TESSITORI, Luigi Pio. Udine 13.12.1887 — Bikaner 22.11.1919. Italian Indologist in India. Son of Guido T. and Luigia Rosa Venier Romano. Studied Indology at Florece under Pavolini, graduated 1910 with a diss. on Rāmcarit Mānas. On recommendation of Grierson he was employed by British Indian government in 1914 to conduct the Bardic and Historical Survey of Rajputana. He mainly worked in the areas of Jodhpur and Bikaner, studying manuscripts and local traditions, also archaeology. In May-October 1919 he visited Italy, but died soon after returning to India of Spanish influenza.
Already in Florence Tessitori started working on early NIA with the local collection of manuscripts. In India he soon became known as a gifted specialist of Apabhraṁśa and Early NIA, but died before he was able to achieve much. He had close relation with Vijaya Dharma Suri.
Publications: Edited in Prākrit & translated: “Bhavavairāgyaçatakam”, GSAI 22, 1909, 179-211; additions in GSAI 24, 1911, 405-416; “Indriyaparājayasayayaṁ”, RSO 7, 1916-18, 533-564.
– “Il ‘Rāmacaritamānasa’ e il Rāmāyaṇa”, GSAI 24, 1911, 99-164 (diss.); “L’Uvaesamālā di Dharmadāsa”, GSAI 25, 1912, 1-139 (ed. in Pkt. & analyzed).
– Edited & transl.: “Nāsaketa-rī kathā o di una versione digambara in Māravāḍī Bhāṣā del Nāsiketopākhyāna”, RSO 6, 1913, 113-130; “Karakuṇḍa kī kathā, ovvero una versione digambara in Jaipūrī Bhāṣā”, GSAI 26, 1913, 5-51.
– Transl. Mir Amman, La statua della principessa europea, o la storia di un darvesh. 40 p. Udine 1912; Il mercante Adoracani o il racconto di Azad Bakht, dall’ Indostana di Mir Amman. 113 p. Udine 1913; La novellina di Upakoça (versione di Kathāsaritsāgara). 113 p. Udine 1913.
– “Notes on the Grammar of the Old-Western Rājasthānī”, IA 43-44, 1914-15.
– “On some grammatical forms occurring in the old Baiswari of Tulasi Dasa”, JRAS 1914, 901-913.
– “A Scheme for the Bardic and Historical Survey of Rajputana”, JASB N.S. 10, 1914, 373-410; “A Progress Report on the … Bardic and Historical Survey of Rajputana”, JASB N.S. 12, 1916, 57-116; “A Pr. Report on the work done during the year 1916…”, JASB N.S. 13, 1917, 195-252; “A Pr. R. … 1917…”, JASB N.S. 15, 1919, 5-79; “A Pr. R. … 1918…”, JASB N.S. 16, 1920, 251-279.
– A Descriptive Catalogue of Bardic and Historical Survey of Rajputana. Section 1. Prose Chronicles. 1-6. BI. Calcutta 1917-20.
– Edited: Vacanikā Rāṭhōṛā Ratana Siṅghajīrī Mahesadāsōta rī, Khiṛiyo Jago rī kahī. 1. Ḍiṅgala Text with notes and glossary. B.I. Calcutta 1917; Veli Krisana Rukamaṇī rī. Rāṭhoṛa rāja Prithī Rāja rī kahī. 1. Ḍiṅgala Text with notes & glossary B.I. Calcutta 1919.
– Articles on early IA languages and literature in JRAS 1913, 1914, ZDMG 1914, IA 1913, 1919, etc.
– F. Freschi (ed.): Opera Omnia di Luigi Pio Tessitori. 1. Opere giovanili. 163 p. Udine 1996; 2. Studi Giainici. 403 p. U. 2000; 3. Rāmacaritamānasa e Rāmāyaṇa. 201 p. 2003; 4. Scritti linguistici.; 5. Poemi bardici.; 6. Bardic and Historical Survey of Rajputana.; 7. Lettere e Diario.; Secrion II. Monumenta.; Section III. Testi e studi.
Sources: A. Ballini, RSO 8, 1919-20, 860-867 with bibliography; *G. Boccali in Op. Omnia 1, 1996; ABORI 1:2, 1919-20, 192f.; *S. Dolcini & F. Freschi (eds.), Tessitori and Rajasthan. Proc. of the Intern. Conference, Bikaner, 21–23 February 1996. Udine1999, 7–27; early publications in Gli studi orientali in Italia 1861–1911, others in Porru 1940; Wikipedia with small photo.
Luigi Pio Tessitori. Atti del Convegno Internazionale di Udine (12-14 nivembre 1987). Brescia 1990 (with 14 contributions, also an English edition) with a photo.
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