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.
