BÜHLER, Johann Michael. 1817 — India 7.6.1854. German Indologist and Missionary in South India. From Adelburg in Württemberg. After several years of Sanskrit studies in Germany (perhaps under Ewald, with whom he later corresponded) he left for India as a missionary of Basel Mission in 1846. He arrived at Calicut in January 1847 and settled down in Kateri (Kaity) in the Nilgiris founding the Toda mission together with Weigle. He was interested in languages and learned quickly Kannaḍa and Baḍaga. During the few years before his early death he collected and worked specimens of Baḍaga folklore and sent them to D.M.G.
Publications: Manuscript Belasêvana Kathê und Bêlamâda Kathê, zwei Gedichte in Badaga-Sprache und Canaresischer Schrift. 150 p. Text, transl. and notes. Sent to Germany in 1852, deposited in the library of D.M.G.
– Baḍaga text and translation: “Ueber das Volk und die Sprache der Badaga im dekhanischen Indien [Keilasakathe]”, ZDMG 3, 1849, 110-118; “Badaga-Gebet über einen Todten”, ZDMG 5, 1851, 385-390; “Hundert Badaga Sprüchwörter”, ZDMG 7, 1853, 381-389.
Sources: H.-J. Peuke, “Zwei unveröffentlichte Badaga-Gedichte in der Universität- und Landesbibliothek Halle”, Wiss. Bez. zwischen Halle und Indien. H. 1987, 19-25; not in A.D.B., N.D.B., Deutsches biogr. Archiv 1st & 2nd series.
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