Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Rabindranath and Bisarjan (contd-2)

Gobindamanikya, Tripura’s monarch, on realizing the futility of blood sacrifices, issued a ban on these unnecessary slaughters at the altar of the Goddess. Undoubtedly, this caused a general discontent in the state that was encouraged by high priest Raghupati, who held himself supreme in the matter of religion.
Rabindranath was attacked with Dengu and the date of staging Bisarjan in New Empire was postponed. As a result Ranu returned back to Banaras.She was a student of I.A. in Banaras. She came to Santiniketan before the summer vacation started and went to Shillong with Rabindranath. She stayed there for about one and half months and came to Calcutta. She did not return to Banaras though her college reopened after vacation. She had to attend rehearsal of Bisarjan because she was chosen to act in the role of Aparna by Rabindranath. But since the date of staging drama was postponed  she returned back to Banaras on 26-27 July.
Rabindranath used to stay on the 2nd floor of Maharshi Bhavan in his own room during the days, rehearsal of Bisarjan were going on. Ranu too lived on the same floor with Pratima Devi. She with her usual habit moved freely to the room of Rabindranath frequently and tried to disturb him. But Rabindranath wrote after many days ( 13 Oct) a letter to Ranu recollecting from his memory;
" .....I remember the days when you stayed in Jorasanko and were preparing yourselves for Bisarjan and  I was busy in editing the drama " Nandini , you tried in different ways to create a hitch to my work. there is  some attraction to one's own duty but if I say that there is no pull in your creation of hitches to me , my innerself will protest against it. Those days of your presence is still alive in my memory. My room on the 2nd floor of Maharshi Bhavan is full of sounds and its echoes of those days."
Ranu, too, recollected her memory stating an incident;
" One day I fell ill after the rehearsal and was lying down in the room adjacent to the bed-room of Bhanu Dada. I don't know why the attendant who put "Alta" in ladies leg, came to the room. On seeing me in that room she cried loudly saying - "Alas, what will happen ?" She left the room with a loud shouting. " What happened on that day ? Probably, she saw " Bauthan" , who died long ago. This Bauthan was none else than the poet's source of inspiration of many creation, Kadambari Devi. I don't know whether I resemble her ? Many commented, yes- you do. Bhanu Dada said, "it is same as it was from nose to forehead but different after that."  But her complexion was bright black."
Sahana Devi wrote, " One can not  imagine Rabindranath without his making joke and laughter. His jokes and imagery were so peculiar, lively and refined and his way of speaking was so exceptional that there was no duplicate to it. One can not be made to understand if he does not see it in his own eyes. Even it is not a matter to  make one understand. Moreover his style of speaking was exceptionally  attractive that one will very easily feel the presence of his genius in his wit and humour. ....."