Saturday, March 17, 2012

Bichitra and Rabindranath (contd - 16)


On 13th Mar, Kshiti Mohan Sen read an essay in Bichitra titled "Bhakta Dadur Bani shilper Rahasya" and Sarat Chandra read on 28th Mar a story " "Bilasi"..
Rabindranath wrote to Rathindranath on 1 April;
" The The story read by Sarat Chandra in Bichitra is not al all bad. I think it will be appreciated by all in the auditorium. On Wednesday, the day after yesterday. Sashtri was invited to to say something,  otherwise, Dinuu would have been invited to sing and some music would have been arranged."
" On 3rd  April, Bidhushekhar Sashtri read an essay ' Bangla Bhashatattwer Ekangsa".
Dinendranath's programme was held on the next week, 10th April. Rabindranath was present.
Rabindranath formally inaugurated 'Bichitra' on 12 July, 1915 by reading the essay " Chabir Anga". The year 1324 Bangabda (1917-1918) was thebgolden age of Bichitra. Rabindranath was closely associated with Bichitra this year..
There was a Model school associated with Bichitra. Rabindranath wanted an Englishman as an English teacher, male or female, without the knowledge of Bengali in 1322 (1915). It was not known whether he got such a teacher. But it was noticed from the accounts that in the name of Miss Lacher R. 30/- and Rs.60/- as salary was shown which was not brought forward. A file earmarked "Akshoy Kumar Roy" was found where it was written by Rabindranath, on 10 July, " Probably Rathi has gone to Kaligram, I am informing you that the room in the 2nd floor where Miss Larcher used to stay be alloted to Narabhup and Akshoy. "
The first meeting of Bichitra was  held on 27th Jun and in this year, some new programmes were adopted, Library was one of them.
" Adbhut Lok" - price Rs.4/- ( Realm of the absurd " was prineted. Logo of Bichitra, VICHITRAPRESS / DWARAKANATHTAGORE STREET ? CALCUTTA/ LITHOGRAOHED /  BY/ HARI CH / MANDAL
Gaganendranath published his next book "Naba Hullor" from Thacker Spink & Co. in 1921 . The functioning of Bichitra was not functioning at that time.