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
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.
