Rathindranath and Santiniketan (contd-42)

On 2nd Baishakh (15 April) mentioned about "Mayeder Adhikar" during discussion with a person in Santiniketan. Rathindranath took note of it and wrote in his book , Pitrismriti" which did not differ from the essay "Europe Yatri".

But before actually starting his speech, he narrated a funny memoirs. " One day I saw  a girl was walking restlessly on the roof in the evening. She , off and on, was throwing stones over her head - she had some emotions and restlessness. In verandah at the ground below her, a girl was slowly cutting some vegetables. Having noticed this I came to understand that there are two passions in the girls. One is of a lady's passion and the other a Mother's passion. One was attractive and interesting and the other was thought of welfare. On 2nd May 1911, he mentioned the same story to the teachers while he was discussing about his poem, "Urbasi".   

On 7 Baishakh (20 April) Rabindranth wrote a letter to Ramendra Sundar Tribedi asking him to accomodate in his Institution and said there are another two senior students in Santiniketan ( Rathindranath and Santosh Chandra) waiting for doing some work in his Parishad. Please don't expect any better result from one who has not attained the age of 12. "You can reject both the students, one tender age and the other grown up."

"Dehali", Rabindranth's own house at santiniketan

In course of time a house became necessary for Rabindranath to stay. A house, namely "Dehali" was being built for Rabindranath sometimes in 1903 and was completed in the month of Agrahayan. The fund was available as a loan from Jyotirindranath and Satyprasad. 25th Aug (9 Bhadra), it was mentioned in the official document, which he repayed by selling his own property In Orissa. 

Rathindranath and Santiniketan (contd- 41)

After passing the Entrance Examination, Rathindranath was preparing for higher studies independently with the help of some teachers of Santiniketan.This way he undertook lessons fron Satish Chandra Roy. He also took lessons in English literature from Mohit Chandra Sen who  got a role in the  theatre for the 3rd time.
Rathindranath gave a funny story about his acting.
Satish Babu read the drama,  'A midsummer's night dream' written by Shakespeare and thought to stage it. With tremendous excitement we jumped onto it. It was decided that none should be left out.The role of ' Mr.Wall' was given to our Mathematics teacher Jagadananda Roy because there was very little dialogue in this role.
"In this same interlude thus befall that I ..."  uttering this Jagadananda Babu looked vacantly to the other actors present on the stage, hoping that if anyone gives him the proxy After lapse of some more time he could remember the portion of the dialogue --. he began to say,
 " And thus have I, Wall, my/ part discharged so...", completing his dialogue he quickly got his exit and the audience and spectators burst into  laughter.
Though Jagadananda Roy failed performing his first acting but subsequently he showed his talent in  drama.
After going to Puri, Mazaffarpur and Himalaya he came back to Santiniketan and fell ill. Rabindranath took him to Calcutta on 11 July..    

Expansion of Trade and Industry of India

"Desher Katha " written by Sakkaram Ganesh Deuskar was published on 16 Jun 1904. he gave a vivid picture of the decline of Trade and Industry of our country. He took the help of the books on Indian Economy written by Dadabhai Nauraji, Ramesh Chandra Dutta, and William Digby. This book had an important role in the patriotic movement of our National Movement for which the British Government had absconded the book on 1910 after few years.

Sakharam Ganesh Deuskar (1869-1912), a Bihar-born Maharashtrian who spent most of his life in Bengal, excelled as a teacher and writer in both Marathi and Bengali. An active public worker, his blending of rural roots and urban experience, of the language and cultures of two regions and of patriotic skepticism regarding the fruits of colonial rule, made him emblematic of the transformations of Indian society produced by the nationalist movement.

Many of us was thinking about acquiring Technical Knowledge for the expansion of Trade and Industry of our country. A meeting, on this agenda, was held on 1st Aug,1904, at Town Hall. Justice Stiphen presided over the meeting for the foundation of "Association for the Advancement of Scientific and Industrial Education". The preliminary work of this organisation was done by the Minning Engineer Ramakanta Das, after he came back  from Japan with the training in Technology . Jogesh Chandra Ghosh laid the foundation of this organisation at the proposal of Ramakanta Das. Raja Pyari Mohan Mukhopadhyay presided over the meeting where a powerful committee was formed with Satinath Roy and Aswini Kumar Bandyopadhyay were elected as Joint secretaries and Satyendra Prasanna Sinha as treasurer.  Among the other members of the committee there were Jyotyrindranath, Rabindranath etc.

Many Bengalee students were sent to foreign for techninal training by this committee.

Before few days of this meeting, on 22 July, Rabindranth read an essay on "Swadeshi Samaj" held in Minerva Theatre, presided over by Ramesh Chandra Dutta. Swadeshi Movement against division of Bengal was still to be started but the country was ready for such a movement could have been observed opposite view . Rabindranath read the same essay in Curzon Hall on 31 July. The hall became packed up on that day also.

Ultimately, an attempt was taken for the foundation of "Swadeshi Samaj", the constitution of the organisation was also printed. Bhupendranath Dutta submitted an important document about this organisation;

" About 1905, I have written a letter to Rabindranath being inspired by  some of my close friends like Barindra etc. We are not ready to work under the flag of National Congress. We want to work under your guidance. At this he called me at his residence at Dwarakanath Street and said,

" Discuss the matter with my nephew, Surendranath..."

Having learnt this Sakkaram Babu, Debabrta Babu, and I went to Surendranath Thakur at his residence at Ballygunge. He inform , Rabi Babu asked me who are those? I told him everything. He replied that he would work through lecture and literature. Sakkaram Babu made a sarcastic reply. " India would not be free by writing poetry. Later on I met him at the Sahitya Parishad accompanying Byomkesh Mustaphi. He was busy with Swadeshi Samaj and replied ' working programme has not yet been prepared'. Rabi Babu called us in a subsequent meeting of the association. I was sent to Bihar for preparing plan of Bhabani Mandir. After coming back I learnt from Annada Kabiraj that in a meeting different persons were expressing diffrent opinion; he asked me about my opinion . I replied, I am not able to participate in the debate, if you give me work , I shall try to comply with that. Rabindranath answered, "I know".    

That was the end of the relation of co-operation between  "Swadeshi Samaj". and the revolutionary organisation. 

When Rabindranath was introducing plans and programmes of Swadeshi Samaj in his own place of Zamindary many activist of the ex-Revolutionary joined with him. Anushilan Samity had two programmes ,1. Underground, and the other 2. Open. In 'Bengalee', it was published, "Anushilan Samity -- The annual meeting of the above Samity takes place today." Memoirs of many persons revealed that Rabindranath had connection with such open programme.

This year Sivaji Utsab was delayed. 'Bengalee' wrote on 31 Aug, " The Sivaji celebration takes place at the Town Hall on Saturday, the 3rd proximo with the usual eclar. Some of the best Bengal's Speakers will take place in the proceedings, and a pamphlet of the "Sivaji cult" in Bengali, by Pandit Sakharam Ganesh Deuskar and a half-tone photo of the great Mahratta hero will be distributed free at the meeting. But the ceremony did not held on that day It took place on 16 Sept. under the chairmanship of Surendranath Banerjee. the second volume titled "Sivaji's diksha' of the book "Mahapurush Puja"  was distributed to the audience free of cost. In this context Rabindranath wrote his famous poem "Sivaji-Utsab".        

         

Introduction of Japanese method in Indian Art

Since Okakura got entry (1901)in this country, the people of Bengal got acquaintance with the Japanese. The artists, Taikan and Hisida, sent by him started to live as a member of Tagore family. They taught the use of Brush and method of washing in fine art which opened a new dimension in the field of fine art in Bengal. This was the beginning of communication with the Japanese which gradually increased in volume. Prince Ito of King's family came to Calcutta in the first part of the last year (1903). Jyotirindranath had drawn a picture of Prof. Ito on 17 July 1903. Sarala Devi wrote about him.

" he took  a life of religious mendicant and was visiting several places of pilgrimage....His simple, plain living, but polite behavior attracted everybody."

Another Japanese, Ekai Kawaguchicame here, probably on the first part of 1905. Jyotirindranath had drawn his sketch on 10 feb 1905. The Japanese carpenter, Kusumata San also had come this time. he was appointed as a teacher in Brahmacharyashram in the first part of March. Many Bengalees started going to Japan for technical knowldge this time and they had pioneer role of introducing Industry in this country.

  

Last day of Devendranath and Rathindranath

The most important happennings in Jorasanko Thakur Bari, at the beginning of 1905, was the demise of Maharshi Devendranath Thakur. Before happenning such an incident he had been attacked several times but with his powerful strength of mind and physique had overcomed all his ailings. in the month of Ashwin this year he had such an occasion and he came over the situation. In the month of Magh (6 Magh; 19 Jan 1905) his health had comletely  broken down and he died at 1.55 pm. Rathindranath wrote a vivid picture at the time of his death;

Having learnt the seriousness of the condition of health of Devendranath, all his relatives at once hastened to Jorasanko to see him. Every one tried heart and soul to afford him any sort of relief. Even there was a competition among the ladies for nursing  him which turned into a hotted discussion. But nothing helped to give him a kind of relief. An European Doctor came and did his surgical operation. That too did not help. Even at the time when he became seriously ill, he used to go to verandah, do his Upasana (prayer) and sat down for some time in his meditation. But this time he could not get up from his bed, he had to lie down on his bed. My father keeping his mouth near his ear was uttering constantly the Slokas from Upanishad. "Asto ma sadgamaya, tamaso ma jyotirgamaya, mrityormahamritam gamaya" - which he was listenning   till he closed his eyes for ever. His face became filled up comletely with peace and tranquility.

His death was a set back not only to the members of the Tagore family, but also to the people of whole Bengal. All the news papers expressed their mournings on the next day. His funeral was done in front of many of his relatives, well wishers, and important persons at the cremation ground of Nimtala Ghat.

He pu his last signature on his will on 23 Bhadra 1306 (8th Sep 1899). He kept Rs.10,000/- only in his will, for his funeral work. His sons and relatives prformed the rituals of funeral ceremony on 16 Magh (29 Jan, 1905). The excess money after the ceremony was donated to Brahmacharyashram of Santiniketan and to the poor.

Devendranath appointed his son, 1. Rabindranath, his grand sons, 2. Dipendranath, and 3. Surendranath as the executor of his will. From the date of the death of Devendranath, maintenance of the official cashbook was stopped and three seperate accounts were opened in the name of the executors. On 8th Magh (21 jan) the cash balance of the official cash book was 5553.53 The executors applied for getting probate on 25 feb 1905 which was approved on 23 March by the Register, W.R.Fink. On the next day five persons were appointed and was given the3 deed of right on 24 March. The 5 persons were,

1.Madhusudan das,

2. Prasanna Kumar Chaki,

3. Kedar nath Adhikari etc.

From the behalf of the citizens, a condolence meeting Maharshi Devendranath was arranged on 19 Phalgun (3 March) where Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Editor of Statesman, S.K.Radcliff Sister Nivedita, and many respectable persons were present.      

Rathindranath and Santiniketan (contd-40)

On 24th Chaitra (6 April) Rathindranath and Dinendranath came back to Calcutta from Selaidah and both of them started for Puri on 27 Chaitra (9 April). rabindranath sent them to Badrikashram under the guidance of swami Sadananda of Ramkrishna Mission because he wanted to make his son hard working and diligent.  Rabindranath wired them to come to Mazaffarpur on their way back to home. They came to Mazaffarpur on 13 Asharh (27 June). Rabindranath taught Dinendranath the song constructed in the last month "Sabar majhare tomake swikar kariba he" and asked Mohit Chandra "to make arrangement so that the students of Santiniketan may learn Brahmasangeet.  the Ostadji will practice the students of sa re ga ma but he will not teach any unpleasant Hindusthani song rather the students may learn Brahmasangeet."

In the north wall of Prak Kuthir a table harmonium was kept and Rabindranath sung songs by bolwing that instrument. This was mentioned by Haricharan in his memoir. In this letter was given the responsibilty of teaching songs to the students. This was his first appearence as

an "anchor of drammas and store keeper of songs" of Rabindranath.

On 22 Ashwin (8th Oct) , in the afternoon of Mahalaya Rabindranath with a large team went to Budhagaya. The list of participants he submitted to Shrish chandra exceeded much. It was known from the memoirs of Brajendra Kishore that the team included Acharyya Jagadish Chandra Bose and his wife, Sister Nivedita, Historian Prof. Yadunath Sarkar, two daughters of Anandamohan Basu, Rathindranath, Santosh Majumdar etc. There were some misunderstandings between the Budhists and this was an attempt to settle the disputes.

Rathindranath put the details of this journey in his diary which were kept in the Rabindrabhavan.