“Bohe nirontoro ononto anandadhara…….”

(The showers of eternal bliss flows forever)

(Rabindranath Tagore, Bhaanga Gaan, written on 1897)

However, my acquaintance with the famous bard, kobiguru, as most people call him, dates back to my toddlerhood when my mother used to sit with ‘Sanchayita’ (An anthology of Tagore’s well-known poems) and recite one poem after the other. I remember that I enjoyed the rhyme ‘Khantoburir Didishashuri’ a lot, then. Gradually, I learnt most of the children’s poems written by him thanks to my mother’s persuasion and the elocution tests in my school.

Rabindranath Tagore Poems

As I embarked upon the journey of teenhood, I felt his poems seeping into me slowly. We had ‘Sankalita’ as one of our Bengali textbooks. The best part of the ‘Sankalita’ books was that the poems were collated according to the age of the students. The poems like ‘Samanyo Khoti’, ‘Poroshmoni,’ ‘Nirjhorer Shopnobhongo’ had an immense impact on me.

Thereafter, I was introduced to his plays and novels, not to mention his songs which were the quintessential part of the mornings in our house. I remember the mornings when I used to run apprehensively to school whenever the radio channel aired “Dhwonilo Ahoban modhuro gombhiro probhat ambaro majhe….” lest I get late for the assembly bell. Frankly speaking; initially, I didn’t find his songs as interesting as his novels and plays (excluding dance dramas). They were no better than the opulent lullabies to me, the ones which the so-called samajhdaars listen to.

When people swore by the ‘Rabindrasangeets’ I was pretty content with revising and re-revising ‘Chirokumar Sabha’ and ‘Tasher Desh’,  the two of my favourite plays resplendent with sarcasm and dark humour.

The Bard Find Place in My Adulthood

How and when I was smitten by the ‘opulent lullabies’, I don’t know. Maybe during a stage of infatuation when somebody coincidentally sang ‘Pran chaay chokkhu na chaay’ or celebrating the first Doljatra in college with “Labonye purno praano praanesho he” or maybe when I was spending a restless night after my mother’s death and my mobile’s playlist offered me ‘Jete jete akla pothey‘.

When people go overboard with the Rabindrajayanti celebrations every year, I quietly remember him, my quintessential guardian, through his songs, poems and those long-lost evenings which resonated with my mother’s consecutive recitations of Tagore’s poems.

Happy Birthday, my dear Bard, my Rabi Buro! Your literary works are like an ocean to me, where every wave seems new, every single day.

I would like to sign off by remembering a poem written by Rabindranath Tagore which was my mother’s one of the favourites from Sanchayita……

মৃত্যুঞ্জয় (The Death Defier)

দূর হতে ভেবেছিনু মনে

দুর্জয় নির্দয় তুমি, কাঁপে পৃথ্বী তোমার শাসনে।

তুমি বিভীষিকা,

দুঃখীর বিদীর্ণ বক্ষে জ্বলে তব লেলিহান শিখা।

দক্ষিণ হাতের শেল উঠেছে ঝড়ের মেঘ–পানে,

সেথা হতে বজ্র টেনে আনে।

ভয়ে ভয়ে এসেছিনু দুরুদুরু বুকে

তোমার সম্মুখে

তোমার ভ্রূকুটিভঙ্গে তরঙ্গিল আসন্ন উৎপাত, —

নামিল আঘাত।

পাঁজর উঠিল কেঁপে,

বক্ষে হাত চেপে

শুধালেম, “আরো কিছু আছে নাকি,

আছে বাকি

শেষ বজ্রপাত?’

নামিল আঘাত।

এইমাত্র?  আর কিছু নয়?

ভেঙে গেল ভয়।

যখন উদ্যত ছিল তোমার অশনি

তোমারে আমার চেয়ে বড়ো ব’লে নিয়েছিনু গনি।

তোমার আঘাত–সাথে নেমে এলে তুমি

যেথা মোর আপনার ভূমি।

ছোটো হয়ে গেছ আজ।

আমার টুটিল সব লাজ।

যত বড়ো হও,

তুমি তো মৃত্যুর চেয়ে বড়ো নও।

আমি মৃত্যু–চেয়ে বড়ো এই শেষ কথা বলে

যাব আমি চলে।

The translation follows here

Death-defier
I thought from afar–
That you were invincible, merciless,
That the world trembled as you ruled,
That you were a frightful sight,
That your blazing flames burnt on the torn chest of the sufferer.
The weapon of your right hand raised towards the storm,
Drew thunder from the clouds.
I came before you in fear,
With a trembling heart.
Imminent danger rose in waves from your frown,
And there came the blow.
My ribs tottered,
I asked you pressing my hands to my breast,
“Do you have more for me,
Is there anything left,
The last stroke of thunder?”
Again came the blow upon me.

Only this? Nothing more?
My fear left me.
When your thunder was ready to strike,
I considered you mightier than me.
But with your blows you came down,
Here where I have my footsteps.
Today you have shrunk smaller than me,
Making me victorious over all my hesitations.
Mighty as you are,
You are not greater than death.
‘But I am more than death’, saying these last words,
Shall I go away.

(Courtesy: Blogliterary)

Photo Courtesy: Souptima Basu

Recommended Read: KolkataFusion’s review on Streer Patra, a short story from Tagore’s Golpoguccho

The post Rabindranath Tagore – The Bard whose works will never lose their relevance. appeared first on KolkataFusion.

The background of ‘Horikhela’:

Rabindranath Tagore read James Todd’s ‘The annals and antiquities of Rajasthan’ and decided to write a few dramatic ballads on the events described in the book. The result was ‘Katha,’ an anthology of ballads based on Sikh kings and Rajput kings, written during 1899. In ‘The annals and antiquities of Rajasthan,’ the event that inspired ‘Horikhela’ was dated 1646 A.D.

In that year, Kesar Khan and Dokar Khan, two Pathan rulers, conquered Kota from the Rajput King Bhongasi or Bhunaag. The king and his queen Rani Roopmati, with their subjects, went away to Kaitun or Kaitunpur. Rani Roopmati was known for her enchanting beauty and there was no doubt that her beauty attracted Kesar Khan. How the queen called Kesar Khan to play Holi with her and got him subdued is the ballad’s essence described beautifully by Rabindranath Tagore.

The Summary of ‘Horikhela’:

On a pleasant spring evening, the queen of Kota sent a letter to Kesar Khan from Kaitun. The letter read, “Are you satisfied after taking over Kota? Would you please come to Kaitun with your soldiers? All the Rajputanis here, including myself, are looking forward to play Holi with you.”

Kesar Khan, already besotted with the queen’s gesture, prepared himself to meet her. The soldiers and Kesar Khan went to Kaitun, dressed in their best colourful attires. The queen and her women heartily welcomed the Pathan soldiers and their king with large plates of gulal (abir, faag) and pichkaris loaded with coloured waters. As they started splashing the colours all over, they danced merrily.

Buy Rabindranath Tagore’s Katha O Kahini, online.

After observing the dancing Rajputanis, a doubt started building over Kesar Khan’s mind. He felt that the women were not actually women. Seeing him perplexed, the queen, Rani Roopmati, came ahead with a huge bell-metal plate that carried a huge heap of gulaal. Before Kesar Khan looked up to her, she threw the plate on him. Kesar Khan turned blind as a result.

In the meantime, all the Rajputanis tore open their dresses and brandished the swords. They revealed themselves as the Rajput soldiers who were dressed up as queen’s women. They valiantly fought until the entire Pathan troupe was killed along with Kesar Khan. The Pathan soldiers came but never went back.

Recommended Read: Review on Rabindranath Tagore’s short story ‘Streer Patra’

Literary Style and Treatment

Since Holi is an Indian theme, the writing style was that of an Indian writer choosing to write on Basanta, the king of all seasons, the spring. The blooming mango trees, the cuckoo’s songs, the humming of the bumblebees, the sweet southern breeze and the spring flowers are wonderfully described as the natural setting.

Holi, being a festival of colours, the poet had brought in descriptions like red sun, shining day, coloured fog along with the vivid descriptions of the colourful ambience of Kaitun on the event of Holi. On reading the poem, anyone would be able to relate to the occasion on which people made merry and splashed colour on each other as a gesture of love, humanity and fraternity.

But, to us, Holi, also mythologically stands for the victory of good over evil. Therefore, as an Indian writer, Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore probably could not ignore putting in a plot of revenge and fighting for what seemed right to the queen to win back Kota, her lost kingdom.

The treatment of the ballad was dramatic. The drama built slowly over the stanzas that described the change of flute’s tune from Raag Multani to Iman Bhupali to Darbari Kanara. The Darbari Kanara’s melody floated over as the war went on till the victory was achieved.

The ballad ended with a poignant description of the Pathan troupe that never went back and stayed amidst the cuckoo’s incessant songs and the south breeze that blew throughout the spring.  At the end, even for a fraction of a second, the readers would feel sorry for the fate of the Pathan soldiers. It was apparently wrong to invite them for Holi’s merriment and kill them in return….but there goes the saying, “All is fair in love and war!”

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The post ‘Horikhela’ – Indian Writer, Rabindranath Tagore’s poem on spring and Holi: A review appeared first on KolkataFusion.

Continued from Part 2

Listen to Karar Oi Louho Kopat by Dr. Ayan Samanta

If your non- Bengali friends think that you are engrossed in politics and criticizes you for bringing a political perspective to anything under the sun, they are not entirely incorrect! After all, Bengal had shown the path to political awakening!

Almost half a century before the birth of INC – Indian National Congress, Bengal was a honeycomb of political associations.

Bongobhasha Prakashika Sabha 1836

Founded by Dwarkanath Tagore in 1836, it’s perhaps the first political body of India and definitely of Bengal.

Zamindar Sabha 1838

Founded by Radhakanta Deb and Dwarkanath Tagore, it was open to all even though the name suggests only a class.  They used constitutional methods to compel the English to fulfill their demands.

Indian League 1875

Founded by Sisir Kumar Ghosh, it aimed to stimulate the sense of Nationalism and induce political education among the masses.

The Indian Association of Calcutta- 1876

Founded by 2 Bengalis, SN Banerjee and AnandaMohan Basu, it was an essential Pre-Congress political association of India. It was successful in creating a strong public opinion and unify the masses under a single political program.

Bengalis and The Indian National Congress

Conceived in 1885, The INC was the most significant political association of India until 1906, which marked the birth of The Muslim League. 

Below is the list of INC sessions held in Bengal or presided by a Bengali and was involved and some landmark decisions/actions were taken.

1906- Calcutta Session – Dadabhai Naoroji, the then president of the INC session, uses the word “Swaraj” for the first time in his presidential Speech.

1907- Surat Session- Congress splits and session presided by Rashbehari Ghosh was suspended due to rift the between the moderates and extremists.

1916- Lucknow Session- The famous Lucknow Pact between the Muslim League and The INC. This session also witnessed the comeback of the extremists into the INC. Ambika Charan Majumder was the president of INC at that time.

1917- Calcutta Session- Mrs. Annie Beasant takes charge as the president of INC – The first Woman President of INC.

1939- Subhash Chandra Bose became the president for the 2^nd consecutive term after defeating Gandhi’s candidate – Pattavi Sitaramaiya. Usually, Gandhi nominated the president of Congress without facing any objections – just a year ago, Subhash himself was nominated in 1938. By 1939 World Politics started changing too fast with the onset of the Second World War. While Gandhi advocated unconditional support to the English army in their war efforts, Bose argued that it was an imperialistic War where both sides fought either to gain colonies or to defend their existing ones. 

Rise of Extremism and revolutionary movements in Bengal

The Need

During the early 1900s, a new class of thinkers emerged around the nation who opined that a more aggressive and militant approach was required for political demands – a result of unsatisfactory outcomes and a sense of complacence in the moderate approach. 

The Onset of a structured movement

1905 witnessed a strong influence of extremism in the Swadeshi Movement. It was to counter Curzon’s decision of Partition of Bengal. Extremism brought in new forms of struggle during the Swadeshi movement. For example:

• Boycott of foreign goods,
• Innovative use of traditional melas and festivals,
• Active participation of students,
• Conventional middle-class women took active participation in processions.

Movement in support of this “Anti partition” program was held in various parts of the country and during this, Tilak evangelized a new start of the struggle for independence.  Extremism raised the level of patriotism from “academic” to “service and sacrifice for the nation”.

Revolutionary activities and organizations in Bengal

By the 1880s, Bengal’s student community was a mesh of secret societies though not active. In 1902 first time, two organized societies sprang up – 1 in Midnapore under Jyanendranath Bose and the other in Calcutta by barrister Pramatha Nath Mitra.

The one in Calcutta is better known as “Anushilan Samiti” – a branch was also set up in Dhaka- led by Pulin Behari Das.

Yugantar Dal- A subsidiary of Anushilan Samiti carried out several extremist activities in and around Bengal. E.g., Attempt to kill Sir Fuller – Lt Governor of East Bengal and Assam (after the 1905 partition).

Prafulla Kr. Chaki and Khudiram Bose

Prafulla Kr. Chaki and Khudiram Bose hurled a bomb at a carriage presumed to carry Kingsford, a notorious Judge posted in Muzzafarpur. However, it was occupied by Mrs. Kennedy and her daughter.

Both Khudiram and Chaki fled, the next day, Khudiram was arrested from Waini station, (present-day – Samastipur). A handcuffed Khudiram was brought from Waini to Muzaffarpur. The English daily, The Statesman, wrote on the following day, 2 May 1908 

The Railway station was crowded to see the boy. A mere boy of 18 or 19 years old, who looked quite determined. He came out of a first-class compartment and walked all the way to the phaeton, kept for him outside, like a cheerful boy who knows no anxiety…..on taking his seat the boy lustily cried ‘Vandemataram’.

When the Judge announced his death sentence Khudiram’s spontaneous reaction was to smile. The Judge, surprised, asked Khudiram whether he had understood the meaning of the pronounced sentence. Khudiram replied that he surely had. When the Judge asked him again whether he had anything to say, in front of a packed audience, Khudiram replied with the same smile that if he could be given some time, he could teach the Judge the skill of bomb-making.

Indian National Army – Origin and Rash Bihari Bose’s role

Rash Bihari Bose and Sachindranath Sanyal had set up secret societies in far-flung places like Delhi and Punjab. A young Rashbehari Bose fled from home twice to join the army. But, a martial race following the English army would not find a Bengali fit their boots! 

English remorse must have had no bounds for sure when they learnt this very young boy went ahead to establish an Army of his own in Japan- “The Indian National Army” that was handed over to Netaji in later years.

Rash Bihari Bose and Sachindranath Sanyal staged a bomb attack on Lord Hardinge – The Viceroy of India during his official entry to the office. And the extent to which Rash Behari Bose outwitted the British can be summarised from Lord Hardinge’s autobiography My Indian Years, in which he wrote:

“At Dehradun, when driving in a car from the station to my bungalow, I passed an Indian standing in front of the gate of his house with several others, all of whom were very demonstrative of their salaams. On my inquiry, I was told the principal Indian there had presided two days before at a public meeting at Dehra Dun and had proposed and carried a vote of condolence with me on account of the attack on my life. It was proved later that this identical Indian who threw the bomb at me!”

The Chittagong Armoury Raid

In 1930 Bengal witnessed by far one of the most daring raids – The Chittagong Armoury Raid. Master da Surya Sen was a teacher by profession and he led this mission under the banner of the “Indian Republican Army”. Kalpana Dutta and Pritilata Wadedar played pivotal roles in this mission.

Shanti Ghosh and Suniti Chanderi, 2 schoolgirls from Kumilla district shot dead the District Magistrate.

Conclusion

A century ago, Gokhale said about Bengalis, “What Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow.” It was a perfect description of Bengalis. From Science to literature and even patriotism, in every sphere of life, Bengal was at the forefront. The revolutionary fire that had spread across India had originated in Bengal. Bengali sons such as Subhas Chandra Bose, Aurobindo Ghosh, CR Das, Rashbehari Bose, Masterda Surja Sen and many others of that age were the Kingpins of the revolutionary movement. Kazi Nazrul’s revolutionary songs, Bankim Chandra’s anthem, “Bande Ma Taram,” and Tagore’s “Jana Gana Mana” all became songs not only of Bengal but of all India. A hundred years ago, a young saint from Bengal went to a rich and powerful Western world and spread the glory of Hinduism in the stronghold of Christianity. He won universal acclaim from the delegates of the Congress of religion.

Listen to O Go Ma Tomai Dekhey Dekhey by Dr. Ayan Samanta

In an era when the sun never set in the British Empire, Bengal’s patriotism and courage sent tremors down the mighty British Empire.

Today, when every Independence Day comes as naturally as the turns of a clock’s hands, we Indians should always remember that our freedom did not come for free; neither was a single movement or a single entity that served freedom in a platter. It is the result of a collaborated efforts over a period ranging from a versatile pool of strategies and ideologies!

Featured Image: Rinki Chatterjee Mukherjee

Image Courtesy: Rinki Chatterjee Mukherjee & Souptima Basu

Video Courtesy: Paramita Mukherjee & Ayan Samanta

Audio Courtesy: Ayan Samanta

Happy Independence Day

About Annoy Sarkar

Annoy Sarkar, a pure Bangali from his heart and with a dire fascination for good food is genuinely in love with Bengal and its culture.
He works with CG and is a caring father of an active toddler. During his free time, he enjoys reading, binge-watching, and helping society in his small ways.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this post are the personal views of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of KolkataFusion. Any omissions or errors are the author’s and KolkataFusion does not assume any liability or responsibility for them.

The post Role played by Bengal in the Indian Independence Movement (Part 3) – Rise of Political Awakening in Bengal appeared first on KolkataFusion.

ছবি সৌজন্যঃ সৌম্যালী বসু মল্লিক

Guest Artist

আমরা দুজন একটি গাঁয়ে থাকি

সেই আমাদের একটিমাত্র সুখ,

তাদের গাছে গায় যে দোয়েল পাখি

তাহার গানে আমার নাচে বুক।

তাহার দুটি পালন-করা ভেড়া

চরে বেড়ায় মোদের বটমূলে,

যদি ভাঙে আমার খেতের বেড়া

কোলের ‘পরে নিই তাহারে তুলে।

                                                         আমাদের এই গ্রামের নামটি খঞ্জনা,                                              আমাদের এই নদীর নাম অঞ্জনা,

আমার নাম তো জানে গাঁয়ের পাঁচ জনে–

আমাদের সেই তাহার নামটি রঞ্জনা।

দুইটি পাড়ায় বড়োই কাছাকাছি,

মাঝে শুধু একটি মাঠের ফাঁক–

তাদের বনের অনেক মধুমাছি

মোদের বনে বাঁধে মধুর চাক।

তাদের ঘাটে পূজার জবামালা

ভেসে আসে মোদের বাঁধা ঘাটে,

তাদের পাড়ার কুসুম-ফুলের ডালা

বেচতে আসে মোদের পাড়ার হাটে।

আমাদের এই গ্রামের নামটি খঞ্জনা,

আমাদের এই নদীর নাম অঞ্জনা,

আমার নাম তো জানে গাঁয়ের পাঁচ জনে–

আমাদের সেই তাহার নামটি রঞ্জনা।

 আমাদের এই গ্রামের গলি-’পরে

আমের বোলে ভরে আমের বন,

তাদের খেতে যখন তিসি ধরে

মোদের খেতে তখন ফোটে শণ।

তাদের ছাদে যখন ওঠে তারা

আমার ছাদে দখিন হাওয়া ছোটে।

তাদের বনে ঝরে শ্রাবণধারা,

আমার বনে কদম ফুটে ওঠে।

                                                         আমাদের এই গ্রামের নামটি খঞ্জনা,                                                আমাদের এই নদীর নাম অঞ্জনা,

আমার নাম তো জানে গাঁয়ের পাঁচ জনে–

আমাদের সেই তাহার নামটি রঞ্জনা।

 (ক্ষণিকা কাব্যগ্রন্থ থেকে)

About Soumyali Basu Mallick 

Soumyali is from a small village Sheakhala, district Hooghly, West Bengal. Currently studying in class 12, she finds joy in painting as it helps her express her feelings through different types of art. It appeals to her heart. So it is a medicine for the mind. She finds peace while drawing pictures. It is her favourite hobby. This kid cannot imagine a colourful life without painting. She gets her greatest inspiration from her mother, who always encourages her. She believes painting is a self-discovery and it is a way for her to show her creativity. Unlike many people believe painting requires a lot of devotion as well as practice. Pleasure glitters in her mind like a gem while painting.

The post এক গাঁয়ে appeared first on KolkataFusion.