(video) Kotha Je Udhao Holo (rabindra sangeet) by subinoy roy

(video) Ke bosile aaji by USTAD RASHID KHAN.wmv

Best gift so far received from my readers

philippe falisse	31 Mar
to me

Dear Mr. Samadder,

I was delighted meeting you and your wife some days ago.
Thanks a lot for your help. I bought the 2 first volumes of "Rabijibani" by Prasantha Kumar Pal.
The books gave so many details about the Jorasanko's Thakur bari and about Rabindranath's
life that I would have liked to buy all the 9 volumes....Unfortunately, there was no more place
in our suitcases and bags!!!

Thank you for the tea and the "Chire baja"....

We came back yesterday in Belgium where it is still very cold (2°). The sun seems to be anaemic!

With my warmest regards,

Philippe Falisse

N.B. By the way, I have been asked to participate in an International Conference on Tagore
in May. This is organised by the ICWA and it is scheduled for 9,10 May.

Mr. Philippe Falisse one day in March, 2013, came to my place after many correspondence through electronic medium, met us, talked with us in Bengali as he was a learner for three years in Santiniketan, saw my small library and my work shop , is the best gift so far I received in writing SMARAKA GERANTHA. 

Last year in Tagore's life - 1941

Rabindranath came to Calcutta from Santiniketan on 17th Sept 1940 being  seriously ill. and went to Kalimpong on 19th Sept violating Doctor's advice. He became seriously ill thetre on 26th Sept. Getting the news of his illness Doctors hurried to the spot but could not make him fit. He was again brought to Calcutta on 29th Sept. From 29th sept to 29 th Nov , for two months, he was under treatment. On 29th Nov he again came to Santiniketan. This time he began narrating poems orally which one had to take down.He narrated " Dada haba chila bisham shakh". . 25 th July 1941 he laft Santiniketan for ever and came to calcutta for treatment.
On 30 th July he narrated his last poem "Sesh Lekha" which was taken down by A.K.Sen, brother of first Chief Election Commissioner (Sukumar Sen (1899–1961) was an Indian civil servant who was the first Chief Election Commissioner of India, serving from 21 March 1950 to 19 December 1958.^[1] Under his leadership, the Election Commissionsuccessfully administered and oversaw independent India's first two general elections, in 1951–52 and in 1957. He also served as first Chief Election Commissioner in Sudan.
Sen was the older brother of the more famousAshoke Kumar Sen (1913–1996), Union Law Minister and a noted Indian barrister. Another brother was Amiya Kumar Sen, an eminent doctor, who was the last man to seeRabindranath Tagore alive.), prior to his operation.. He used to tell poems verbally.On the
The Government of Tripura sent a messenger to offer him a title of "Bharat Bhaskar" on 13th May 1941..

Rail coach used by Rabindranath Tagore 

২৫ জুলাই ১৯৪১, রবীন্দ্রনাথ শেষবারের মতো শান্তিনিকেতন ছেড়ে চলে গেলেন। ইস্ট ইন্ডিয়ান রেল তাঁর জন্য একটি বিশেষ রেল কোচের ব্.

Tagore's remit expanded to science in his last years, as hinted in Visva-Parichay, 1937 collection of essays. His respect for scientific laws and his exploration of biology, physics, and astronomy informed his poetry, which exhibited extensive naturalism and verisimilitude. He wrote the process of science, the narratives of scientists, into stories in Se (1937), Tin Sangi (1940), and Galpasalpa (1941). His last five years were marked by chronic pain and two long periods of illness. These began when Tagore lost consciousness in late 1937; he remained comatose and near death for a time. This was followed in late 1940 by a similar spell. He never recovered. Poetry from these valetudinary years is among his finest.A period of prolonged agony ended with Tagore's death on 7 August 1941, aged eighty;and 3months he was in an upstairs room of the Jorasanko mansion he was raised in. The date is still mourned. 

I'm lost in the middle of my birthday. I want my friends, their touch, with the earth's last love. I will take life's final offering, I will take the human's last blessing. Today my sack is empty. I have given completely whatever I had to give. In return if I receive anything—some love, some forgiveness—then I will take it with me when I step on the boat that crosses to the festival of the wordless end. But the operation couldn't make his survive. He died on 7th Aug 1941.At the time of his death he was 80 yrs and 3 months of age.

(The Last Photograph of Rabindranath Tagore

May 8, 2012 at 6:53 am (Uncategorized)

Dear Friends,

On the occasion of the 151th Birth Anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, we are publishing, as a mark of tribute, a very rare photograph of his. This photograph, in fact, is his last photograph and it was taken while he was being brought to Kolkata from ‘Santiniketan’ in July 1941, that is, a few weeks before his demise in August 1941.

With warm regards,

Anurag Banerjee

Founder,

Overman Foundation)

Gandhiji in Santiniketan, last visit - 1940

Gandhiji came to Santiniketan  for the last time with his wife,  on 6 February, 1940. Gandhiji was greeted in the Amrakunja . Next day he visited Santiniketan. Rabindranath requested Gandhiji to take over the charge of Viswabharati while he was leaving Santiniketan on 19th february, 1940.
Rabindranath inaugurated the Telephone in his office at Santiniketan on 24th July, 1940.
Oxford University awarded Honourary Doctorate degree to Rabindranath Tagore on 7 Aug 1940.
Rabindranath came to Calcutta for treatment on 17th Sept 1940, and was advised to take rest. But he went to Kalimpong  on 19th Sept..
He became seriously ill in Kalimpong. Having learnt his illness the Doctors hurriedly went to the spot and he was taken to Calcutta. He remained confined to bed for two months. But wrote a poem "Rogasajhya".
He came to Santiniketan when he used to utter Rhymes (Chara) orally.   The eight months he stayed in Santiniketan totally bedridden.He didnot take any nursing from any person so far but now he was under the care of two nurses.
Even in his illness he used to say poetry orally.
  

Subhas Chandra Basu in Santiniketan and grand daughter Nandini got married.- 1939

Subhas Chandra Basu, Congress President, came to Santiniketan on  21st January, 1939. He was greeted both in Bolpur and in Santiniketan. Jawaharlal Nehru opened the Hindi Bhavan in Santiniketan. Subhas Chandra again came to Santiniketan when Jawaharlal Nehru was also in
 Santiniketan. Both of them discussed separately with Rabindranath.
In the month of February Babu Rajendra Prasad and Lord Bishop Metropolitan from Calcutta came to

Santiniketan.
Rabindranath congratulaed Subhas Chandra by wire informing him about his correct attitude of keeping his dignity and forbearance against the ill treatment of the then Congress Leader.
rabindranath was invited by Subhas Cghandra Basu to lay the Foundation Stone of Mahajati Sadan in Calcutta which was accepted by him and the job was performed.
 The first volume of the Collected works of Rabindranath along with his introductory notes was published on 11 nov 1939.
On Dec 20, he sent a telegram to Gandhiji about Subhas Chandra Basu.
The grand daughter Nandini (adopted by Rathindranath) was married on 30th Dec 1939. 

"Chandalika" and Maitrayee Devi and Rabindranath's paintings exhibition opened in London- 1938

Rabindranath came to Calcutta for his treatment. At the same time a team from Santiniketan also came to Calcutta for stage performance of Chandalika. Chandalika was staged in Chaya Cinema hall. Rabindranath was advised not to go to the hall. But ignoring Doctor's advice he went there.
Though Chandalika was first staged in Santiniketan in Dolutsab (Basanta Utsab).
Rabindranath came to Kalimpang this time in summer  vacation. A recitation done by Rabindranath was broadcasted from Radio in Kalimpang. Then he went to Mangpu at the invitation of  Maitreyee Devi. he stayed there for about a month in June.
This time Sarbapalli Radhakrishnan, Dr. Meghnad Saha, Lady Anne Hope, wife of Governor Lord Linlithgo,  and her daughter visited Santiniketan..

 Maitreyi Devi (or Maitreyī Devī) (September 1, 1914 – January 29, 1989) was a Bengali-born Indian poet and novelist, the daughter of philosopher Surendranath Dasgupta and protegé of poet Rabindranath Tagore. She was the founder of the Council for the Promotion of Communal Harmony in 1964, and vice-president of the All-India Women’s Coordinating Council. Her first book of verse appeared when she was sixteen, with a preface by Rabindranath Tagore. She wrote Rabindranath--the man behind his poetry.She was the basis for the main character in Romanian-born writer Mircea Eliade's 1933 novel Bengal Nights. In her Na Hanyate novel, written as a response to Bengal Nights, Maitreyi Devi denied claims of a sexual affair between her and Eliade during the latter's sojourn in British India.
Havel Hall in Kalabhavan in Santiniketan was opened and the Poet delivered a lecture on this occasion .
Lord Jetland opened a painting exhibition of Rabindranath in London.

Rabindranath went to Patisar, his Zamindari Estate for the last time.

Rabindranath as a Jamindar ( Holder of an Estate )

When Annada Shankar Roy was the District Magistrate of Rajshahi District in pre-independence Bengal, he visited PATISAR, the Jamindari-estate of Rabindranath Tagore. The Silaidaha Jamindari was by then divided among the siblings of Maharshi Debendranath. Rabindranath inherited the Patisar estate, where as Satyendranath Togore sold the debt ridden Silaidaha estate to the Roys of Bhagyakul.

The Patisar estate by then a financially weak entity, the jute business, the main revenue generator, was on the decline. Rabindranath himself ceased to visit Patisar regularly, infact he was last present there almost a decade back, he was  too busy in setting up his unique educational institute in Santiniketan. The many co-operative banks Rabindranath set up to offer loans at cheap rates to cultivators were almost defunct - the borrowers did not pay back. The several welfare funds, through which schools and hospitals were oce run without any Government ( i.e British ) help, were at severe distress then. Most of the schools and hospitals were closed. Those welfare funds were generated by 50% contribution by the Jamindar and 50% by the locals. Annadashankar met elders who were still very proud to declare that they ran schools and hospitals with their own money. With the decline in Jute-Business everything collapsed, and yet, among the many Jamindaris Annadashankar visited, Patisar was unique in the respect that there was a Jamindar named Rabindranath who actually worked hard to form co-operative banks and welfare funds for the welfare of the people of his own estate, a revolutionary thinking for any Jamindar at that time.

Once Rabindranath watched with dismay that in one of his Jamindari DURBARs Hindus were being offered chairs and benches to sit, whereas for the Muslims it was the flat ground. That was infact the age old social practice, prevalent in Maharshi Debendranaths time, and from even before that. Rabindranath simply refused to attend such a DURBAR. When his advisors pleaded to him to maintain the age old social order, Rabindranath retorted ” I dont beleive in such orders”. The age old practice was dissolved, making Rabindranath extremely popular to the Muslims.

With a failing health Rabindranath atlast decided to visit Patisar for a last time to pay homage to the people of his estate, and Annada Shankar was hastlity called to attend him. People, in huge numbers walked over miles on foot to pay homage to their Jamindar, and they followed him evetywhere. Their devotion for their Jamindar when each of them will try to touch his feet for his blessing , completely stunned Annada Shankar. He heard muslims say ” We havent seen the PAY-GAMBAR. But we have seen THAKUR-BABU”. From them Annada Shankar came to know that once Rabindranath ordered digging up a whole stretch of farm land and put in Tons of HILSA fish as fertiliser. The stench made life miserable for the villagers for months. They knew Rabindranath would not survive as a Jamindar, yet they have never seen any mortal even remotely like him. They all knew that this was the last time they are seeing Rabindranath and their eyes were moist.

Ref: "Rabindranath" by Annada Shankar Roy.

Rabindranath in Almora with his family members.

During summer vacation Rabindranath went to Almora with his family members. He took along with him sufficient numbers of Science books and some pictures drawn by Nandalal Bose. In Almora he wrote "Viswa Parichay" and Charar Chabi. he asked Prof. Pramathanath Sengupta of Santiniketan to write such a book. But ultimately, he took the responsibility in his own hands. He had to  do much labour to find some scientific terms in Bengali.  He had  discussed with others for clearing his  understanding of some topics.
Rabindranath had an idea in his mind to publish science books and to supply those books with minimum price to the ordinary people.
It was a fact that it would not have been possible for him to write such a book if Pramatha Babu did not prepare the structure of such a book.
After writing the book he dedicated it to Satyendranath Basu.
From the pictures of Nandalal Bose Rabindranath wrote some poems for the children which was converted to a book titled "Charar Chabi".
Rabindranath returned from Almora after about two months in 30th June, 1937. He went to Patisar, his zamindary state, for the last time.

Inauguration of China Bhavan in Santiniketan

China Bhavana (China Bhavana : A centre for Chinese studies. Natir Puja, a dance drama of Tagore is painted on its wall under the guidance of Nandalal Bose, pioneering Indian artist)

(The Chinese language class of Prof Tan Yun Shan at Santiniketan. V.Isvarmurti (top right hand corner) was attending a 3 year diploma in Chinese language. Prof Tan Yun Shan was a contemporary of Generalassiamo Chiang Kei Shaik and Mao Tse Thung. Prof Tan established the China Bhavan in the year 1921 and was a close colleague of Rabindranath Tagore)
China Bhavana : A centre for Chinese studies. Natir Puja, a dance drama of Tagore is painted on its wall under the guidance of Nandalal Bose, pioneering Indian artist.As the name suggests, China Bhavan is the Study centre for China, mainly aimed at fostering Indo - China relation and is located at Santiniketan. This promotes the liaison between India and China. The main aim of this study centre is the development of Indo-Sino relations and the cultural relations. This Bhavan offers many research facilities and studies on Chinese culture and societal relations. This place was regularly visited by Chinese scholars to offer their knowledge base to the students in Visvavarati..
Rabindranath went to Almorah along with all his family members.

Rabindranath in convocation of Calcutta University -1937

Rabindranath constructed a poem on the foundation day of Calcutta University. He also wrote a poem on "Africa" . Rabindranath was invited to deliver a lecture in the convocation of Calcutta University. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee was the then Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University. This was the first time that a non-official person was invited in the convocation of Calcutta University. Rabindrannath himself, too, delivered his speech in Bengali on 17th february, 1937 which was also an exception .
Rabindranath went to Chandannagar by boat and delivered  a lecture in the " Banga Sahitya Sammelan" .
Democracy of Spain was devasted by Italy.
" Fascism Breeds War."
The rapid rise of Fascism is closely related to the increasing war danger. Fascism means forced labor,
militarization, lower standards of living, and the accentuation of national hatred and chauvinist incitements as instruments for the “moral” preparation for war. It sets the people of one country against the people
of another, and exploits the internal racial and national groups within each country in order to prevent them
from uniting in joint action to solve their common problems.
The war danger arises inevitably out of the very nature of monopolistic capitalism — the ownership
of the means of production by a small capitalist class and the complete domination of government by this
class. The imminent war danger is only another expression of the fundamental crisis of the capitalist system, which continues its existence only at the cost of intensification of exploitation and oppression of the masses at home and in the colonies, and of struggle among the imperialist powers for a revision of markets and sources of raw materials.
Only in the Soviet Union has this basic cause of war been removed. " Rabindranath became the president of "League against War and fascism". he delivered a lecture on the Centenary of Ramakrishna.    

Rabindranath and Jawaharlal - Nov 1936

Mainstream Weekly


Home page > 2011 > Tagore and Nehru

MAINSTREAM, VOL XLIX, NO 20, MAY 7, 2011

Tagore and Nehru

This contribution from the distinguished scientist who was closely associated with Tagore for over two decades throws interesting light on the approach and attitude of the two greatest sons of India. It is being reproduced from Mainstream (Republic Day Special 1965) for the benefit of our readers.

by P. C. Mahalanobis

I have read with much interest in Mainstream (June 20, 1964) the article about Jawaharlal Nehru’s talks with Rabindranath Tagore. I had the good fortune to be present on two other occasions and also know about a third occasion when Tagore and Nehru had come together which were not mentioned in the Mainstream article.

Jawaharlal Nehru came to Calcutta to attend meetings of the All India Congress Committee at the end of October 1937. At that time Rabindra-nath Tagore was staying with us at Gooptu Nibas, a house on the Barrackpore Trunk Road in Baranagar. Nehru came one day to see Tagore in this house. After some general conversation, Nehru raised the question of the selection of a national song for India. He was making a collection of patriotic songs in different Indian languages. He mentioned the two Bengali songs, Bande Mataram (by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee) and Jana Gana Mana Adhinayaka (by Tagore), and said that he himself was in favour of adopting Jana Gana Mana as the national song in India.

Wider Approach

TAGORE said, as the author of Jana Gana Mana Adhinayaka, it was difficult for him to express any views. He however agreed that Jana Gana Mana had a wider approach. Nehru referred to the objections which many Muslims had raised to accepting Bande Mataram as the national song. Tagore said he could very well appreciate these objections. He had composed the tune for Bande Mataram for the first time, but only for the first few lines because he himself had difficulty in accepting the portion beginning with “tuam hi Durga”. Muslims could not be expected to accept this part.

Tagore said that he belonged to the Hindu community in the wider sense but, having been brought up in a Brahmo family, he himself found it difficult to accept the imagery of the song. Tagore and Nehru agreed that national songs must be acceptable to the people as a whole. Tagore added with a smile that sometimes one is willing to sacrifice his life for the country but cannot give up a song. As far as I can remember, at Nehru’s request, Tagore sent him a brief note or a letter in this connection.

During this discussion Tagore had stressed that India did not belong to Hindus alone. India also belonged to the Muslims, the Christians and all the other people who came into India, settled here and made it their own country by living and dying in it. Nehru was in sympathy with this outlook. Tagore had always stressed that unity in diversity was the only possible way for India’s national integration. Unity in diversity was the foundation of the Nehru policy in domestic and external affairs. Against Fascism

THE second occasion was just after the Second World War had started in 1939. Tagore was again staying with us in Gooptu Nibas in Baranagar. Nehru had gone to China to see Chiang Kai Shek but on the outbreak of war had hurried back home by air. On landing at Dum Dum airport, he learnt that Tagore was in Calcutta. He came directly from the airport to Gooptu Nibas to see the Poet.

Nehru spoke briefly about his visit to China. His mind was preoccupied with the war. He was convinced that the fight against the fascists was of crucial importance for the world. He was distressed that the Viceroy had declared war on behalf of India without even consulting the leaders of the Opposition in the Central Assembly in which the Congress party was in a majority.

The British Government of India had deprived the Indian people of the opportunity to join the war of their own free choice. He was wondering whether there would be still any possibility of India taking up with self-respect the fight against the fascists.

Nehru came out from Tagore’s room to leave for the city. It was near tea time. I asked him whether he would like to have a cup of tea before going to the city. He smiled and said: “Yes, I shall have a cup of tea.” As he had already come out of Tagore’s room, he said he would prefer to have his tea in the verandah. I showed him a chair on a long verandah on the south, and went to order the tea.

When I came back I found he could not sit still but was pacing up and down the veandah. He was muttering: “Only if the British would give us a chance to fight the fascists—only if they would give us a chance”, and was smashing one clenched fist on the other. I saw how great was his agony that the people of India had been deprived of the opportunity to fight the fascists.

Rabindranath Tagore - 1936

Radha Kumud Mukherjee, also spelled Radhakumud Mookerji, was an Indian historian. he was a noted Indian nationalist during the period of British colonial rule. He published Indian Shipping: A History of Seaborne Trade and Maritime Activity of the Indians from the Earliest Times in 1912. He was an advocate of the notion of Greater India in which Indian merchants and adventurers with huge fleets brought Indians to Southeast Asia and became the foundation of kingdoms in that region.scholarship in the Southeast Asia region
 Such theories have been largely discredited by modern.

. Following the death of CR Das, he (Nalini Ranjan Sarkar), with Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy, Nirmal Chandra Chunder, Sarat Chandra Bose and Tulsi Chandra Goswami dominated the Congress movement in Bengal and constituted what was known as the "Big Five" of the Bengal Congress. He was elected a Councillor of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation in 1932 and became its Mayor in 1935.
In the month of Aug 1936, litterateur Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, Historian Radhakumud Mukhopadhyay, and Politician Tulsi Chandra Goswami came to Santiniketan to fetch Rabindranath Tagore to Calcutta for delivering a lecture there with the intention of forming public opinion against the communal  policy of "divide and rule" of the Prime minister of Great Britain Mac Donald.
The meeting was arranged in the Town Hall, Calcutta, on 15th July 1936.
Rabindranath did not advocate in favour of protecting the interests of the Hindus, nor he said anything against the increasing demands of the majority of Muslim population. He said, " Indians should only desire for a secular democratic country."

Foundation of Lokashiksha Sangsad - 1936

Prabhatkumar Mukhopadhyaya (1892-1985)

Prabhatkumar Mukhopadhyaya was born in Ranaghat, Nadia, in 1892. After passing the Entrance examination, he joined college at the National Council of Education at Bowbazar where he came into contact with inspiring teachers like Benaykumar Sarkar and Radhakumud Mukherjee. He was a voracious reader and loved history and biography. But he could not complete his education because of ill-health. Through Himansuprakas Roy he came into contact with Rabindranath who called him to Santiniketan in 1909. At Santiniketan he received a non-formal education and even while he was studying, he was appointed a teacher of the school in 1910.

In 1918 Prabhatkumar joined Patha-Bhavana as a Librarian and teacher. In 1929 the Rabindra Parichay Sabha, of which he was a founder member, assigned him the task of writing a biography of the poet. The four-volume moumental work, Rabindra-Jivani took over twenty-five years to complete and it laid the foundation for further research on Rabindranath.
Rabindranath made arrangements for foundation of "Lokashiksha Sangsad in Santiniketan. Prabhatkumar Mukhopadhyay perfomed his duty as the founder assistant Secretary of the Sangsad.
Rabindranath became the president of the National Council of Civil Liberties.
Dacca University awarded Honarary Doctorate to Rabindranath Tagore.
  

Marriage of Nandita (daughter of Mira), grand daughter of Rabindranath

Nandita (daughter of Mira), grand daughter of Rabindranath (pic-1)
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

Pic-3-(Krishna Kripalani)

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.  

Chitrangada Dance Drama - 1936

Rabindranath came back to Santiniketan. He changed the drama Chitrangada to "Chitrangada Dance Drama" and staged the Dance drama in Calcutta New Empire Theatre on 11,12, and 13th March, 1936. He started for North Calcutta tour with the team of Chitrangada and staged the dance drama in the month  of March on 17th at Patna, 19th at Allahabad, Lahore on 22nd and 23rd March and came to Delhi on 25th. Chitrangada was staged in Delhi on 26th and 27th March,1936.
Rabindranath Tagore took the story of Chitrāngadā and, in 1892, turned it into a dance drama,[1] very much like a modern day musical with the story put to music and with the characters acting out the parts in dance.[1] Tagore's story differs a bit from the story of Chitrāngadā in the Mahābhārata. He expands on the character and gives her new life.




In Tagore's story, Chitrāngadā is the only child of the King of Manipura. Being the heir to the throne, she dresses like a man and is the protector of the land. Her people look to her to keep them safe. One day, she meets Arjuna and, seeing him in action as he hunts in the forest, she falls in love. Arjuna is impressed by her fighting abilities but all along believes her to be a man. Chitrāngadā believes he could never love her the way she is. She receives a boon from Kamadeva, Hindu god of love, and transforms herself into a beautiful feminine woman. When she meets Arjuna again, he can't help but fall in love with her. Though she believes that she has everything she wants in life, deep down she wishes that he could love her for her true self. When marauders come into her kingdom to take over the villages, Arjuna learns from the people of the kingdom that their princess is the greatest warrior around and they wonder why she isn't there to help protect them now. Arjuna is impressed by the story of this woman who seems to be his equal when it comes to fighting and longs to meet her. Chitrāngadā appears and saves her kingdom before revealing her true self to Arjuna. No longer in love with her just for her beauty, Arjuna marries Chitrāngadā. They have a son named Babruvahana

In the mean time, M.K.Gandhi being anxious for  Rabindranath Tagore's health, asked him the amount of deficit in the budget of Viswabharati . He learnt that the deficit was about Rs. 60,000/-. He brought the amount by cheque from Mr Birla and gave it to Rabindranath. He insisted him to avoid so much trouble for collecting money and to go back to Santiniketan. Chitrangada was also staged in Mirat on 29th March.Delhi Radio broadcasted a recitation of Rabidranath  on 30th March. After travelling in north Calcutta, he returned to Santiniketan.

N.E.F. and Rabindranath Tagore in 1936

In the year 1936 in the month of February, a Education Week was observed in Calcutta and a session of New Education Fellowship was  held in tbe senate hall of Calcutta University On this occasion meetings on different subjects educations were held. Rabindranath delivered a lecture on this occasion. 

Beatrice Ensor

Beatrice Ensor (1885–1974) was an English theosophical educationist, pedagogue, co-founder of the New Education Fellowship (later World Education Fellowship) and editor of the journal Education for the New Era .

The New (World) Education Fellowship

Beatrice Ensor and Professor Carl Jung - Montreux 1923 - Second International Conference of the N.E.F.

In 1921, together with Iwan Hawliczek, she organised a conference in Calais on the ‘Creative Self-Expression of the Child’, with attendance of over 100. Although this was inspired by theosophists anxious to prevent another world war, what emerged was the New (later World) Education Fellowship , an entirely non-political and non-sectarian forum for new ideas in education. It was not to advocate any particular method but to ‘seek to find the thread of truth in all methods’. It still has active sections in some 20 countries. Beatrice Ensor, together with the editors of the other two journals, formed the initial organising committee of the N.E.F., which held international conferences at two yearly intervals, presided over by distinguished educationists and pedagogues.
The second conference of 1923 was held in Montreux, Switzerland and there she met Professor Carl Jung whom she invited to speak at a meeting in London (where she introduced him to H G Wells), Emile Jacques-Dalcroze, Professor Franz Cizek and Alfred Adler.
In 1929 the conference was held in Kronborg Castle, Helsingör, Denmark and amongst the delegates and speakers were Maria Montessori, Rabindranath Tagore, Jean Piaget, Kurt Lewin, Adolphe Ferrière fr:Adolphe Ferrière, Ovide Decroly, Helen Parkhurst, Pierre Bovet fr:Pierre Bovet, A S Neill, Elisabeth Rotten, Franz Cizek, Dr Harold Rugg, Professor T P Nunn, and Paul Geheeb de:Paul Geheeb.
Other conferences were held at Locarno (1927), Cheltenham and Heidelberg (1925),
She was a member of the Education Advisory Committee of the Labour Party for a short while but her utopian views clashed with those of R. H. Tawney and resigned her position.

 The N.E.F. and Unesco

Just as theosophy had a profound influence on the N.E.F. so the N.E.F. had a profound influence on the creation of UNESCO[10]. It was described as "the midwife at the birth of UNESCO" (Kobayashi) and has been an NGO of UNESCO since 1966 (Hiroshi Iwama). It changed its name to W.E.F.
New education Fellowship was an organisation established in Europe. The poet happened to remain present in a session in 1930 when he went to Europe and a branch of the said organisation was formed in Santiniketan. Rabindranath Tagore held the chair of the President and Sri Dhirendramohan Sen and Sri Anil Kumar Chanda became the Jt. Secretary. In the session Rbindranath delivered two lectures on Education.

Rabindanath again in Chandannagar - 1935

Rabindranath came to Calcutta on 10th May,1935 after attending his 75th birth day. Bangiya Sahitya Parishad offered him a grand ovation for completing 74 years of age.
He started by boat on the ganges accompanied by Anil  Chanda and Sudhakanta Roychoudhury and cdame to the place of landing the boat. His pen was always constructing poems.He could see the house where he once came accompanying Jyoti-dada. He could remember the interaction with his Bauthan in his youth.
He came back to Santiniketan from Vhandannagar on 4th July 1935. Having reached Santiniktan he heard the sad news of the death of Dinendranath Thakur, the store keeper of the lyrics of Rabindranath and one of the best beloved person.   

Rabindranath entered "Shyamali", a mud house in Santiniketsn-1935

A mud house was constructed for staying Rabindranath. The mud house was contructed under the advice of Nandalal Basu and Surendranath Kar. It was made of mud walls, and the roof was also made up of mud - a mixture was prepared by mixing mud, cow-dung and tar to construct its walls and roof.

The poet entered his mud-house on his 75th birth day. In the night "Birinchi Baba " written by Rajshekhar Bose was staged. The poet edited the book and  changed some of its dialogues. He also remained present on the occasion.
After the 75th birth day ceremony , Rabindranath went to live on boat on the Ganges. Bangiya Sahitya Parishad arranged a welcome ceremony of his completion of 74 years of age . Moreover, this was the day of Chaitya Bihar when Rabindranath delivered a lecture on " Budhdhadev" " I want to offer flowers to him
whom I think is the greatest man in the world."

Rabindranath was moving by boat on the Ganges. After ome day the boat reached Chandanagar

Structures in Santiniketan since inception

Santiniketan, popularly known today as a university town, a hundred miles to the north of Kolkata, was originally an ashram built by Debendranath Tagore, where anyone, irrespective of caste and creed, could come and spend time meditating on the one Supreme God. Debendranath, who was father of the Poet, Rabindranath, was also known as Maharshi (which means one who is both saint and sage) was a leading figure of the Indian Renaissance. In a trust deed prepared in 1888, he declared: 'Apart from worshipping the Formless, no community may worship any idol depicting god, man, or animals; neither may anyone arrange sacrificial fires or rituals in Santiniketan.... No insult to any religion or religious deity will be allowed here. The sermons given here will be such that will be appropriate to the worship of the Creator and Father and will help in ethics, benevolence and brotherhood...' It was in this area that the Maharshi had a spiritual realization while meditating under a glade of Chhatim trees (Alstonia scholaris), which were the only vegetation in this arid land of Birbhum. These trees still stand with a plaque that says, He is the repose of my life, the joy of my heart, the peace of my soul. Chhatimtala as it is called is the spot that symbolizes the starting point of Santiniketan, which was to become his son Rabindranath's home and base fro activity. It is considered to be a hallowed spot and prayer services are held here on very special days. Rabindranath, too, like his father before him would sit in meditation here, under the chhatim trees during sunset.


ASHRAMA COMPLEX: Among the structures built by the Maharshi was the Santiniketan Griha or house and the beautiful stained glass Mandir, or temple where worship is non-denominational. Both structures built in the second half of the 19th century are important in their association with the founding of Santiniketan and the universal spirit associated with the revival and reinterpretation of religious ideals in Bengal and India. A beautiful garden was laid out on all sides of the Santiniketan Bari. The top-layer of gritty dry soil was removed and filled up with rich soil brought over from outside. Rows of various fruit trees and trees with extended foliage for shade were planted. The avenue of Sal trees, so familiar to earlier asramites as being Rabindranath's favourite walk, was planted at this time.

The other important structures built at a later date, after Rabindranath moved to the site of Santiniketan are, the Patha-Bhavana, with beautiful frescoes by Nandalal Bose and his students, Natun-Bari, built in 1902 by the Poet for his family, this simple thatched cottage was offered to Mahatma Gandhi's Phoenix school boys in 1915. Mrinalinidevi, the Poet's wife died before the house was completed but her name lives on in the nursery school named after her - Mrinalini Ananda Pathsala which is housed here. Dehali was built in 1904 and Rabindranath lived here for a while. Santoshalaya, a single-storey house with a tiled roof is named after Santoshchandra Majumdar, one of the first students of the Santiniketan Vidyalaya. Santoshalaya is a hostel for young students of the school. The walls of this house have frescoes prepared by artists of the twenties. Built out of a donation by Satyendraprasanna Sinha of Raipur, Singha-Sadan has a clock tower and bell that regulates the timings of daily routine for the asrama inmates. It was in this building that Oxford University conferred its honorary doctorate on the Poet. Purvatoran and Paschimtoran are the two buildings on either side of Singha-Sadana. Classes are held here. Dwijaviram is a house where the Poet's eldest brother, Dwijendranath lived. Gandhiji visited him in this house. Dinantika built in 1939, is an octagonal two-storeyed structure originally used as a tea-house with the staircase on the outside; staff members of Visva-Bharati would meet in the evening for a cup of tea and relaxation. The Cha Chakra, as it was called, was instituted in the name of Dinendranath Tagore by his wife, Kamaladevi. The walls of this house have colourful frescoes by Nandalal Bose. Taladhwaj, a round mud hut with a thatched roof built around a taal tree (toddy palm) with part of its trunk and its huge palm leaves stretching out over the top, was built for Tejeschandra Sen, a treelover who would even share his lodging with one! Old Santiniketan Press: In 1917, the citizens of Lincoln, Nebraska had presented to the boys of Santiniketan, a letter-press treadle machine which saw the beginning of the Santiniketan Press, from where the Santiniketan Patrika, a newsletter was printed. Chaitya is a small structure made of mud and coal-tar in 1934 resembling a typical thatched hut of Bengal, yet it carries a Buddhist name. Planned by Nandalal Bose and Surendranath Kar, this structure has a glass-paned showcase where newlycreated works of art were on display every few days. Ghantatala, resembling a gateway to a Buddhist stupa stands at the crossroads of Salvithika and the road leading to Cheena Bhavana from the Santiniketan house. A bronze bell hanging from the structure would, at one time, regulate the classes and other events held during the day. Gour-prangan: The open ground in front of the school building is named after Gour Gopal Ghosh, who was a student and teacher of Santiniketan. Certain ceremonies like the flag-hoisting on Independence Day and Republic Day are held here. On 23 January, the birth anniversary of Netaji is commemorated with rows of lighted lamps on the ground. Kalo Bari is a unique structure made of mud and coal-tar. Built as a hostel for Kala-Bhavana students, its walls and pillars have been decorated with relief work and is the handiwork of art-students over many years. Begun by Nandalal Bose in 1934, there are examples of Ramkinkar's works on the northern walls. Panthasala: In 1925 Hirabai, widow of Liladhar Thakkar of Bombay donated Rs 15,200 to construct a restroom for travellers and a well and water trough to provide drinking water to travellers and beasts. The rooms now house a book-store and Railway Reservation Counter. Ratan Kuthi was erected in 1924 out of a donation by Trustees of Sir Ratan Tata to be used as a residence for scholars who stayed and worked at Santiniketan. This building symbolizes the reverence to the personality of Rabindranath by the Tatas. Malancha: Built in 1926 by Rabindranath for his youngest daughter, Mira, the genesis of the Malancha house lies in the deep sense of sorrow and guilt that Rabindranath felt at the failed marriage of his daughter. He wanted this house, along with its gardens to be a solace for the lonely woman and together, father and daughter, they planned the garden.

UTTARAYANA COMPLEX: North of the ashram area described above, is the enclave of Rabindranath's own houses, built over the last three decades of his life (1919-1941). Konark, originally a mud house was the earliest dwelling that Rabindranath built for his own seclusion from activity to provide a place for his own work. It contained an east facing verandah with rows of pillars used as a stage for plays and dance-dramas composed by the Poet. Natir Puja was first staged here. Since there were no walls in the central large room, nature was an effective backdrop. The Konark verandah was used for poetry readings by the poet. The Mrinmoyee Patio is a beautiful cemented floor with sitting arrangements. This was built on the foundation of the other mud house when it was pulled down. Rabindranath would sit in this open patio and write. Shyamali: the construction of a mud house was an experiment. Rabindranath wanted to see if instead of a thatched roof, which was always vulnerable to fire hazards, a permanent mud roof could be built. It was to be a low-cost structure and would serve as a model house for villagers. The walls were heavily built so that the weight of the mud roofs could be borne. One of the rooms was constructed by using earthen water-pots arranged inside plaster-casings to form its roof and walls. According to Rabindranath, this would keep the rooms cool as the hot air having to pass through these earthen pots would lose some of its heat. Keeping Rabindranath's ideas in mind, Surendranath Kar prepared the architectural plan and Nandalal Bose prepared the visual perspective based on the Borobudur style. The entire outside wall was decorated with beautiful relief work by Kala-Bhavana students under the guidance of Nandalal Bose. The Santals on either side of the main door and on the eastern corner were by Ramkinkar Baiz. Gandhiji and Kasturba stayed as guests in this house. Punascha, meaning postscript suggests the Poet's change of mind. Another house was built on the eastern side of Shyamali. He lived in this house for a short while but it was here that he created most of his paintings. Udichi is the last house built for Rabindranath. He felt claustrophobic, he said, and wanted a room to be constructed on four pillars. However, changes were gradually made according to the owner's needs. He took poetry classes on the ground floor. The most imposing house in Uttarayana, is Udayan. Uttarayana is the area where these five houses are located in. The gardens of Uttarayana were planned and laid out by the Poet's son, Rathindranath, a horticulturist by training. He planted in Uttarayan and in the surrounding area exotic plants and trees from other lands. The African Tulip (Spathodea campanulata) from Equatorial Africa, the Sausage tree (Kigelia africana) and Rhodesian Wistaria (Balusanthus speciosus) from Tropical Africa, the Baobab tree (Adansonia digitata) from Sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean Trumpet tree (Tabebuia aura) from Latin America are some of the trees that have survived in Santiniketan as have the ideas and research studies done by foreign scholars who came to Santiniketan. Udayan, unlike the other houses was conceived by Rathindranath, not the poet. When Rabindranath came to live in Konark, Rathindranath and his wife lived in an outhouse by its side. Starting from these modest and functional rooms the elaborate structure of Udayan was gradually evolved. Udayan has many suites of rooms─ each on a different level which gives this house its individuality. Distinguished visitors who have stayed here are Stella Kramrisch, Margaret Milward, Sir Maurice Gwyer, S. Radhakrishnan (later, President of India) and Jawaharlal Nehru. Guha-ghar/Chitrabhanu stands near the lake in the Japanese-styled gardens of Uttarayana. The studio or Chitrabhanu was built for Pratima Devi at a higher level of the ground and later the space below was converted into a room to be used as a workshop for Rathindranath. The workshop is a low-ceiling room and the entrance wall has rough stones on it and creepers growing over it giving it a resemblance to a cave-dwelling or guha-ghar.

INSTITUTES OF VISVA BHARATI: In 1922, Visva Bharati was inaugurated as a Centre for Culture with exploration into the arts, language, humanities, music and these are reflected in diverse institutes that continue in their educational programmes, which are based on the founding principles of excellence in culture and culture studies. As originally intended, these serve as institutes for Hindi studies, Hindi Bhavan, Sino Asian studies, Cheena Bhavan, centre for humanities, Vidya Bhavan, institute of fine arts Kala Bhavan, and music, Sangit Bhavan. The structures in these institutes constitute a myriad of architectural expressions which are as diverse as the Kalo Bari, a mud structure with coal tar finish and sculpture panels, Mastermoshai studio, a single storied structure built for the first principal of Kala Bhavan, Nandalal Bose, murals and paintings on Cheena and Hindi Bhavan, created by the illustrious artists like Benodebehari Mukhopadhyay, Nandalal Bose, Surendranath Kar, Somnath Hore with active involvement of students.