(video) Rabindranath and Sukumar Roy ( 1887 - 1923)

Sukumar Ray (Bengali: সুকুমার রায়), ( Shukumar Ray (help·info)), (1887–1923) was a Bengali humorous poet, story writer and playwright who mainly wrote for children. As perhaps the most famous Indian practitioner of literary nonsense, he is often compared to Lewis Carroll. His works such as the collection of poems "Aboltabol" (Bengali: আবোলতাবোল)("Gibberish"), novella "HaJaBaRaLa" (Bengali: হযবরল), short story collection "Pagla Dashu" (Bengali: পাগলা দাশু; "Crazy Dashu") and play "Chalachittachanchari" (Bengali: চলচিত্তচঞ্চরী) are considered nonsense masterpieces equal in stature to Alice in Wonderland, and are regarded as some of the greatest treasures of Bangla literature. More than 80 years after his death, Ray remains one of the most popular of children's writers in both West Bengal and Bangladesh.

Sukumar Ray was the son of famous children's story writer Upendrakishore Ray (Ray Chowdhury) and the father of legendary Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray and grandfather of famous Bengali filmmaker Sandip Ray.
Sukumar Roy expired on 10th Sept, 1923, at the age of 36. he was suffering from incurable disease "Kalajwar".
Sukumar Ray died on 10th September, 1923 of severe infectious fever, leishmaniasis, for which there was no cure at the time. He left behind his widow and their only child, Satyajit. Satyajit Ray .
Rabindranath went to see him in Calcutta before coming to Santiniketan and sung two songs at his request.
" Aache Duukhu, aache mrityu, Biraha dahana Lage", and

" Dukha e noy, sukha nahe go"
The last song he had to sing twice at his request.
He narrated all these during his prayer on 12th sept. at Santiniketan which was published in "Shantiniketan" , Bhadra issue. He said ; " when a man is going to die the whole energy of his life is spent in struggling with the disease and that becomes the main factor in his life.  But man is not like other animals, he is born to arrange his living in a world beyond this one. When I sat by my most dearest and affectionate young friend Sukumar Roy during his illness, I was remembering these things.I have seen many deaths but at the time of this untimely death of such a tender young boy, I have not seen any one to offer one's life at this age to the almighty god in such a peaceful way. He sung for the eternal being at his death bed. My heart is full of reverence for him.".      

Rabindranath and Winternitz (contd-2)

" Uttar-Ramacharit" was staged on 15th Sept in the evening and Winternitz bade farewell in the night of 16th Sept at Santiniketan. he was garlanded and was put a sacred mark on his forehead with the paste of sandal-wood. He was offered a dhooti, a modesty scarf and a ring. Rabindranath uttered Vedic hymn and after that   he, Bidhusekhar Sashtri and Benoit read the felicitation paper. Rabimdranath said;
Acharya M. Winternitz,
Before you came to us we had been aware of your reputation as one of the foremost scholars whose knowledge comprehended an amazingly vast field of Indian literature.  We felt grateful to you for having accepted our invitation and were proud to be able to receive you as our honoured guest . On the day when we must bid you farewell, let us assure you that our love for your personality has become equal to our reverence for your scholarship, and that though in outward appearence the time of your stay with us has been short, spiritually it has acquired a permanence in our heart.
Through the reticence of your modesty has sweetly shown the love of truth, and the love of manwhich is so completely free from race prejudice, from the narrow spirit of egotism, your intellectual outlook has found its moral background in the unity of man ; and this has strengthened our love for the Viswabharati ideal. In fact, your personal contact with the inmates of this Asrama has been a living contribution to the building up of our Institution which for its materials must never depend upon bricks and mortar, rules and regulations, but upon its faith in human history of the ceaseless endeavour to reach the highest expression of the spiritual meaning of existence.
It is needless to tell you that we have started our Viswabharati with the expectation of attracting round it, from all parts of the world, individuals, who, in the present turmoil of contradiction, still cherish hope in the ultimate triump of the Shantam and Shivam, who in the light of the Adaitam will recognize themselves as brothers when they meet, though belonging to different climates and  rcaes. We have found you, dear friend, as one such, and our brothers' greetings we offer to you at this of our parting."
On the next day Rabindranath went along him to the station and helped him to get his seat in the train.      
    

Rabindranath and Winternitz (contd-1)

On 9th Sept. in the evening, on the 2nd floor of the Viswabharati Library a  general meeting of Sammilani was held where Rabindranath took the president's chair. Winternitz started reading an essay on  a comparison between Indian literature with the International Literature  and finished it on 13th Sept. Rabindranath liked the essay very much. It was decided that Winternitz had to go to Banaras and Rabindranath wrote to Ranu,
" Winternitz will go to Banaras at the end of  Sept. Request your father so that proper reception is made to his behalf. he delivered a lecture on " Indian literature as a World Literature. and if a lecture be arranged there - your father may request him to do so."
It was decided that the teachers and the students would stage a drama on the day of fare-well of Winternitz. Rabindranath added in his letter written to Ranu;
" Winternitz will bid his farewell from Ashram on 15th Sept. On that occasion the students will tage a portion of the drama " Uttar-Ramcharit"  Sita, Basanti, Tamasa etc are preparing themselves in full swing for taking the final make up. Having noticed this Dinoo has furious, he has thrown both of his hands to sky and said ;
" Ghor kali eseche ghanaye - chinna gumpha
Dambha bhare nari-kanti haribare chay,
Kachcha-koncha sari-rupe asphalan kare /"
His messenger came to me just now and expressed his grief. I too got aggrieved. Just on that day I stood on the stage with full pride accompanying with my companion as a co-actress. I presumed that her voice was telling me, Bhanu Dada, come and let us go beyond this stage.In reply I said, Yes, yes, I shall go. Ranu I shall go because I had to go." Tomorrow is the day fixed for the drama. I decided to make them encouraged being present there. It will be difficult for me to encourage them when they will act on the stage."
 

   

Rabinadranath and Winternitz

Moriz Winternitz (1863 - 1937)

A professor of Indian philology and ethnology at the German University, Prague, Moriz Winternitz was an authority on ancient and medieval Indian Literature. Rabindranath met Winternitz in 1920 on a visit to Prague. On the invitation of the Poet, Winternitz came to Santiniketan as Visiting Professor in February 1923 and stayed till September 1924. Besides his regular classes, he would often give lectures on the history of Sanskrit literature. During his stay he started a project to collect various versions of the Mahabharata and edit them for publication. Mention should be made of his magnum opus, A History of Indian Literature. He also wrote a monograph in German on Rabindranath : Rabindranath Tagore - Religion and Weltanschaung des Dichters in 1936 The time of farewell of M. Winternitz was near at hand. He began a research work with the students of Viswabharati to prepare a comparative study of Mahabharat . He went to Poona in Bhandarkar Institute . To proceed with the work in his absence he wrote to Rabindranath on 5th Sept. 1923, informing him him that he is going to recommend one of his student namely Dr. Otto Stein to do the rest of his work. But he could not be appointes since he did not get leave from his University where he was working.

Rabindranath- Indira Devi and Raktakarabi (cont-4)

(Indira Devi and Tagore, 1886.)

 The only translated typed manuscript [Ms.36] kept in Rabindra-Bhavan was edited Rabindranath and Indira Devi. This translation was the 6th manuscript [Ms 149 (ii)] , the time period of which was earmarked by Sudhendu Ranjan Homroy

" end of 1923 or beginning of 1924  -  Gurudev was then staying with Prasanta ch. Mahalanobis at his Alipore residence. The manuscript which Rabindranath had almost completed, this was not that one. The manuscript which was printed in Bahurupee magazine was the manuscript prepared with the help of Benoit.  

(video) Rakta Karabi song from album Rakta Karabi - Rakta Karabi songs - Bengali Music - Bengali Songs, Soundtracks, Music, Lyrics, Videos and Trailers - Rakta Karabi album

Rakta Karabi song from album Rakta Karabi - Rakta Karabi songs - Bengali Music - Bengali Songs, Soundtracks, Music, Lyrics, Videos and Trailers - Rakta Karabi album

Rabindranath and Raktakarabi ( contd-3)

The above two letters written by Rabindranath referred  to "Raktakarabi" and its English translation which would come very soon. Rabindranath informed Ranu on 6th Sept, " I am going on doing translation of "Nandini" with the help of Benoit (Fernand Benoit - author) Hope, it will be finished tomorrow."
[ A census report of 1940 in America shows about Fernand Benoit] 
On 5th Sept he rote to Ramananda Chattopadhyay , " The drama "YakshaPuri" it will be better if you make arrangement for publishing it in Phalgun or Chaitra issue of "Pravasi" instead of publishing it in Puja issue . I do not like to publish it before it is staged. I shall send you the copy in time."

This is to be noted that the name of the drama was still "Nandini" or "Yakshapuri". Though he didnot use the name Yakshapuri in any one of his manuscript. But it was so popular in the minds of public that it had automatically came out of his pen. The name Raktakarabi was not given to the drama even then. It was visible in 8th manuscript, when the use of the name of flower "Raktakarabi" was use sufficiently. The theoretical significance of the name began to explore. But the drama was going to be printed without assigning the name as Raktakarabi or the translation was going to be completed with the help of Prof. Ferand Benoit, a multilingual Swish-French writer.  Even it was thinking to stage it in an auditorium.