passed unnoticed, had he not been Jesus’ foster father. An ordinary village carpenter, he was eking out an uneventful living from his toil. The ancient belief about the virgin birth of Jesus became a dogma of the Roman Catholic church. Only after this, an interest in Joseph was aroused. In Europe, Joseph’s fame soon spread far and wide among the Roman Catholics. Here in India, a Tamil book by Father Rossi on Saint Joseph was written and it became the custom to read it every Wednesday. It was this Joseph who becomes the hero of Beschi’s Tēmpāvaṇi.

The elevation of Joseph to the position of a saint was not a temporary one. It was based on theological grounds and took indestructible root among the Catholics. His life revealed beyond doubt that to serve man in God’s name and to serve God himself amidst numerous difficulties was a unique heroism-which was both helpful to man and pleasing to God.

Beschi commences with Joseph’s birth and calls him “Cūcai and Vaḷaṉ”. Even as a child, Joseph is filled with divine grace and an earnest desire to serve God. He retires into the solitude of the forest to spend his unfettered life in prayers. Here a divine voice counsels him to serve God amidst men which is a better way. Joseph returns resolute in his principles to serve God amidst men and suffering. He is wedded to Mary. On learning of her pregnancy, he is filled with anxiety and remorse. Mary’s condition and her repeated promises of virginity are surprisingly parodoxical. He is unaware of the fact that she has conceived due to divine grace. He does, however, know that a virgin alone will be chosen to be the mother of Christ. His unassuming simplicity fails to recognise his wife as the chosen one. Unaware of this, he decides to desert her, unable to expose her publicly. At this time an angel appears and briefs him about the mystery of Mary’s conception and Joseph is relieved from anguish. Peace returns to Joseph who is amazed why he was chosen to be the Lord’s foster father.

After the birth of Jesus, the angel reappears and advises him to flee to Egypt with Mary and the infant. The journey is an arduous one. But due to an unshakeable belief in the divine