Saturday, March 30, 2013

Rabindranath and Jawaharlal - Nov 1936

Mainstream Weekly


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MAINSTREAM, VOL XLIX, NO 20, MAY 7, 2011

Tagore and Nehru

This contribution from the distinguished scientist who was closely associated with Tagore for over two decades throws interesting light on the approach and attitude of the two greatest sons of India. It is being reproduced from Mainstream (Republic Day Special 1965) for the benefit of our readers.

by P. C. Mahalanobis

I have read with much interest in Mainstream (June 20, 1964) the article about Jawaharlal Nehru’s talks with Rabindranath Tagore. I had the good fortune to be present on two other occasions and also know about a third occasion when Tagore and Nehru had come together which were not mentioned in the Mainstream article.

Jawaharlal Nehru came to Calcutta to attend meetings of the All India Congress Committee at the end of October 1937. At that time Rabindra-nath Tagore was staying with us at Gooptu Nibas, a house on the Barrackpore Trunk Road in Baranagar. Nehru came one day to see Tagore in this house. After some general conversation, Nehru raised the question of the selection of a national song for India. He was making a collection of patriotic songs in different Indian languages. He mentioned the two Bengali songs, Bande Mataram (by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee) and Jana Gana Mana Adhinayaka (by Tagore), and said that he himself was in favour of adopting Jana Gana Mana as the national song in India.

Wider Approach

TAGORE said, as the author of Jana Gana Mana Adhinayaka, it was difficult for him to express any views. He however agreed that Jana Gana Mana had a wider approach. Nehru referred to the objections which many Muslims had raised to accepting Bande Mataram as the national song. Tagore said he could very well appreciate these objections. He had composed the tune for Bande Mataram for the first time, but only for the first few lines because he himself had difficulty in accepting the portion beginning with “tuam hi Durga”. Muslims could not be expected to accept this part.

Tagore said that he belonged to the Hindu community in the wider sense but, having been brought up in a Brahmo family, he himself found it difficult to accept the imagery of the song. Tagore and Nehru agreed that national songs must be acceptable to the people as a whole. Tagore added with a smile that sometimes one is willing to sacrifice his life for the country but cannot give up a song. As far as I can remember, at Nehru’s request, Tagore sent him a brief note or a letter in this connection.

During this discussion Tagore had stressed that India did not belong to Hindus alone. India also belonged to the Muslims, the Christians and all the other people who came into India, settled here and made it their own country by living and dying in it. Nehru was in sympathy with this outlook. Tagore had always stressed that unity in diversity was the only possible way for India’s national integration. Unity in diversity was the foundation of the Nehru policy in domestic and external affairs. Against Fascism

THE second occasion was just after the Second World War had started in 1939. Tagore was again staying with us in Gooptu Nibas in Baranagar. Nehru had gone to China to see Chiang Kai Shek but on the outbreak of war had hurried back home by air. On landing at Dum Dum airport, he learnt that Tagore was in Calcutta. He came directly from the airport to Gooptu Nibas to see the Poet.

Nehru spoke briefly about his visit to China. His mind was preoccupied with the war. He was convinced that the fight against the fascists was of crucial importance for the world. He was distressed that the Viceroy had declared war on behalf of India without even consulting the leaders of the Opposition in the Central Assembly in which the Congress party was in a majority.

The British Government of India had deprived the Indian people of the opportunity to join the war of their own free choice. He was wondering whether there would be still any possibility of India taking up with self-respect the fight against the fascists.

Nehru came out from Tagore’s room to leave for the city. It was near tea time. I asked him whether he would like to have a cup of tea before going to the city. He smiled and said: “Yes, I shall have a cup of tea.” As he had already come out of Tagore’s room, he said he would prefer to have his tea in the verandah. I showed him a chair on a long verandah on the south, and went to order the tea.

When I came back I found he could not sit still but was pacing up and down the veandah. He was muttering: “Only if the British would give us a chance to fight the fascists—only if they would give us a chance”, and was smashing one clenched fist on the other. I saw how great was his agony that the people of India had been deprived of the opportunity to fight the fascists.

Rabindranath Tagore - 1936

Radha Kumud Mukherjee, also spelled Radhakumud Mookerji, was an Indian historian. he was a noted Indian nationalist during the period of British colonial rule. He published Indian Shipping: A History of Seaborne Trade and Maritime Activity of the Indians from the Earliest Times in 1912. He was an advocate of the notion of Greater India in which Indian merchants and adventurers with huge fleets brought Indians to Southeast Asia and became the foundation of kingdoms in that region.scholarship in the Southeast Asia region
 Such theories have been largely discredited by modern.

. Following the death of CR Das, he (Nalini Ranjan Sarkar), with Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy, Nirmal Chandra Chunder, Sarat Chandra Bose and Tulsi Chandra Goswami dominated the Congress movement in Bengal and constituted what was known as the "Big Five" of the Bengal Congress. He was elected a Councillor of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation in 1932 and became its Mayor in 1935.
In the month of Aug 1936, litterateur Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, Historian Radhakumud Mukhopadhyay, and Politician Tulsi Chandra Goswami came to Santiniketan to fetch Rabindranath Tagore to Calcutta for delivering a lecture there with the intention of forming public opinion against the communal  policy of "divide and rule" of the Prime minister of Great Britain Mac Donald.
The meeting was arranged in the Town Hall, Calcutta, on 15th July 1936.
Rabindranath did not advocate in favour of protecting the interests of the Hindus, nor he said anything against the increasing demands of the majority of Muslim population. He said, " Indians should only desire for a secular democratic country."


Friday, March 29, 2013

Foundation of Lokashiksha Sangsad - 1936

Prabhatkumar Mukhopadhyaya (1892-1985)


Prabhatkumar Mukhopadhyaya was born in Ranaghat, Nadia, in 1892. After passing the Entrance examination, he joined college at the National Council of Education at Bowbazar where he came into contact with inspiring teachers like Benaykumar Sarkar and Radhakumud Mukherjee. He was a voracious reader and loved history and biography. But he could not complete his education because of ill-health. Through Himansuprakas Roy he came into contact with Rabindranath who called him to Santiniketan in 1909. At Santiniketan he received a non-formal education and even while he was studying, he was appointed a teacher of the school in 1910.
In 1918 Prabhatkumar joined Patha-Bhavana as a Librarian and teacher. In 1929 the Rabindra Parichay Sabha, of which he was a founder member, assigned him the task of writing a biography of the poet. The four-volume moumental work, Rabindra-Jivani took over twenty-five years to complete and it laid the foundation for further research on Rabindranath.
Rabindranath made arrangements for foundation of "Lokashiksha Sangsad in Santiniketan. Prabhatkumar Mukhopadhyay perfomed his duty as the founder assistant Secretary of the Sangsad.
Rabindranath became the president of the National Council of Civil Liberties.
Dacca University awarded Honarary Doctorate to Rabindranath Tagore.
  

Marriage of Nandita (daughter of Mira), grand daughter of Rabindranath

Nandita (daughter of Mira), grand daughter of Rabindranath (pic-1)
Mira Debi (Atasi)


Rabindranath’s fourth child Mira Debi, who was his third and youngest daughter, was born on 12 January 1894. She was also called Atasi. Mira Debi was married on 6 June 1907 at the age of 13 years 4 months to Nagendranath Gangopadhyay. They separated in the 1920s. Mira Debi died at Santiniketan in the year 1969 at the age of about 75.
Mira Debi and Nagendranath had two children – a son named Nitindranath (Nitu) (1912- 32) and a daughter named Nandita (Buri married to Krishna Kripalani)) born in 1916.





Pic-2-(Krishna Kripalani with another festival goer in the courtyard.)





Krishna Kripalani have the rare privilege of possessing a sketch painted by Rabidranath Tagore. Also an autographed photograph of his.



No one now remembers Krishna Kriplani. He taught at Santiniketan for nearly 15 years, beginning in 1933. Indira Gandhi was studying at Santiniketan and got to know Krishna well. When she became prime minister, she nominated him to the Rajya Sabha.



Krishna married Tagore’s grand niece on 25th April, 1936, Nandita. Gandhiji and Jawharlal Nehru knew Krishna Kriplani intimately. When Tagore died on August 7, 1941, Nehru was in jail. To Krishna Kriplani he wrote: “I have met many big people in various parts of the world. But I have no doubt in my mind that two biggest I have had the privilege meeting have been Gandhi & Tagore. I think they have been the two outstanding personalities in the world during the last quarter of a century... And I think of the richness of India’s age-long cultural genius which can throw up in the same generation two such master types... .”
Krishna Kriplani’s biography of Tagore, published in London, New York and New Delhi is among the best ever written. It is an inspired work.
He and Indira Gandhi were on first names. She bestowed the Padma Bhushan on a very embarrassed and reluctant Krishna. The declaration of the Emergency appalled and distressed this man of lofty principles and integrity.
When he finally left New Delhi at the end of his second Rajya Sabha term, he, most generously and unexpectedly, gave me the two treasures I have mentioned above. “I am settling in Santiniketan. With Nandita gone (she died of cancer) I have no use for worldly possessions. I know you will take good care of these heirlooms of mine.” I had no words to thank him. Silent acceptance was the only answer
Pic-3-(Krishna Kripalani)
The marriage was performed according to Adi Brahmo Samaj ideology and a registration was done by the 1877/3 act. Rabindranath dedicated his "Patraput " kabya on this occasion.  

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Chitrangada Dance Drama - 1936

Rabindranath came back to Santiniketan. He changed the drama Chitrangada to "Chitrangada Dance Drama" and staged the Dance drama in Calcutta New Empire Theatre on 11,12, and 13th March, 1936. He started for North Calcutta tour with the team of Chitrangada and staged the dance drama in the month  of March on 17th at Patna, 19th at Allahabad, Lahore on 22nd and 23rd March and came to Delhi on 25th. Chitrangada was staged in Delhi on 26th and 27th March,1936.
Rabindranath Tagore took the story of Chitrāngadā and, in 1892, turned it into a dance drama,[1] very much like a modern day musical with the story put to music and with the characters acting out the parts in dance.[1] Tagore's story differs a bit from the story of Chitrāngadā in the Mahābhārata. He expands on the character and gives her new life.




In Tagore's story, Chitrāngadā is the only child of the King of Manipura. Being the heir to the throne, she dresses like a man and is the protector of the land. Her people look to her to keep them safe. One day, she meets Arjuna and, seeing him in action as he hunts in the forest, she falls in love. Arjuna is impressed by her fighting abilities but all along believes her to be a man. Chitrāngadā believes he could never love her the way she is. She receives a boon from Kamadeva, Hindu god of love, and transforms herself into a beautiful feminine woman. When she meets Arjuna again, he can't help but fall in love with her. Though she believes that she has everything she wants in life, deep down she wishes that he could love her for her true self. When marauders come into her kingdom to take over the villages, Arjuna learns from the people of the kingdom that their princess is the greatest warrior around and they wonder why she isn't there to help protect them now. Arjuna is impressed by the story of this woman who seems to be his equal when it comes to fighting and longs to meet her. Chitrāngadā appears and saves her kingdom before revealing her true self to Arjuna. No longer in love with her just for her beauty, Arjuna marries Chitrāngadā. They have a son named Babruvahana

In the mean time, M.K.Gandhi being anxious for  Rabindranath Tagore's health, asked him the amount of deficit in the budget of Viswabharati . He learnt that the deficit was about Rs. 60,000/-. He brought the amount by cheque from Mr Birla and gave it to Rabindranath. He insisted him to avoid so much trouble for collecting money and to go back to Santiniketan. Chitrangada was also staged in Mirat on 29th March.Delhi Radio broadcasted a recitation of Rabidranath  on 30th March. After travelling in north Calcutta, he returned to Santiniketan.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

N.E.F. and Rabindranath Tagore in 1936

In the year 1936 in the month of February, a Education Week was observed in Calcutta and a session of New Education Fellowship was  held in tbe senate hall of Calcutta University On this occasion meetings on different subjects educations were held. Rabindranath delivered a lecture on this occasion. 


Beatrice Ensor
Beatrice Ensor (1885–1974) was an English theosophical educationist, pedagogue, co-founder of the New Education Fellowship (later World Education Fellowship) and editor of the journal Education for the New Era .

The New (World) Education Fellowship


Beatrice Ensor and Professor Carl Jung - Montreux 1923 - Second International Conference of the N.E.F.
In 1921, together with Iwan Hawliczek, she organised a conference in Calais on the ‘Creative Self-Expression of the Child’, with attendance of over 100. Although this was inspired by theosophists anxious to prevent another world war, what emerged was the New (later World) Education Fellowship , an entirely non-political and non-sectarian forum for new ideas in education. It was not to advocate any particular method but to ‘seek to find the thread of truth in all methods’. It still has active sections in some 20 countries. Beatrice Ensor, together with the editors of the other two journals, formed the initial organising committee of the N.E.F., which held international conferences at two yearly intervals, presided over by distinguished educationists and pedagogues.
The second conference of 1923 was held in Montreux, Switzerland and there she met Professor Carl Jung whom she invited to speak at a meeting in London (where she introduced him to H G Wells), Emile Jacques-Dalcroze, Professor Franz Cizek and Alfred Adler.
In 1929 the conference was held in Kronborg Castle, Helsingör, Denmark and amongst the delegates and speakers were Maria Montessori, Rabindranath Tagore, Jean Piaget, Kurt Lewin, Adolphe Ferrière fr:Adolphe Ferrière, Ovide Decroly, Helen Parkhurst, Pierre Bovet fr:Pierre Bovet, A S Neill, Elisabeth Rotten, Franz Cizek, Dr Harold Rugg, Professor T P Nunn, and Paul Geheeb de:Paul Geheeb.
Other conferences were held at Locarno (1927), Cheltenham and Heidelberg (1925),
She was a member of the Education Advisory Committee of the Labour Party for a short while but her utopian views clashed with those of R. H. Tawney and resigned her position.

 The N.E.F. and Unesco

Just as theosophy had a profound influence on the N.E.F. so the N.E.F. had a profound influence on the creation of UNESCO[10]. It was described as "the midwife at the birth of UNESCO" (Kobayashi) and has been an NGO of UNESCO since 1966 (Hiroshi Iwama). It changed its name to W.E.F.
New education Fellowship was an organisation established in Europe. The poet happened to remain present in a session in 1930 when he went to Europe and a branch of the said organisation was formed in Santiniketan. Rabindranath Tagore held the chair of the President and Sri Dhirendramohan Sen and Sri Anil Kumar Chanda became the Jt. Secretary. In the session Rbindranath delivered two lectures on Education.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Rabindanath again in Chandannagar - 1935

Rabindranath came to Calcutta on 10th May,1935 after attending his 75th birth day. Bangiya Sahitya Parishad offered him a grand ovation for completing 74 years of age.
He started by boat on the ganges accompanied by Anil  Chanda and Sudhakanta Roychoudhury and cdame to the place of landing the boat. His pen was always constructing poems.He could see the house where he once came accompanying Jyoti-dada. He could remember the interaction with his Bauthan in his youth.
He came back to Santiniketan from Vhandannagar on 4th July 1935. Having reached Santiniktan he heard the sad news of the death of Dinendranath Thakur, the store keeper of the lyrics of Rabindranath and one of the best beloved person.   

Friday, March 22, 2013

Rabindranath entered "Shyamali", a mud house in Santiniketsn-1935

A mud house was constructed for staying Rabindranath. The mud house was contructed under the advice of Nandalal Basu and Surendranath Kar. It was made of mud walls, and the roof was also made up of mud - a mixture was prepared by mixing mud, cow-dung and tar to construct its walls and roof.
The poet entered his mud-house on his 75th birth day. In the night "Birinchi Baba " written by Rajshekhar Bose was staged. The poet edited the book and  changed some of its dialogues. He also remained present on the occasion.
After the 75th birth day ceremony , Rabindranath went to live on boat on the Ganges. Bangiya Sahitya Parishad arranged a welcome ceremony of his completion of 74 years of age . Moreover, this was the day of Chaitya Bihar when Rabindranath delivered a lecture on " Budhdhadev" " I want to offer flowers to him
whom I think is the greatest man in the world."
Rabindranath was moving by boat on the Ganges. After ome day the boat reached Chandanagar

Structures in Santiniketan since inception

Santiniketan, popularly known today as a university town, a hundred miles to the north of Kolkata, was originally an ashram built by Debendranath Tagore, where anyone, irrespective of caste and creed, could come and spend time meditating on the one Supreme God. Debendranath, who was father of the Poet, Rabindranath, was also known as Maharshi (which means one who is both saint and sage) was a leading figure of the Indian Renaissance. In a trust deed prepared in 1888, he declared: 'Apart from worshipping the Formless, no community may worship any idol depicting god, man, or animals; neither may anyone arrange sacrificial fires or rituals in Santiniketan.... No insult to any religion or religious deity will be allowed here. The sermons given here will be such that will be appropriate to the worship of the Creator and Father and will help in ethics, benevolence and brotherhood...' It was in this area that the Maharshi had a spiritual realization while meditating under a glade of Chhatim trees (Alstonia scholaris), which were the only vegetation in this arid land of Birbhum. These trees still stand with a plaque that says, He is the repose of my life, the joy of my heart, the peace of my soul. Chhatimtala as it is called is the spot that symbolizes the starting point of Santiniketan, which was to become his son Rabindranath's home and base fro activity. It is considered to be a hallowed spot and prayer services are held here on very special days. Rabindranath, too, like his father before him would sit in meditation here, under the chhatim trees during sunset.


ASHRAMA COMPLEX: Among the structures built by the Maharshi was the Santiniketan Griha or house and the beautiful stained glass Mandir, or temple where worship is non-denominational. Both structures built in the second half of the 19th century are important in their association with the founding of Santiniketan and the universal spirit associated with the revival and reinterpretation of religious ideals in Bengal and India. A beautiful garden was laid out on all sides of the Santiniketan Bari. The top-layer of gritty dry soil was removed and filled up with rich soil brought over from outside. Rows of various fruit trees and trees with extended foliage for shade were planted. The avenue of Sal trees, so familiar to earlier asramites as being Rabindranath's favourite walk, was planted at this time.

The other important structures built at a later date, after Rabindranath moved to the site of Santiniketan are, the Patha-Bhavana, with beautiful frescoes by Nandalal Bose and his students, Natun-Bari, built in 1902 by the Poet for his family, this simple thatched cottage was offered to Mahatma Gandhi's Phoenix school boys in 1915. Mrinalinidevi, the Poet's wife died before the house was completed but her name lives on in the nursery school named after her - Mrinalini Ananda Pathsala which is housed here. Dehali was built in 1904 and Rabindranath lived here for a while. Santoshalaya, a single-storey house with a tiled roof is named after Santoshchandra Majumdar, one of the first students of the Santiniketan Vidyalaya. Santoshalaya is a hostel for young students of the school. The walls of this house have frescoes prepared by artists of the twenties. Built out of a donation by Satyendraprasanna Sinha of Raipur, Singha-Sadan has a clock tower and bell that regulates the timings of daily routine for the asrama inmates. It was in this building that Oxford University conferred its honorary doctorate on the Poet. Purvatoran and Paschimtoran are the two buildings on either side of Singha-Sadana. Classes are held here. Dwijaviram is a house where the Poet's eldest brother, Dwijendranath lived. Gandhiji visited him in this house. Dinantika built in 1939, is an octagonal two-storeyed structure originally used as a tea-house with the staircase on the outside; staff members of Visva-Bharati would meet in the evening for a cup of tea and relaxation. The Cha Chakra, as it was called, was instituted in the name of Dinendranath Tagore by his wife, Kamaladevi. The walls of this house have colourful frescoes by Nandalal Bose. Taladhwaj, a round mud hut with a thatched roof built around a taal tree (toddy palm) with part of its trunk and its huge palm leaves stretching out over the top, was built for Tejeschandra Sen, a treelover who would even share his lodging with one! Old Santiniketan Press: In 1917, the citizens of Lincoln, Nebraska had presented to the boys of Santiniketan, a letter-press treadle machine which saw the beginning of the Santiniketan Press, from where the Santiniketan Patrika, a newsletter was printed. Chaitya is a small structure made of mud and coal-tar in 1934 resembling a typical thatched hut of Bengal, yet it carries a Buddhist name. Planned by Nandalal Bose and Surendranath Kar, this structure has a glass-paned showcase where newlycreated works of art were on display every few days. Ghantatala, resembling a gateway to a Buddhist stupa stands at the crossroads of Salvithika and the road leading to Cheena Bhavana from the Santiniketan house. A bronze bell hanging from the structure would, at one time, regulate the classes and other events held during the day. Gour-prangan: The open ground in front of the school building is named after Gour Gopal Ghosh, who was a student and teacher of Santiniketan. Certain ceremonies like the flag-hoisting on Independence Day and Republic Day are held here. On 23 January, the birth anniversary of Netaji is commemorated with rows of lighted lamps on the ground. Kalo Bari is a unique structure made of mud and coal-tar. Built as a hostel for Kala-Bhavana students, its walls and pillars have been decorated with relief work and is the handiwork of art-students over many years. Begun by Nandalal Bose in 1934, there are examples of Ramkinkar's works on the northern walls. Panthasala: In 1925 Hirabai, widow of Liladhar Thakkar of Bombay donated Rs 15,200 to construct a restroom for travellers and a well and water trough to provide drinking water to travellers and beasts. The rooms now house a book-store and Railway Reservation Counter. Ratan Kuthi was erected in 1924 out of a donation by Trustees of Sir Ratan Tata to be used as a residence for scholars who stayed and worked at Santiniketan. This building symbolizes the reverence to the personality of Rabindranath by the Tatas. Malancha: Built in 1926 by Rabindranath for his youngest daughter, Mira, the genesis of the Malancha house lies in the deep sense of sorrow and guilt that Rabindranath felt at the failed marriage of his daughter. He wanted this house, along with its gardens to be a solace for the lonely woman and together, father and daughter, they planned the garden.

UTTARAYANA COMPLEX: North of the ashram area described above, is the enclave of Rabindranath's own houses, built over the last three decades of his life (1919-1941). Konark, originally a mud house was the earliest dwelling that Rabindranath built for his own seclusion from activity to provide a place for his own work. It contained an east facing verandah with rows of pillars used as a stage for plays and dance-dramas composed by the Poet. Natir Puja was first staged here. Since there were no walls in the central large room, nature was an effective backdrop. The Konark verandah was used for poetry readings by the poet. The Mrinmoyee Patio is a beautiful cemented floor with sitting arrangements. This was built on the foundation of the other mud house when it was pulled down. Rabindranath would sit in this open patio and write. Shyamali: the construction of a mud house was an experiment. Rabindranath wanted to see if instead of a thatched roof, which was always vulnerable to fire hazards, a permanent mud roof could be built. It was to be a low-cost structure and would serve as a model house for villagers. The walls were heavily built so that the weight of the mud roofs could be borne. One of the rooms was constructed by using earthen water-pots arranged inside plaster-casings to form its roof and walls. According to Rabindranath, this would keep the rooms cool as the hot air having to pass through these earthen pots would lose some of its heat. Keeping Rabindranath's ideas in mind, Surendranath Kar prepared the architectural plan and Nandalal Bose prepared the visual perspective based on the Borobudur style. The entire outside wall was decorated with beautiful relief work by Kala-Bhavana students under the guidance of Nandalal Bose. The Santals on either side of the main door and on the eastern corner were by Ramkinkar Baiz. Gandhiji and Kasturba stayed as guests in this house. Punascha, meaning postscript suggests the Poet's change of mind. Another house was built on the eastern side of Shyamali. He lived in this house for a short while but it was here that he created most of his paintings. Udichi is the last house built for Rabindranath. He felt claustrophobic, he said, and wanted a room to be constructed on four pillars. However, changes were gradually made according to the owner's needs. He took poetry classes on the ground floor. The most imposing house in Uttarayana, is Udayan. Uttarayana is the area where these five houses are located in. The gardens of Uttarayana were planned and laid out by the Poet's son, Rathindranath, a horticulturist by training. He planted in Uttarayan and in the surrounding area exotic plants and trees from other lands. The African Tulip (Spathodea campanulata) from Equatorial Africa, the Sausage tree (Kigelia africana) and Rhodesian Wistaria (Balusanthus speciosus) from Tropical Africa, the Baobab tree (Adansonia digitata) from Sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean Trumpet tree (Tabebuia aura) from Latin America are some of the trees that have survived in Santiniketan as have the ideas and research studies done by foreign scholars who came to Santiniketan. Udayan, unlike the other houses was conceived by Rathindranath, not the poet. When Rabindranath came to live in Konark, Rathindranath and his wife lived in an outhouse by its side. Starting from these modest and functional rooms the elaborate structure of Udayan was gradually evolved. Udayan has many suites of rooms─ each on a different level which gives this house its individuality. Distinguished visitors who have stayed here are Stella Kramrisch, Margaret Milward, Sir Maurice Gwyer, S. Radhakrishnan (later, President of India) and Jawaharlal Nehru. Guha-ghar/Chitrabhanu stands near the lake in the Japanese-styled gardens of Uttarayana. The studio or Chitrabhanu was built for Pratima Devi at a higher level of the ground and later the space below was converted into a room to be used as a workshop for Rathindranath. The workshop is a low-ceiling room and the entrance wall has rough stones on it and creepers growing over it giving it a resemblance to a cave-dwelling or guha-ghar.

INSTITUTES OF VISVA BHARATI: In 1922, Visva Bharati was inaugurated as a Centre for Culture with exploration into the arts, language, humanities, music and these are reflected in diverse institutes that continue in their educational programmes, which are based on the founding principles of excellence in culture and culture studies. As originally intended, these serve as institutes for Hindi studies, Hindi Bhavan, Sino Asian studies, Cheena Bhavan, centre for humanities, Vidya Bhavan, institute of fine arts Kala Bhavan, and music, Sangit Bhavan. The structures in these institutes constitute a myriad of architectural expressions which are as diverse as the Kalo Bari, a mud structure with coal tar finish and sculpture panels, Mastermoshai studio, a single storied structure built for the first principal of Kala Bhavan, Nandalal Bose, murals and paintings on Cheena and Hindi Bhavan, created by the illustrious artists like Benodebehari Mukhopadhyay, Nandalal Bose, Surendranath Kar, Somnath Hore with active involvement of students.

Rabindranath in North India-1935


The delegates of Indian Science Congress visited Santiniketan on 6th january, 1935.
Rabindranath became pleased to observe the dance performance of Gopinath and Ragini Devi.
Guru Gopinath (Malayalam: ഗുരു ഗോപിനാഥ്) (June 24, 1908 – October 9, 1987) was an Indian classical dancer, Kathakali master and mentor of a relatively new creative modern dancing style called Kerala Natanam.


(Keralanatanam in 1932- Laksminaraayana Dance by Ragini Devi and Gopinath)
The Governor of Bengal, Sir John Anderson  (Aged only thirty-four, Anderson headed the Civil Service staff of the new Ministry of Shipping in 1917. Later, he served as Under-Secretary for Ireland, and became Permanent Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office in 1922, where he had to deal with the General Strike of 1926. His career in the civil service was capped by a posting as Governor of Bengal from 1932 to 1937.) visited Santiniketan. But a heavy police arrangements for his safety was arranged by the authority. At this Rabindranath became annoyed and sent all his students to Srinietan. The Governor visited a lonely Santiniketan.
The poet started for Benaras on the very night.
He delivered  lecture, for the first time, in the convocation of Banaras Hindu University. The University awarded an Honarary Doctorate on this occasion.
He went to Allahabad by motor, attended different programmes and delivered lecture to the students. From Allahabad he went to Lahore addressed the Panjabi - students in their 5th conference on 15th and 17th february,1935. On 16th t=he recited poems in Y.M.C.A. hall. He visited Lahore-Dayananda Vedic Collegeand delivered lecture. Then he came to Lucknau and delivered lectures there for two days.    

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Tagore again in Madras -1934

In the month of Oct 1934 Rabindranath was invited to come to Madras. He reached there on 21st  Oct. On 22 nd Oct he was greeted by the citizen of the city. He delivered lectures in many places. On 25th Oct a team from Santiniketan came to Madras who would stage Dance Drama to collect money They staged Sapmochan on 27, 28, 30 and 31st they staged Sapmochan. But they cou;ld not collect sufficient money.. Rabindranath returned to Calcutta on Dec 4th.
Rathindranath went to London to meet Anderson and discuss about Sriniketan. From 1922 to 1934, the dartington Trust donated some money to Santiniketan.
the poet is very busy to construct a earthen house, named "Shyamali". 

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Tagore with Tan Yun Shan and Abdul Gaffar Khan

Rabindranath came to Santiniketan and began to do some reformation in the internalmatter of Santiniketan.
In August (19 & 26), Tan Yun Shang met Rabindranath and proposed him to open a Chinese Bhavan in santiniketan which rabindranath agreed. Subsequently Chinese Bhavan was constructed.
On February 18 Tan wrote to Tagore advising him of the progress much to the delight of the Poet.

1934
Returned to Santiniketan in February to organize the India Chapter of the Sino-Indian Cultural Society. The Society was established in September with Tagore as its first President and Rathindranath as the General Secretary
(Tan Yun Shang presenting Chinese Books to Tagore)
Abdul Ghaffar Khan of North West frontier came to Santiniketan to see his son,Abdul Gani reading there, He was greeted cordially.Khān Abdul Ghaffār Khān (1890 – 20 January 1988)  also known as Fakhr-e Afghān (Pashto: فخر افغان‎, lit. "pride of Afghans"), and Bāchā Khān (Pashto: باچا خان‎, lit. "king of chiefs"), Pāchā Khān or Bādshāh Khān, was a Pashtun political and spiritual leader known for his nonviolent opposition to the British Raj in British India, and a lifelong pacifist and devout Muslim. A close friend of Mahatma Gandhi, Bacha Khan has been called the "Frontier Gandhi" by the Indians. In 1910, Bacha Khan opened a mosque school at his hometown Utmanzai, and in 1911 joined the freedom movement of Haji Sahib of Turangzai, however in 1915, the British authorities banned his mosque school. Having witnessed the repeated failure of revolts against the British Raj, Bacha Khan decided that social activism and reform would be more beneficial for the Pashtuns. This lead to the formation of Anjuman-e Islāh al-Afghān ("Afghan Reform Society") in 1921, and the youth movement Pax̌tūn Jirga ("Pashtun Assembly") in 1927. After Bacha Khan's return from the Hajj in May 1928, he founded the Pashto language monthly political journal Pax̌tūn. Finally, in November 1929, Bacha Khan founded the Khudai Khidmatgar ("Servants of God") movement, whose success triggered a harsh crackdown by the British Empire against him and his supporters and they suffered some of the most severe repression of the Indian independence movement.[3] In 1962, Bacha Khan was named the Amnesty International Prisoner of Conscience of the Year. In 1987, he became the first non-Indian to be awarded Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award. Bacha Khan was an important freedom fighter, and is a Pashtun national hero and a key figure of Pashtun nationalism.
Bacha Khan strongly opposed the All-India Muslim League's demand for the partition of India.

Rabindranath in Ceylon (3rd time)- 1934

Rabindranath delivered a lecture on the "Theories of Literature" in the Calcutta University and another lecture in Presidency college at the "Rabindra Parishad"
He also visited the " Bharati pen facotry" of Lahas "  and presided over the silver jubilee of Hindusthan Cooperative Airlines.
The poet expressed his concern about the spread of Hindu-Muslim riot in literature.
   He delivered a lecture in the Senate Hall in a meeting organised by International Relations Club on 7th April 1934.
Rabindranath went to Ceylon  by Ichanga Ship to stage some dramas. A team of students and teachers went there in advance by train. They were greeted in Colombo by Sir Baron Jayatilaka also by the citizens of Ceylon in Y.M.C.A. hall which was broadcasted in Radio Ceylon. Rabindranath recited a poem.They were invited by the Business Magnets of  domiciled Indians.
(Sir Don Baron Jayatilaka (13 February 1868 - 29 May 1944) (known as D.B. Jayatilaka) was a Sri Lankan educationalist, statesmen and diplomat. He was Vice President of the Legislative Council of Ceylon; the Minister for Home Affairs and Leader of the House of the State Council of Ceylon; and Representative of Government of Ceylon in New Delhi)
The students of Santiniketan staged "Sapmochan" and also art exhibition of Rabindranath took place.
This was the third time that Rabindranath came to Ceylon. He came here in 1922 and 1928. But no team of students came at that time. The ceylonese did not witnessed Indian Dances earlier.They enjoyed by witnessing the Indian dances. This cultuyral expedition by Rabindranath took place since the victory of Ceylon by Bijoy Singh of Bengal.
Some students from Ceylon came to Santiniketan fro study but after this occasion a good number of students used to come to Santiniketan.
Despite Colombo they went to Gaulle, Horana, Mataru  and other places there.They staged Sapmochan for consecutive three days in Colombo.They observed Candy dance there.Rabi dranath completed his "Char Adhyay.
They also went to Jaffna where people of Tamil lived in large number.
They returned back on 15th June, 1934.   

Monday, March 18, 2013

Sarojini Naidu, Jawaharlal Nehru with his wife in Santiniketan-1934

 Rabindranath came back to Santiniketan on 3rd January,1934 after traveling west, south and central India for about one and half months.

Sarojini Naidu came to Santiniketan on 9th Jan 1934 and was greeted cordially.

Kamala Kaul Nehru  1 August 1899 - 28 February 1936) was a freedom fighter and the wife of Jawaharlal .
Nehru - leader of the Indian National Congress and the first prime minister of India and the mother of Indira Gandhi. She was known to be deeply sincere, highly patriotic, serious minded and sensitive A file picture of 1918 shows barrister Jawaharlal Nehru and wife Kamla Nehru with one - year - old daughter Indira, in Bombay(left)

Jawaharlal Nehru and Kamala Nehru came to Santiniketan to see their daughter reading in Santiniketan on 19th Jan  1934.
There was an earth quake in Bihar on 15th Jan 1934 which was mentioned by M.K.Gandhi  "as a result of sinful activity." This was protested  by Rabindranath in a letter written on 5th Feb.

Nalini ranjan Sarkar had close contacts with Surendranath Banerjee, Tej Bahadur Sapru, Motilal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore and Chittaranjan Das, which developed his ideas related to nationalism and economic freedom. He joined the movement against the partition of Bengal in 1905. In later years, influenced by Gandhi's ideas of non-violence, he participated in the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920.
In the early 1920s, when C. R. Das and Motilal Nehru founded the Swarajya Party, Nalini ranjan Sarkar joined it and soon became one of its leaders. He was, at the same time, involved with the Bengal Provincial Congress Committee. He was also a member of the Bengal Legislative Council from 1923 to 1930 and again from 1937 to 1946 as well as Chief Whip of the parliamentary Swarajya Party in Bengal. In the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress in 1928, he acted as the Secretary of the Exhibition organised for the occasion. Following the death of CR Das, he with Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy, Nirmal Chandra Chunder, Sarat Chandra Bose and Tulsi Chandra Goswami dominated the Congress movement in Bengal and constituted what was known as the "Big Five" of the Bengal Congress. He was elected a Councillor of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation in 1932 and became its Mayor in 1935.He came to Santiniketan on 6th Feb 1934 as a chief guest and attended a lecture delivered by  Rabindranath on " Upekshita Palli" 

Rabindra-Week in Bombay-1933

Sarojini Naidu, also known by the sobriquet The Nightingale of India, was a child prodigy, Indian independence activist and poet. Naidu was one of the framers of the Indian Constitution. Naidu is the second Indian woman to become the President of the Indian National Congress and the first woman to become the Governor of Uttar Pradesh state. Her birthday is celebrated as Women's Day all over India.
Sarojini Naidu organise to observe Rabindra- Week in Bombay. An exhibition of paintings of the students of Kala Bhavan and Taser Desh dance drama were held in Bombay.
From Bombay the poet went to Waltair and delivered lectures in the seires of lectures of KrishnaSwami in Andhra University. Then he came to Hyderabad as a guest of Sir Kishen Pershad. He delivered a lecture in Osmania University. In 1927, Nijam of Hyderabad donated Viswabharati one lac of Rupees.in 1927.
Rabindranath returned to Calcutta and delivered lecture on 29th Dec on " Bharat Pathik Rammohan" on the occasion of birth centenary of Rammohan and on 30th Dec in All India Womens Conference in Town Hall.  

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Rabindranath in 1933

Rabindranath being a professor of Ramtanu Lahiri delivered lectures in the Calcutta University in the series of  " lectures on Kamala" on the "Religion of Human being" on 16,18, and 20th January 1933.He was appointed in the same post for two years but he did not have taken regular classes.
  Mayor of Calcutta, Bidhan Chandra Roy, came to Sriniketan as a chief guest on the 11th anniversary of Sriniketan on 5-6 Jan 1933.
Drinking water was installed in Santiniketan by Minister of Bengal, Bijoy Prasad Singha. This was the first time that a minister of the Government of Bengal came to  Santiniketan.
Rabindranath delivered lecture in the Calcutta University as a professor on " Shikhshar Bikiran".
He came to the house of Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis at Berhanagar for taking rest at the end of March 1933.
In the mean time Madan Mohan Malaviya came there and informed him about the scandals circulated by British Government relating to India through out the world.
Having returned to Santiniketan Rabindranath issued a statement in reply to the above, "Fully equipped information centers in the West is necessary to form for Sober presentation abroad of facts and figures about the present situation   "
Rabindranath began constructing Bengali terminology with the help of a young Professor Bijan Behari Bhattacharya.
He went to Darjeeling during summer vacation and came to Santiniketan after two months.
He organised afforestation ceremony and Barsha Mangal in Santiniketan.
The famous Dancer Uday Shankar came to Santiniketan and showed some dances to Rabindranath on 12 July,1933.  
William Wilberforce (24 August 1759 – 29 July 1833) was an English politician, philanthropist, and a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. A native of Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780, eventually becoming the independent Member of Parliament for Yorkshire (1784–1812). In 1785, he underwent a conversion experience and became an evangelical Christian, which resulted in major changes to his lifestyle and a lifelong concern for reform. In 1787, he came into contact with Thomas Clarkson and a group of anti-slave-trade activists, including Granville Sharp, Hannah More and Charles Middleton. They persuaded Wilberforce to take on the cause of abolition, and he soon became one of the leading English abolitionists. He headed the parliamentary campaign against the British slave trade for twenty-six years until the passage of the Slave Trade Act of 1807.
Rabindranath sent a message to the death centenary of Wilberforce, the founder of the movement of slave-system.
On 12, 13, and !5th of Sept, 1933, the teachers and students staged in Madam Theater the recently finished two dance dramas, Taser Desh and Chandalika. Rabindranath delivered a lecture in Calcutta University on
" Rhymes " on 16th sept,1933.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Santiniketan and Madan Mohan Malaviya & Daniel Hamilton

Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya (Hindi: पंडित मदन मोहन मालवीय) About this sound pronunciation (1861–1946) was an Indian educationist, and freedom fighter notable for his role in the Indian independence movement and his espousal of Hindu nationalism. Later in life, he was also addressed as 'Mahamana'
Madan Mohan Malaviya came to Santiniketan on 2nd Dec 1932 and was greeted cordially.
Rabindranath presided over the 70th birth anniversary of Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy on 11th Dec 1932. He also published a book on Mahatmaji and dedicated it to Mahatmaji on thesame date.
He delivered a lecture on the "Functions of University" in Calcutta University. This was his first lecture in the Calcutta Universit after beiong appointed in the post of professor designated under the name of  " Ramtanu Larhiri". He did not take classes regularly in the University but acted as visiting professor.
Sir Daniel Mackinnon Hamilton (6 December 1860 – 6 December 1939) was a Scottishbusinessman who made Bengal his second home. He established a zamindari in Gosaba, where he experimented with programmes of rural and social upliftment. He was a visionary and builder of rural reconstruction programmes at a time when the Indian national movement was gaining momentum, and gave importance to rural upliftment and self-help
Rabindranath visited the farm of Sir Daniel Hamilton at Gosaba and in the month of Jan 1933.