Friday, November 26, 2010

1901, Rabindranath at 40

At the age of forty Rabindranath started writing poetry later to be published as 'Naibedya'.
Sushitala or Sushi, the widow of Balendranath, was staying at her father's residence in Allahabad. She had been brought home by her mother after the death of Balendranath. An attempt was made from her paternal house to get her married again. Learning this, Rabindranath was sent to Allahabad by Maharshi to fetch Sushi from her paternal house. The other two branches of Brahmo Samaj were in favor of arranging marriage of widows but the Adi-Brahmo Samaj to which Maharshi belonged was against widow marriage. It might be mentioned here that after the death of Renuka (second daughter of Rabindranath) Rabindranath arranged the marriage of his son-in-law with an widow and got Rathindra married with a child-widow Pratima . The mother of late Balendranath wrote that she got her daughter-in-law, Sahana, admitted to an English School so that she might get solace in education. Peace of mind might be regained if one got real education.
Ramananda Chattopadhyaya was the Principal of Allahabad Kayastha College. Rabindranath wanted to meet him. Two influential magazines were  published at that time, part from Bangadarshan, the other was  'Prabasi' edited by Ramananda Chattopadhyaya.
He wrote many poems for 'Naibedya', essays and the novel  'Chokher Bali' for Bangadarshan.
Madhurilata, the first daughter of Rabindranath, was married with advocate Saratchandra of Mazaffarpur and son of poet Biharilal Chakraborty, the inspiration of Rabindranath in his early age.  Saratchandra had to adopt Bahmmo religion to get married with Madhurilata according to the custom of Tagore family. The marriage was negotiated by Priyanath Sen.
Rabindranath was given felicitation at the Mukherjee Seminary in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, when he went there with his daughter to leave her at her husband's place.. This was the first felicitation given to him. He started Residential School at Santiniketan with five students and five teachers, namely, Brahmmabandhab, Rebachand, Jagadananda Roy, Sibdhan Bidyarnab, and Lorence.