In collection of books, memorabilia, a tribute to Tagore

New delhi Can you believe it? Tagore touched the book that you are now holding,” says B N Uniyal, former journalist and avid collector of antique books, as he sits leafing through the pages of a red hardbound copy of Rabindranath Tagore’s Geetanjali in Bangla in his misty underground study.

The yellow but crisp pages erroneously comprise more ‘songs’ than the contents list mentions, points out Uniyal, for this was printed in an age where the pagination could not be changed at the last minute. The first edition copy, published by Kartik Press in 20, Cornwallis Street, Calcutta in 1910 and priced at Re 1, found its way to Uniyal’s study around eight years ago from a publisher in Kolkata.

At a time when literary circles and the Bengali community are observing the Nobel Laureate’s 150th birth anniversary, Uniyal, 70, pays perhaps the best homage in what could arguably be the largest private collection of Tagore’s memorabilia. “The Geetanjali in Bangla barely sold then. In fact, the English translation did better and sales picked up after Tagore was awarded the Nobel,” says Uniyal.

The collector’s library, which houses well over 10,000 books collected over 50 years from across the globe, also flaunts the first edition copy of Geetanjali in English, printed in 1912 for the Indian Society by the Chiswick Press in London. “This is one of the 750 copies printed. Only 250 went for sale, the others were for Indian Society members,” explains Uniyal.

He also owns the Golden Book of Tagore, printed in 1931 as tribute to the poet on his 70 th birthday, copies of Harriet Monroe’s early 20 th century journal ‘Poetry’ that first published songs from the Geetanjali in 1913, an autographed copy of ‘Geetanjali and Fruit Gathering’ printed by Macmillan in 1919 and yet another autographed picture of the poet bought from a dealer in Wiltshire, all carefully preserved.  

The collection is complete with handwritten notes by the Nobel Laureate. One of them, addressed to his ‘boys of Shantiniketan’, that came from the renowned British manuscript dealer John Wilson has Tagore writing in flowing cursive letters on an yellowed scrap of paper. “I dedicate this book to my boys of Shantiniketan who have freed the fantasies of youth that was hidden in the heart of this old poet and to Divendranath who is the guide of those boys in their festivals and treasurer of my songs,” it says. The other had come as ‘in gratia’ with the first edition copy of the Golden Book of Tagore printed in 1931.

Uniyal is keen to contribute for an exhibition of Tagore memorabilia as part of the anniversary celebrations.

By 

Sweta Dutta

Kolkata awash with bard flavour

Sunday was a day of high-pitched Tagore fever in the City of Joy. People from different walks of life were out since dawn letting their sentiments flow on the streets of Kolkata as they came out in large groups to commemorate Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s 150th birth anniversary. 

Kolkata was bedecked in red and white. From little girls to grannies, all wore sparkling white cottons with traditional red borders. Foreheads flaunted bright red bindis while chameli and bela garlands dressed chignons and braided hair. Men wore white kurtas and dhotis. Whether the Nobel laureate had decided this colour theme is not known, but that his birth anniversary tied all citizens in the same shades, spoke clearly of the binding power that he in spirit still exercises amongst all, cutting across sections of society.

Functions began all over the city as early as 5.30 am. Be it tiny para (local) clubs, party offices, schools and colleges or the poet’s birthplace, the day began with recitals of Tagore’s poems and songs. A ride to Jorasanko Thakur Bari from South Kolkata at that hour was interesting; one could witness several processions where Tagore’s fans recited poems, sang songs, enacted scenes out of his plays and even danced. Garlanded photograph of the loved ‘Guru’ headed most of these parades, while people held placards with lines taken from his great works. Some of these devotees even sang along his verses as they happily moved on the streets of Kolkata.

On his part, the great poet was watching from everywhere, large billboards, posters, figurines in stalls and garlanded busts at different crossroads. In fact, these chowrahas have never been as melodious before, each playing melodious songs of Tagore round the clock. 

At Tagore’s birthplace, Jorasanko, people had gathered in thousands to pay homage to their favourite poet. And keeping to the romance of Tagore, all the activities were through songs and poems rendered by renowned artistes from all over the State. The stage like anywhere else was done up with tube-roses and belas, designs were drawn on the floors at different places with a mix of rice and water. Sandalwood paste was used to dress the Guru’s large portrait that was placed high on the stage.

Karuna Sindhi Das, the Vice-Chancellor of Rabindra Bharati University said, “Tagorean culture is not timed. It permeates all ages and creates a sensitivity much required in the 21st century where most of us are turning into robots. It is art and culture that ensures that we remain humane across all civilisations.”

Far down in Rabindra Sadan, it was a full-on festivity. While renowned exponents of Rabindra Sangeet rendered Tagore songs from the stage to a smitten audience sitting below on durries spread on the ground. Now and then several Tagore fans took a break at the various stalls set up in the premises. These stalls, too, did not deviate from Tagorana, so there was jewellery made out of terracotta and Dokra (both famous in Birbhum district), there were stalls selling replicas of Tagores Gitanjali and Gitobitan (collection of Tagore’s songs) kept alongside miniature harmoniums, sitars, pakhawaj, tablas and ektaras. Other stalls sold batik and kantha work kurtas and saris. All these makeshift shops had one common element — Tagore’s portrait placed on a tiny pulpit garlanded with fragrant flowers. In fact, there were some stalls which seemed to attract huge crowds; these stalls were selling copies of Tagore’s paintings, his photographs and quotes. Says Ishita Sengupta, a stall owner, “I have been doing great business since 2000, when I first opened my stall here. It feels great to see the buyers ready to pay whatever we ask for (we ask for reasonable rates). There is no haggling when it comes to buying anything related to the everlasting poet.”

Far from Kolkata, in Santiniketan the festivities will continue for two long years because the university here believes that the actual 150th birth anniversary is on May 9, 2011. While speaking to The Pioneer, the Vice-Chancellor (Upacharya) of Visva-Bharti, Prof Rajat Kanta Ray, said, “This is just the beginning of the festivities, and this shall continue till May 9th, 2012, as we believe that the actual birth anniversary will be on this date, a year later.”

Proud of the support lent by the Government of India, Prof Ray announced the four permanent Tagorean (two publications and two buildings) assets that were inaugurated on Sunday. These include, Rabindra Chitravali, a collection of the poet’s complete sketches and pictures that will be covered in four volumes, Kalanukrani which will be published in nearly 40 volumes as this text will include almost all of Tagore’s works, which will be arranged chronologically. “This text will be of great interest to researchers and even the common men who have always been eager to learn about Tagore’s mental evolution,” says the Vice-Chancellor.

The two buildings include Kala Bhavan and Rabinrda Bhavan and a large auditorium that will be built ‘on the lines of any international auditorium’ with the capacity to accommodate a thousand people. The former which was not opened to the public so far will now exhibit all of Tagore’s paintings and be open to visitors.

As far as Tagore’s great works and relics are concerned, the Indian Railways will run a unique museum. This was inaugurated on Sunday evening by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee. The train — Sankriti Express — will showcase the Nobel laureate’s life and philosophy, and will touch important railway stations across the country before finally returning to Kolkata on May 8, 2011.

Be it in the streets of Kolkata, popular auditoriums, his birthplace, Santiniketan, or local FM and TV channels, on Sunday the unparalleled bard entered every home and heart through his unique, rich and diverse works. It can be safely said that shades from his oeuvre have been indelibly etched on every soul in the city. 

By Sutapa Mukkerjee | Kolkata

'Youth needs to be made aware of Tagore's works'

Visitors at an exhibition inside a train to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore in Kolkata. File Photo: AP

There is an urgent need to increase awareness among youth about the vast works of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore during the bard’s 150th birth anniversary celebrations, intellectuals feel.

A large section of youth is seemingly indifferent to the writings of Tagore, says poet Subodh Sarkar, adding that the year-long anniversary celebrations that began Sunday (May 9) should be used to ensure that young people also start loving the poet’s works.

“The elderly people love to read the poems, stories and novels written by Rabindranath, but there is an urgent need to bring the young generation in this fold,” Sarkar told IANS.

Actor-turned-MP Tapas Pal echoed Sarkar’s views.

“There has been a sharp decrease among the younger generation in studying Rabindranath’s literary culture. It is because of the socio-economic changes in society that they are less bothered about Tagore’s legacy,” said the popular Bengali film hero.

Tagore (1861-1941), the first Asian to win the Nobel prize, was a poet, novelist, musician and playwright and his compositions reshaped Bengali literature and music in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

According to second year undergraduate student Rabidyuty Sarkar, the younger generation does not have much time to devote to reading Tagore’s works.

“Actually we don’t have the time to read the works of Tagore as we are always in a rat race. However, we do celebrate Rabindranath’s birth anniversary,” he said.

Magsaysay award winning writer Mahasweta Devi refused to be drawn into any such debate.

“People will definitely celebrate Rabindranath’s birth anniversary by reciting poems and stories and performing plays penned by Rabindranath Tagore,” she said.

Asked what would be the fittest way to pay tribute to Tagore during the year-long celebrations to mark his 150th birth anniversary in 2011, stage and screen actor Kaushik Sen said that should be left to the people.

“There is no hard and fast rule how we should celebrate Tagore’s birthday. My new play is inspired by a poem by Tagore ‘Birpurush’ The first show is on May 29,” he said.

“People should show their respect to Tagore the way they want to. He is there with us all the time through his songs, writings, plays,” Sen said.

Magician P.C. Sorcar (Jr) disagreed with the suggestion that Tagore has lost his appeal among youth.

“I don’t agree with the view that interest in Rabindranath’s work has decreased among the new generation. But as you know a day has only 24 hours. And the rat race for survival has intensified to a large extent,” Sorcar told IANS.

Singer Usha Uthup felt the vastness of Tagore’s work ensured it would never pale in popularity.

“I don’t feel that reading Rabindranath’s works among youth has gone down as his literary creations are so vast,” she said.

By IANS

Tagore's paintings under threat in Nepal

KATHMANDU: As the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore begins in India, some of his legacy lies unrecognised and unappreciated in neighbouring Nepal, in dire danger of theft and destruction. 

"There are at least three to four paintings by Tagore hanging in public places in Nepal," says Sangeeta Thapa, art curator and director of Siddhartha Art Gallery in Kathmandu. "Very few people have any idea about their worth. I don't want to say even where they are for fear they will get stolen." 

In the past, Thapa says, Kolkata, Varanasi and Allahabad were centres of culture, education and even politics where the who's who, intellectuals and art lovers of Nepal went. 

"The Rana prime ministers of Nepal were passionate collectors of art and went to Kolkata to buy the Bengal masters," she says. "There are Tagores - both Rabindranath and (his nephew) Abanindranath in private collections in Nepal. But because of the volatile political situation here, no one is willing to talk about what they own." 

In the centenary year of the poet, musician, novelist and playwright, Thapa was approached by Prakash Rimal, the grandson of a famed Nepali politician, who said he possessed a Tagore painting and wanted it evaluated for a prospective sale. 

"It was a serigraph signed Rabindranath Tagore," Thapa recollects. "A Christ-like face that was gifted by Tagore to Rimal's grandfather Surya Prasad Upadhyay when Upadhyay was living in Kolkata." 

Thapa put it on the Internet, asking for offers so that she could gauge what it was worth. What she received instead was a fuming letter from Visva-Bharati university, forbidding her to sell the painting. Visva-Bharati was founded nearly 100 years ago by Tagore. 

"They said there was a stay on the sale of Tagore's paintings in India and I could not sell it," Thapa says. "I wrote back, saying this was Nepal, a sovereign independent country, where the stay did not apply." 

However, the ensuing debate and heat made the owner change his mind about selling the serigraph and that was the last time Thapa saw it. 

"Since he shuttles between Nepal and the US, it could be in the US as well," she says. 

Thapa says that many prominent public buildings in Nepal were gifted to the government by the Ranas. 

"The foreign ministry was handed over intact with priceless paintings and chandeliers," she says. "Now part of it has become the president's palace. I have been urging the foreign ministry to do an inventory before more invaluable items get stolen or damaged due to lack of preservation." 

She says she will disclose where the Tagore paintings are only if the Nepal government promises to remove them and put them in a museum protected by guards. 

Nepal is a treasure trove of statutes, wooden carvings and paintings with its past rulers boasting of incredible collections. It is also a paradise for thieves due to the lax security. 

There are regular incidents of priceless ancient statues being stolen from temples and public places and smuggled out. 

"About four months ago, one of the most beautiful and sensuous statues of Uma and Maheshwar, showing the goddess sitting half in the lap of her consort, was stolen from the Sundari Chowk, (a public square near the old royal palace in Patan)," laments Thapa. 

"It was of copper gilded with gold and all we had was one paragraph in the papers saying it was missing."

By IANS

Tagore loved northeast and it loves him back

It is yesterday once more in the northeast cultural calendar as the region brushes the dust off its ties with Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, who was recognised as a "great poet" by the then king of Tripura at a time when few others did 128 years ago. 

Tripura, Meghalaya, Assam and Manipur have planned year-long celebrations starting Sunday in the run up to the 150th birth anniversary of the poet who penned famous dance-dramas, songs and novels during his visits to the region, especially his favourite haunts Agartala and Shillong. 

"Tagore took skilled weavers from Assam to Bengal to develop and popularise weaving. He inducted Manipuri dance teachers in Santiniketan. He also sought the assistance of erstwhile Tripura kings for scientist Jagadish Chandra Bose," said researcher Pannalal Roy. 

"The bard was a viaduct between northeast India and the rest of the world," said he. 

Tagore had visited many times and stayed in Agartala and Shillong between 1899 and 1927. 

"It surprised many in the literary circles of Bengal that after reading 'Bhanga Hriday' in 1882, the then king Maharaja Birchandra Manikya sent his emissary to the Tagore house at Jorasanko to congratulate and recognise young Rabindranath as a 'great poet' in the making," said Bikach Chaudhuri, a renowned Tagore expert from the northeast. 

"During those days (1882) Tagore was not a popular name and the critics of Bengal derisively described his work as 'puerile pastime,'" said Chaudhuri. 

"The great poet, throughout his life, gratefully acknowledged this noble occasion of his first ever recognition in life with utmost humility." 

Tagore's close relations with the princely state of Tripura and its four successive tribal kings form an important chapter in the state's history. This relationship prompted him to visit the state as many as seven times between 1899 and 1926. 

Roy said, "After the death of Birchandra Manikya (1896), Tagore was the true guardian of three kings (1896 to 1947) -- Radhakishore Manikya, Birendra Kishore Manikya and Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya. He helped them and guided them in many ways that included administrative advice to rule the state and about conspiracies against them by rivals." 

Tripura had a special place in many of Tagore's songs and he wrote a number of novels with the then princely state's history as the theme. Some of these are ‘Bisharjan’, ‘Rajarshi’ and ‘Mukut’. 

"The poet during his visit to Guwahati in Assam in 1919 got a huge public reception there. From Guwahati, he tried to go to Manipur, but the Manipuri kings under the pressure of British rulers did not give him permission," Roy said. 

Tagore visited Shillong for the first time in 1919 and stayed at Brookside Compound, a house in the Rilbong area on the outskirts of the city. He visited again in 1923 and this time stayed for over a month at Jeet Bhumi, a little away from Brookside Compound. 

It was during this visit that he penned his famous drama ‘Yakshapuri’ (later published as ‘Raktakarabi’) and poem ‘Shillong-er Chithi’. 

The bard visited Shillong for the third and last time in the summer of 1927. 

It remained a place close to his heart. This is evident from the fact that later, Shillong was given importance in his masterpiece "Shesher Kobita". Brookside, the house in Meghalaya where he began writing the novel, has been declared as the Rabindranath Art Gallery. 

"Brookside and the surrounding landscape will be protected with technical assistance from the Victoria Memorial Hall authority in Kolkata," informed former Meghalaya chief minister D.D. Lapang, who took personal initiative to protect places associated with Tagore. 

Launching the year-long celebration of Tagore's 150th birth anniversary, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar will on Sunday lay the foundation stone of a Rs.275-million Rabindra convention complex in Agartala. 

Sarkar, a Tagore fan, has constituted more than a dozen committees to mark the anniversary. 

"Through year-long commemorative programmes, we will take Tagore's works to every place and every man, woman and youngster," said Sarkar. 

Tripura Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Anil Sarkar, who is also a renowned poet and writer, said: "The state's culture, literature and dance occupy a special place in Rabindranath's literary repertoire and Kabiguru's visits over a decade resulted in blending of the cultures of Tripura and Bengal." 

By IANS

Nobel for a school dropout

By NDTV Correspondent

Today is the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindra Nath Tagore, an event that the country will celebrate over the next 12 months. Among those marking the day today are two schools in Kolkata where Tagore studied. The Nobel laureate was not a great student and hated being confined in a classroom. He changed schools four times. Each stay was brief, to say the least. He never matriculated. It's quite another matter that later, Oxford University came down to Shantiniketan to award him a doctorate.

The Oriental Seminary in Kolkata, Tagore's first school. He had thrown a tantrum to be allowed to go to school when he was seven, in 1868, but he left in a month, taking with him a memory of the kind of punishment doled out there. "A boy who was unable to repeat his lessons," he writes in his reminiscences "was made to stand on a bench with arms extended and, on his upturned palms were piled a number of slates."  

"Perhaps from his childhood itself, Tagore just couldn't adjust to formal education given in the confines of four walls, says Manoj Bhattacharya, teacher in charge, Oriental Seminary.

Tagore's memory of St Xavier's School, which he joined in 1876 for about six months, was also bleak. One teacher, Father Depeneranda, who one day noticed he was not writing his paper, put his hand on his shoulder and asked, "Are you not well, Tagore?" "It was a simple question," writes Tagore, "but one I have never been able to forget." 

 "He kept his relationship with St Xavier's for a long time. One is, in 1927, he came to St Xavier's and gave a gift to St Xavier's. The gift was a statue of Jesus Christ," says father Felix Raj, Principal, St Xavier's college. 

So did Tagore lose out because he never managed to get himself a formal education? 

"Rabindra Nath had a formal education; he could at best become an ICS or something like that. That would have been a great loss for our country and for the world, for that matter. I think it's a blessing in disguise that he didn't have formal education," says Chandika Prasad Ghoshal, English teacher, Oriental Seminary. 

In 1940, 27 years after he got the Nobel Prize, Oxford University came down to Shantiniketan, and gave Tagore an honorary doctorate.

Tagore's birth anniversary, but its hardly a reason for Mumbai to celebrate

By Ranjib Mazumdar / DNA

India’s first Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s 150th birth anniversary is being celebrated today, as per the Bengali calendar. Even as cultural bodies in quite a few other cities are observing his birthday, there is hardly any event in Mumbai to mark the occasion.

Theatre person Dolly Thakore says, “It’s quite sad nothing much is happening in Mumbai on Tagore’s birthday. I guess, as far as Mumbai is concerned, it has too much on its platter — be it Kasab or the MNS. But sadly, we haven’t spent time remembering him.”

Theatre person Alyque Padamsee agrees. He says, “Mumbai is mad about Shakespeare but not Tagore. This is a great pity because Tagore was one of our best poets and playwrights. Wake up, Mumbai.”

Poetess Arundhathi Subramanium says, “Not just Tagore’s birthday, but many other moments go unobserved in Mumbai. We are slowly losing the ability to contextualise our cultural figures.”

Singer Kavita Krishnamurthy, who has a strong base in Rabindra Sangeet, also known as Tagore songs, says, “It’s quite heartbreaking to see that so many people still don’t know what Rabindra Sangeet is. Since I have grown up on the music of Tagore, I know the sheer brilliance of it.Sadly, so many Indians are unaware of it. It’s time for everybody, not just Bengalis, to be aware of the man who made us so proud.”

Arundhati too agrees that there are many ways to celebrate and remember. “Setting up some festivity hypothetically is not the only way to celebrate Tagore’s birthday. Reciting poetry in an auditorium is an easy, rhapsodic response to our cultural history,” she ends.