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Mumbai
"The First Batch of Salesians,
destined for Tanjore, embarked from Genoa on 17th December 1905
on board the steamer Rubattino. On 5 January of the following
year they landed at Bombay, where they were for two days the
guests of the padroado bishop of Daman. They reached Mylapore on
the 8th morning and were given a paternal welcome by Bishop de
Castro. He kept them for seven days to take part in the solemn
celebrations for the third centenary of the foundation of the
diocese of Mylapore, which were taking place in those very days
in the presence of 15 archbishops and bishops. On the 14th
morning they left Mylapore and proceeded to Tanjore, to
establish there the first Salesian house in India.
-Jose Thekkedath SDB,
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 Tanjore or Thanjavur, a renowned centre of
Art, Culture and Literature for the past 15 centuries, is an
agricultural town in South India, on the Delta of river Cauvery.
Successive generations of the Cholas, Nayakas and Marathas have
enriched its cultural greatness. The Cholas contributed their
magnificent temples, scultures and paintings. The Nayakas who
succeeded them, fostered and developed the study of literature,
drama, music and the allied arts. Thanjavur is the district
headquarters and is known as the “rice bowl” of Tamil Nadu.
It is situated 333 Kilometres from Chennai to the south and 55
kilometres from Trichy to the East.
The Salesian Team that arrived in 1906
- Fr.
George tomatis (Leader), a Piedmontese
- Fr.
Richard Biebuyck, a Belgin from Ghent
- Fr.
Ernest Octave Vigneron, a Frenchman from the diocese of
Versailles
- Cl.
Mario Balestra, an Italian from Viterbo
- Bro.
John Rostagno, a black smith from Italy
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Harian Rovetto, an
aspirant from Italy.
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