Rathindra and Pratima

Rabindranath’s second child Rathindranath Tagore (2nd from left), who was his eldest son, was born on 27 November 1888. Rathindranath was married on 27 January 1910 to Pratima Debi (2nd from right). Pratima Debi was born in the year 1893. At the time of their marriage, Rathindranath was 21 years 2 months of age and Pratima Debi was about 17 years .

Pratima Debi was Gaganendranath and Abanindranath Tagore’s niece. (Her mother Binayini Debi was their sister). Before her marriage to Rathindranath, Pratima Debi had been married to Nilanath Mukhopadhyay but, was widowed later. Rathindranath and Pratima Debi’s marriage was the first instance of a widow marriage in the Tagore family
First rice taking ceremony of Pratima was held on 30th Jan, 2010 and  Rabindranath handed over the charge of his family to her with a sum of Rupees 50/- as family expenses on 2nd Feb, 2010, just after 3 days she came to her father-in-law's house. Rabindranath wrote to his son-in-law, Nagendranath,
" Hope you have got the news of my daughter-in-law. Everybody likes her very much. It is Santi who is charmed and Dhiren (both are brothers of Nagendra) too is so. They are of opinion that this time her beauty surpassed that of Bela even. Not only in outward beauty, her behaviour is also  sweet. Her face appears so calm that she looks gracious and erveryone becomes attracted."
In that letter, written to Nagendra, he described the duties alloted to Rathindranath. After the completion of his course Nagendranath might join in the same field of work. Rabindranath described him in details the socio-economic perspective  of  contemporary India.
" Now,our main duty is to try to develop the economic condition of the downtrodden of our society.If you want to be a co-worker of Rathi then there are ample scope. You can cultivate land in co-operation with the farmers, can open Banks, to build healthy dwelling place for them, to pay up their debt, to arrange for the education of their kids, to provide means of livelihood for their old age, to costruct roads and dams, to remove scarcity of drinking water, to fasten each other with bondage on the basis of co-operation, and so many similar works.If we became successful to form an ideal village of this type, then the whole country will get an example to do likewise. I did not find persons to do this type of basic work. Everyone wants excitement. There are very few persons for real work, for real sacrifice."