Sunday, September 11, 2011

Rabindranath in Rural reconstruction

Rabindranath came to the shore of Padma with his two daughters, Madhurilata and Mira. After coming over here Rabindranath became free from his health hazards and he wanted to use his physical fitness in the field of rural reconstruction . He was instructing the villagers for many days to develop self-strength. The neglected habitats of  the villages of Bengal were his main place of work. The wave of the movement against division of Bengal and the boycott movement drove away the young educated youth to move door to door campaign.But many of them could not establish good relation  with the villagers, their appeal fell flat on   them. Even they encountered direct opposition from the villagers. For this reason Rabindranath explained in his speech about the plan of "Pallysamaj" in the meeting of the Don Society.In this speech he mentioned ; " I have been trying to establish "pallysamity" which did not attain success. Any attempt for the benifit of the Bengalees could not get success because of their difference of opinion on petty matters."
When he was at Selaidah he again tried on his plan for rural reconstruction. He wrote to Bhupendranath;
" I have taken up a job here and I shall be glad if I become successful." He wrote in details of the plan and  programme to Ajit Kumar Chakraborty on 15  Jan;
" The village is not yet prepared to accept my plan of action. At present I am trying to know the village and the villagers. Bhupesh is collecting data. When this programme will  take a shape then we shall start with the plan. I want to establish 'Swaraj' to each of the village- the miniature form of the whole country. The work is difficult, but we have to do it. It  needs many sacrifices. I am preparing my mind to get the service of my son, Rathi . He also should get ready to sacrifice for this programme.
He came back from Selaidah on 6 April and wrote Abala Basu,
Now I'm busy with "Pallisamaj". I have decided to show an example in our Zamindari estate how to create an ideal village. I have already started doing work. I got some youth of east Bengal who are working with me. They are working within the village by staying with them. They are imparting education, advicing on health and justice so that the villagers  can do with their own initiative. With the help of the villagers, they are constructing roads, digging ponds, preparing drains, cutting of jungles etc.
If we can spread the initiative through out the whole country, then Swaraj, Independence etc will seem to be within our reach. Otherwise, one should feel ashamed to utter such shallow word. Rabindranath was also conscious about the complexity of psychological problems." He wrote Ajit Kumar Chakraborty ;
" First and foremost obstructions came from human being. But when they find it reliable, every obstacle will be removed very easily. There are some advantages. 1. One factor is that I am a Zamindar, 2. Economic stability; But actually it is difficult to say that these are advantages. Some hidden lies remain within it. If one could remove the actual obstruction with actual effort, then one can perceive what is  truth. After doing some work, it gains some inertia and the speed of the work will increase. So long as Bhupesh are working  with us, the impetus of the work will not diminish. So one day we have to leave the villagers work independently.Otherwise they cannot mix up with the grassroots. They will look upon the result to be earned easily. What may come we have to do it. Make the villages independent  and the humanity saved. Attempts are being made so that the village work are done by the villagers unitedly. One multipurpose shop is going to be established and one school to be founded. To each family we have given a pot where they will put coins for the village work. If 10 rupees are collected and I  give 5 rupees then  with 15 rupees one teacher could be appointed. He will get his fooding and lodging in a house and build up the village from within .
Rabindranath could visualise his imagination  to be converted into practice and became agitated with restlessness. He wrote Bhupendranath,
I am  feeling agitation within my heart and I have to find an way out or I shall not be able to settle my mind..