Thursday, January 6, 2011

School at Santiniketan (contd-1)

Rabindranath wrote a letter to the youth leader Pramathalal Sen (1866-1930) who was the elder son of Nabin Chandra, the elder brother of Keshab Chandra Sen. Under the influence of Keshab Chandra Sen, Pramathalal became religious-minded like his elder brother Nandalal, Bhabani Charan Bandyopadhyay (Brahmabandhab), Sadhu Hirananda etc. and became a member of Eagle's Nest.  Binayendranath Sen and Mohit chandra Sen were  energetic members of Nababidhan Samaj. Pramathalal and Pratap Chandra Majumdar along with them formed an organisation named Prayer Meeting Band. He was the first recepients of the scholarship (1895), namely Manchester,  introduced by   British Unitarian Association. The source by which Rabindranath was introduced with Pramathalal was unknown but he had communication with the three persons, Pramathalal, Binayendranath, and Mohit Chandra. Mohit Chandra was a distant brother of Nagendranath Gupta. Benimadhab Das wrote that Pratap Chandra was a great personality and Rabindranath was also attracted to him and the poet used to  come to his house - the "Peace Cottage".  He remembered with pleasure the afternoon when some of the Prayer Meeting Band were gathered round Rishi Pratap Chandra, listening with rapt attention to his slow mellow voice pouring out his deep spiritual thoughts in poetic language, all his own. Suddenly there was a gentle stir,- "Ah! Rabi Babu is coming.Rabi Babu is here."  A tie sprang up between the Poet and Prayer Meeting Trio, which gradually grew stronger with time.
On the occasion of 11th Annual ceremony of Paus Parban (7th Paush, 1901) and after the morning prayer in Santiniketan, Brahmacharyashram was inaugurated.Brahmabandhab, Rebachand etc were present as teachers and students coming from Calcutta and other respected guests were present. A car was hired on 4th Paush to bring Satyaprasad, Dinendranath, Singer Biharilal Chattopadhyay  etc. The Magistrate of Birbhum district was also present. Prasanta Kr. Paul mentioned in his book that Rs.3060.50 was spent on the occasion which he discovered from the cash book of the Tagore family.  Rabindranath himself initiated the students by reciting a sanskrit sloka, 'Shreyan byasohsani swaha' (let me be glorious rather than becoming a rich man) and explained the glory of the ancient monk's virtues.