with our local communities.
The Max Arthur Macauliffe commemoration ceremony has been shortlisted as one of the top six projects from across the country. The winner will be announced during an online ceremony on November 26.
By being shortlisted it is an acknowledgment of the benefit of the ceremony to the local community in Templeglantine but also to the links that have been established in the region between the Sikh community, the local authority, and the residents of the birthplace of one of Limerick’s most famous residents.
Anne Rizzo, Administrative officer of the Thematic Programmes, said, "Even though we are in very uncertain times, with so much negativity around, I am delighted to bring you some positive news. Our Max Arthur Macauliffe commemoration ceremony has been shortlisted for a Chambers Ireland, Excellence in Local Government Award 2020."
"This shortlisting is an acknowledgment of the benefit of the ceremony to the local community in Templeglantine but also to the links that have been established in the region between the Sikh Community, the local authority, and the residents of the birth place of one of Limerick’s most famous residents. We are thrilled with the news, as I’m sure you all are."
We at I Love Limerick wish them good luck!
Another article by Michael Raul throws some interesting details on Max MacAuliffe is also given below:
Michael (Max) Arthur McCalif - the person who vaccinated Jugo Jugo Atal Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji in English and became the first person to do the valuable job of spreading the light of Sikhism in the western countries. He was first an English officer who became a Sikh from a Christian. Max Arthur's very important contribution to Sikh culture, heritage and religion, Sikhism had a profound impact on him.
Michael (Max) Arthur McCaliff was born September 10, 1838 in Newcastle West, Limerick County, Ireland. He learned in Newcastle, he had good knowledge of Greek, Latin and French, Italian languages apart from English. Max Arthur McCalif passed the Indian Civil Service Exam in 1862 and was deployed in Punjab. In 1864, he came to Punjab as an officer, on 1882 he was appointed as Deputy Commissioner and in 1884 served as a Divisional Judge. When he was a judge, the leader of Lahore Khalsa Diwan and Sikh scholar Prof. Gurmukh Singh inspired him to translate Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji into English.
Max Arthur McCalif was a translator of Sikh scriptures and a history of Sikhism. The main goal of McCalif's life was to work as a translator and interpreter of Sikhism in the English-speaking world. His interest in Sikhism started shortly after reaching Amritsar Sahib, when he came to Darbar Sahib on Diwali. He also built his permanent residence on Cantonment Road in Amritsar, where he lived. His home in Amritsar was such a place where there were always interesting talks about Sikhism, he kept some Sikh Gianias in his own home to understand Sikhism more. They were hard to understand though.
He studied Sikhism and was deeply connected to what he learned. With this he was able to complete the original translation of the key parts of the holy book of Sikhs Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji in English. In the 1860 s he became a Sikh while British officers mocked him on his becoming a Sikh. Made it but he didn't care about anyone and went forward with more interest in Sikhism. Three Akhand Paths and prayers were held for him in Darbar Sahib, Amritsar for the success of translating Sri Guru Granth Sahib and other Sikh Granth Sahib into English.
For translation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji into English and for his deep love, connection with Sikhism, he was a great honor in the Sikh community of Punjab. During the annual meeting of Singh Sabha, Lahore, he described Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji and teachings as the best in the world. Kings of many Sikh states of Punjab were given financial help to translate the sikhism into English. Due to the translation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji in English, many Sikhs had increased their desire to learn English.
Macalif's article about Sikhism study first published in Calcutta in 1875 and 1881 One of those few titles was: ′′ Diwali at Amritsar - the Religion of the Sikhs ′′ (1880), ′′ The Rise of Amritsar and the Alterations of Sikh Religion ′′ (1881), and ′′ The Sikh Religion under Banda and It ' s present condition ".
Max Arthur received appreciation letter from far drawer for translating Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and Japji Sahib into English and his work was appreciated. Although he became a Sikh, several officers of the British government started treating him with a stunning man which also harmed him, he did not give up.
Bhai Kanh Singh Nabha Ji was a hearty helper of Macalif to understand the literal and emotional meanings of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji's Bani and Sikh history. Macalif, impressed by the knowledge of Bhai Sahib Ji, received the services of Bhai Kanh Singh Nabha by requesting Maharaja Nabha pass. Bhai Kanh Singh Nabha Maharaja Nabha passed job. McCaliffe had two large houses in London. Macalif had named the royalty of his books to Bhai Kanh Singh Nabha. Macalif also offered that Bhai Sahib should live his life in London after being service free. He had also registered a house in the name of Bhai Sahib. But Bhai Sahib was dedicated in the service of Guru Maharaj in Punjab.
Max spent most of his time in India in Amritsar and built a house here. Max didn't get married. After returning from the Indian Civil Service in 1893 he returned to live the rest of his life in London. Where he died on March 15, 1913 at the age of 74 His personal assistant says that he also recited Japji Sahib Ji 10 minutes before his death on his bed.
Source - Central Sikh Museum, Amritsar / Sikh History.
Author - Michael, Sri Amritsar Sahib Ji ✅.
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