Rabindranath and Hazaribag

The possibility of going to a healthy place for change of weather was expressed by Rabindranath, in a letter dated 13th Feb, 2003,to Brajendrakishore Devbarmman. While staying at Calcutta, he hired the   Garden House of Kalikrishna Thakur at Hazaribagh for  few months. Rabindranath went to Hazaribagh with a big company was revealed from a letter written to Mohit Chandra Sen on 12 Mar, 2003. he took along him,

He took along with him paternal aunt-in-law, Rajlakshmi Devi, brother-in-law Nagendranath Choudhury and his wife Nalinibala, renuka, Mira and Shamindranath. The team was a big one. They took their accomoation  in the hired Garden house of Kalikrishna Babu.It was known from Amal Sengupta that the garden house was situated by the side of the big post office of the town.    

.Having learnt the arrival of Rabindranath,  persons fond of literature gradually began to assemble

 around Rabindranath. It was noticed that a sitting was held for recitation and songs in the house of a local resident, Girindra Gupta.

Once,  in April, 1885, Rabindranath came here with Indira Devi, Surendranath and Akshoy Chandra Choudhury. they had their accomodation in the Dakbanglo near the court.The route of Hazaribagh from Calcutta was a fifficult one. One has to go from Madhupur by narrow rail to Giridi and from there a long way has to tavel by man driven push-car.

After coming to Hazaribagh Rabindranath became seriously ill. He wrote to Mohit Chandra in a postcard that he caught fever after coming over here. I'm trying to get early relief from this  but now I'm fastened to bed by many quilt and rag.

The letter written by Rabindranath to manoranjan babu was more descriptive.

" We were passing very bad days since we came here.I was suffering from fever for about 8/9 days. Now I had no fever but I was suffering suffering from weakness and cough.Next Shami became ill. From yesterday he had no fever but there was cough. Today Mira was attacked with fever. The wife of Bagendra also got fever. Pisima's heaith was not good. The servants were no excuse. The fever of Renuka rose to 102 degree selcious. There was no hope from any side. I was thinking of going back."

Rabindranath became accustomed with all sorts of hazards of this type but he was worried with his son-in-law Satyendranath. He gave him the charge of the Principal of the Ashram. He went to Punjab irresponsibly without paying any importance to it.. apart from all these Rabindranath kept his writing regularly. 

Satish Chandra and Santiniketan (contd-23)

Rabindranth wrote,  "starting the school at Bolpur was an endeavour to take education in our own hands and make it as indiginous as possible". Describing his father's struggle, Rathindranath wrote , "very few realised the struggle with which father had to carry on his educational experiment in Santiniketan. When the school was established he had difficulty in getting pupils and those who came were mostly of difficult type. The people looked down upon the institution and ridiculed father's attempt to introduce new ideas in education... Considered from a worldly point of view it was foolhardy of father to have launched into this misadventure when he hardly had enough to support himself and his family and was actually in debt over the failure of the Kushtia business when he had to dispose of everything he possessed including the jewellery belonging to my mother.'

Rabindranath wrote that the determination of establishing a school at Santiniketan was resounding in his mind. During conversation he described the future of the bright picture in front of them.One day Satish came and wanted to offer himself before Rabindranath for Santiniketan. At first Rabindranath was not agreeable to appoint Satish because financial condition of Satish was not good. After passing B.A. examination he had to earn for his family. He was married in an early age following the old custom. But he wanted to join the Ashram before passing the B.A. examination so that he had not to bear the family burden. Rabindranath allowed him to join the Ashram just when Manorajan Bandyopadhyay left the school. Though Satish was not in favour of accepting salary, Rabindranath, secretly, used to send to his father a suitable amount as stiphend.

Brahmabandhab called Rabindranmath, the head of the Ashram, as Gurudev but it was Satish made the term popular and gave it a lively meaning. He wrote a letter to his friend, Ajitkumar, dated nil,

" the creativity of Rabindranath like that of nature. What beautiful scenery in this remote village through the rows of Saal trees I observe, I could perceive the heart felt essay of Rabindranath. Do you know why I called him Gurudev ? ....... I tried to call him this and that but the word Gurudev only suits him."

Rabindranath also felt Satish as god gifted. He wrote to Brajendra Kishore a long letter on 21 March, 2003,

" God is making my job  successful uncalled for.I become astonished to think that a person earns only Rs.150/- a month as a teacher, maintains his family in a rented house at Calcutta and comes to Bolpur to donate Rs.1000/-  to me. It is god who does His duty in the world through a negligible person just to publicise  His worth. From that day I began to work myself in the name of gad throwing the bag of begging. Formerly I became afraid how I shall meet up the expenditure but now i leave everything upon the almighty god. I have constructed another room for the students and appointed an Englishman to teach English. I'm constructing a big room like an workshop because one my friend expressed his willingness to donate one engine and other equipments . I don't know how i spend so much money. God will make good of my deficit."

He wrote to Dinesh Chandra Sen that he was worried as he was  not able to watch the method of teaching of the English tutor . He was sure that the teacher was not Lorence because he knew the method of their teaching.

He was the first European teacher appointed in Santiniketan.      

Satish Chandra and Santiniketan ( contd-22)

This time Rabindranath got another gift for the school, poet Satsh Chandra Roy (1882-1904) who vertually sacrificed himself for the school. he was the son of Akhil Chandra Roy, the descendant of the dynasty of Chandradwip of the village Uzipur of Barishal district, at present in Bangladesh. He passed F.A. examination from Brajamohan College of Barishal district. and while studying in triple honours in Sanskrit, English, and Philosophy in General Assembly's Institution he was introduced with Rabindranath.
Rabindranath wrote that Ajit Kumar Chakraborty (1886-1918) introduced him with his friend Satish Chandra Roy. Earlier to this he gave a manuscript  of poetries written by Satish Chandra to him for reading.
Rabindranath gave her comments clearly in each page though that was not always in his favour. He would not express his opinion so critically if the case was of some other person.Having gone through his writings Rabindranath felt that the poetries written him in an younger age bore testimony of individual outlook. His power was uneqivocally superb and did not deserve superficial remarks. After being introduced with him Rabindranath was attracted to him for his quality of being absorbed whole heartedly in his creativity. His first published work was a trnslation of the poetry of 'love among the Ruins' by Browning in Bangadarshan . The title was 'Bhagnanagare Premsammilan'.His many translation of the poems of Browning were published in Bangadarshan.  

Rathindra and Santiniketan (contd-21)

The entrance examination of Rathindranath started from 2 March and for that he came to Calcutta on 25th ,february,1903. Informing this Rabindranath wrote to Priya Nath Sen that Rathi had come to Clacutta.

Mohit Chandra Sen was a friend of Rabindranth who died at an early death. After his death ( 9 June, 1906) Rabindranath wrote an essay and published that in Bangadarshan enunciating, in detail, a story about him.

One day Rabindranath received a letter from him at Calcutta intimating that he wished to go to Santiniketan. he came to Santiniketan in the evening train. Before their dinner he came to Rabindranath and said hesitatingly ,

" I thought that I shall donate to Santiniketan the full amount I receive by examining the scripts of the Univerity examination this year. As it is not possible for me to work in this institution, i would get a satisfaction by donating some amount of money. "

After saying this he humbly put a note of rupee in the pocket of Rabindranath.Rabindranath opened the Rupee note and saw to his astonishment that the note was a Thousand Rupees note.

This amount of money appeared before Rabindranath as agift from god.A thousand rupee note was undoubtedly invaluable to him at that moment but he got himself revitalised at this and thought that  his duty had now became easy to fulfill.

 mohit chandra would receive Rs. 650/- by examining his paper and he had to add Rs. 350/- more to make it a thousand rupee. 

Manoranjan and Shantiniketan (contd-20)

Manoranjan Bandyopadhyay came to Santiniketan, Brahmmacharyashram as a teacher to help Rathindranath in his preparation for Matriculation Examination. But he resigned from his duty as a teacher and left the school before the examination of Rathindranath started. Rabindranath wrote him on 25 Feb, 2003,

You have joined the Brahmavidyalaya as a Head Teacher since the openning of the school. You have resigned on the ground of your health and I could not stand in your way. I have no other way to express my gratitude to you for the trouble you have taken with your efficient teaching capacity to make ready for final examination of the two students of the school to sit for the Matriculation examination.

It was not expected that Rathindra and Santosh could appear in the examination this year and it was you who made Rathindra ready for examination within a year and made Santosh ready for examination in less than a year time. I had gathered faith in you for your sincerity and efficiency as a teacher for the quality you possess. If opportunity comes again I would ask you to join.

Dwijendranath, too, wrote in a letter to him,

It seemed that you had left the school just to keep yourselves aloof. I would not have allowed you to go if your health would permit you to stay here .

It was not only for his health that Manoranjan Babu left Santiniketan was known to Rabindranath because he (Manoranjan bab) wrote on 19th Sept, 1903, to Rabindranath that it was his (Rabindranath's) weakness and attitude that helped him to resign   This weakness was revealed when Rabindranath deputed Satyendranath Bhattacharya as the head of the institution and Kunjalal in charge of management of the school. Specially his contradiction with Kunjalal was much which was revealed from a letter written by Rabindranath on 2nd June, 1903,

'... Your mind was so agrieved with Kunja babu that I think needless to say anything about him to you. I would not even like to say that he had done wrong to you for it may add fire to the straw. I would not mention the reverse to add to your depression. The reason behind this contradiction was, probably, Rabindranath wanted to arrange accomodation of Kunja Babu with his family in the proposed laboratory room due to his want of fund to construct a separate accomodation for him.

Rabindranath had to face several resignation from teachers of Santiniketan for triffling matters, personality clashes, failure of being close to Rabindranath or to earn faith from him. Attraction for higher salary also was one of the factors of such resignation.

Even after submitting his resignation Rabindranath did not lose regards and gratitude for Manoranjan Babu and wished his success in his legal practice. He also offered him to take again the charge of the school. In return Manoranjan Babu too used to visit Santiniketan off and on and pass a few days there. Exchange of letters between Rabindranath and Manoranjan Babu lasted till his death.  

Jagadish Chandra, Hori and Shantiniketan (contd-19)

Jagadish Chandra was acquianted with Hori at Shantiniketan after coming back from England. He began to imagine a broad outline of programme with Hori as its center. He wrote to Rabindranath that they were searching such a person who knew Sanskrit and English at a time.He could be allowed to study in Asiatic Society for six months to studty Budhism along with other relavant manuscript.then Hori should be taken to the different places of Japan where such manuscripts were available. In this regard Hori was to convinced. The fiancial burden was to be born by them.Hori might be helpful in such a benevolent deed.
But all these thinking were fruitless asw Hori lef6 Shantiniketan within a few days. Rabindranath wrote to Manoranjan babu that they were then free rom presure of heavy work after Hori left the Shantiniketan.A sketch of Hori, drawn by Jyotirindranath, was kept at the Museum of The society of  Rabindranath. This picture was drawn at the house of Satyendranath, situated on the Ballygunge Store Road on 20 th. Feb.
A few months after, Hori died due to an accident.
Nivedita, on 15 dec 1903, wrote Miss Macloudk ;
'A Japanese turned up from Tokio, a Mr. Ito, and Hori went off with him to travel over India. On the Journey, he scratched his finger in a railway carriage some where in Punjab and the wound turned to lockjaw, and then, on the way from Lahore to Calcutta, he died.it was last week bet. 6th and 12 th  Dec.   

  

Jagadish Chandra and Shantiniketan (contd-18)

Jagadish Chandra wrote to Rabindranath from London that he had sent a book namely John Chinaman and asked him to read the book.He also remarked, "we are painting ourselves with European dust keeping aside our gold." Goldsworthy Lowes Dickinson, professor of King's College of Cambridge and London School of Economics was a Rhodes Scholar. He while moving in China wrote this book and published it in the name of a   Chinese knowing English.

Rabinranath read this book without knowing the writer of the book and wrote a summary of the book thinking that he was Chinese.Before one year Rabindranath wrote two essays, Difference of Society and Mother land, which were published in Bangadarshan. In the essays he narrated the opressions done in China by the European Imperiolists. Moreover he became acquianted with the Japanese great man Kakujo Okakura who wrote the book "Asia is one". Rabindranath came to understand the heritage of the country and the relation between China and India. It should be mentioned here that Surendranath Thakur in an eassay East and West,  published in Bharati, expressed the similar ideas.

In 1912, when Rabindranath went to England he stayed for two days in the house of Dickinson and well acquianted with him.

In 1913 Dickinson visited Jorasanko and Shantiniketan.