“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.

Though there are plenty of resorts and hotels in the heart of the town, we chose the eco-stay homestay, Madol, which is some 15 minutes’ drive from the Visva Bharati, amidst lush green fields.

Where to stay in Shantiniketan?

Madol Eco Stay

Rooms

It has 2 family rooms on the ground floor and 1 dormitory on the first floor. Rooms are clean with basic amenities, attached toilets and balcony. The view from each balcony is not only soothing but also refreshing! The dinning area was our favourite, with wooden chairs and tables! The owner, Riddhiman Bajari also has a fascination for nurturing plants and thus his kitchen garden is a treat for the city-dwellers.

The lawn is perfect for evening gatherings and it is big enough to comfortably host 10 to 15 guests. In the severity of cold December-end, we were fortunate enough to enjoy a bonfire in the evening. This same place can be a great play area for the kids!

Parking is free – there’s a place where you can park your car, but discuss with the owner before travelling because parking more than two vehicles in the given area may be a challenge.

Food

Breakfast is complimentary and you can customize the food according to your taste. We travelled with our kid and stayed there for two days. And we never had any issue with our dinners (we mostly preferred having our lunch outside while touring the town). Our kid was served on time and precisely in the requested manner.

Quantity of food is more than sufficient and it also reflects the generosity of our villagers – to whom we are also guests and not a mere mode of earnings.

The taste of the served food is typically that of ghoroa bangali (Bengali homemade) food, which you can personalize depending whether your palates enjoy spicy or non-spicy food. One of the interesting food items that we had was Banspora Chicken (if it would have been mutton, the taste would surely have multiplied, but as we got late in placing the order, we missed it). This well marinated tender chicken stuffed inside hollowed bamboo poles and slowly cooked in charcoal oven is an the perfect item to savour while you sit beside the bonfire and listening to mollifying baul songs (Folk songs of Bengal).

Staff

Riddhiman, the owner, believes in attending his guests himself and with his knowledge and experience he’s not only helpful, but also a great guide. He’s accompanied by a young guy, who guards the property and also acts as the hands-on helper whenever anything needed. Both of them are amicable and attends guest wholeheartedly.

Their warmth is sure to make your stay more cherishable.

Who should go?

It’s not a brick-and-mortar hotel, so don’t expect any modern amenities – it’s absolutely for nature lovers, who want to spend some time with themselves and their loved ones.

Since it’s surrounded by villages and ponds, if you are travelling with kids, carry mosquito repellents.

Some other places to stay

La Sonajhuri

While visiting the Sonajhuri haat, we saw this resort and it looked pretty enticing from outside. Its near the location of the famous Sonajhuri haat, where you can enjoy the commotion during the day time as well as relax in the silence of the evenings. Among some of the other resorts, La Sonajhure was a well recommended place, but as we wanted secluded resort, we had opted for Madol. We plan to stay here the next time we visit.

Tripadvisor rating: 4.5/5

Ram-Shyam Village Resort

Another quite well-know resort, in Sonajhuri, located very close to the “sanibarer haat,” this place is full of life. Evenings are a seamless blend of series of Baul programmes, finger licking snacks and hot mugs of tea/coffee. Though the cost of food is a bit on the higher side, they serve delicious meals, with loads of ghee and in the perfect village ambiance.

Tripadvisor rating: 3.5/5

Where to eat?

Kasahara – The Café located inside the campus of Visva Bharati, it reflects the vibrant culture of the university. Though the food wasn’t anything great, but it’s a must visit for the ambience and the nostalgia of college days.

Purba Pally Guest House – In a typical set-up of Government guest houses, this restaurant serves delicious food at the most reasonable price you can imagine. They have both veg and non-veg thalis, which come with Daal, Bhaat, Bhaja, Shaak er Ghonto, Papad, Chatni, Doi, Mishti, and Torkari (for Veg Thali) or Fish/Chicken/Mutton for Non-Veg thalis.

Out trip was only two days, so we couldn’t go around and check all the other eateries. With the help of a dear friend (and relative), who have been a regular visitor of Shantiniketan during his college days, we bring for you some other eateries of Shantiniketan. He is also an ardent foodie, and aims to pen down his affairs with street food someday.

The following places are his suggestions, and I can vouch on his words!

A lunch in SHILPA with Mutton curry and Rice, a serving of crispy potato fry and white jholjhole (soupy) alu posto. Located in front of Bolpur Super market, finding it out won’t be a challenge for you.

Kharimati – A garden converted into an open restaurant. Ultimate fusion of aristocracy with Bengali Gram er flavour – enjoy delicious meals served on kansar thala (utensils made of Bell Metal).

German and SURMAN dhaba – Once upon a time it was the go-to place of college goers. This place also used to serve liquor in the perfect dhaba set-up and was absolutely safe. Though liquor isn’t served here as it used to be, but it’s machchur, and chicken tarka with handmade voluptuous chapatis still tastes as lip-smacking as ever.

We also recommend Chicken Dosa as one of the must try street food of Ratan Pally.

Are you an Egg lover?

Half boiled, full boiled poultry and duck eggs topped with pinch-full black pepper and black salt served half egg shell intact but can be loosened with a spin of spoon underneath. You can taste it near Chitra Cinema Hall.

Ghare Baire – One of the well-known restaurants in Shantiniketan that serves authentic Bengali food, is located next to a Government run cinema hall. It has a clean and soothing ambience with amicable staff ready to help you out. But the prices are on the higher side.

Disclaimer: COVID-19 has changed the way we travel. While most of these resorts are fully functional and takes care of the hygiene, it’s our responsibility to abide by the new travel norms and keep ourselves safe.

To know about Shantiniketan, the best time to visit and the festivals, read our post Weekend Destination Near Kolkata – Shantiniketan

The post Shantiniketan Resorts and Food Joints appeared first on KolkataFusion.

Approximately 163 kms from Kolkata lies this small town, Shantiniketan – an ideal place to revive and rejuvenate your soul. The land of bauls, the land of art and culture, the dream place of Rabindra Nath Tagore, Shantiniketan, is now also a great weekend destination and attracts tourists from all over the world.

History

In 1863, when Maharshi Debendranath Tagore founded the Brahmo Samaj, he had a guest house on this land of red soil named as Shantiniketan. The story goes such that while on a boat ride from Raipur, this learned man chanced upon a small village called Bhubhandanga, named after Bhubhan Dakat, a local dacoit, and he fell in love with it. He decided to buy a piece of land there and built a meditation center, which later became the initiator of Brahmo Samaj.

Viswa- Bharati – communion of the world with India

Later on, in 1901, his son, Rabindra Nath Tagore, converted his father’s ashram in to a school, in the lines of the Asian Gurukul system. And with this he laid the foundation stone of our renowned institute Visva- Bharati – as Tagore had said, a place “Where The World Makes A Home In A Nest.” A school which started with a handful of students is now an internationally accredited university that offers wide range of courses starting from regular graduation courses to specializations in different genres.

But, Shantiniketan hosts lot more than the university! The wealth of information housed within the Rabindra Bhavan is a treasure trove to dive in and can entice any living soul. It remains closed on Wednesdays. And the complex also has an art gallery that treasures many of Tagore’s work. To take a tour of Tagore’s houses – Punascha, Shyamali, Konarka, Udichi and Udayana, visit the Uttrayan Complex  – a Tagore lover is sure to die for it.

Let’s now move out of the University and look at another game changer – Amar Kutir.

Amar Kutir – my cottage

Yes! That Amar Kutir which supports the locals now andshowcases various handicrafts and has a stock of over 1300 regional handicraft products; that Amar Kutir which is a must-go place for a shopaholic, and that Amar Kutir where you can see artisans giving shape to the raw products, had played a significant role in our Independence. Set up by Late Susen Mukherjee, Amar Kutir, meaning my cottage, was a place where Indian independence activists took refuge. It is a half an hour’s drive from the university and you will easily get local transports to this place.    

Susen Mukherjee, the follower of Ramakrishna Vedanta Culture, had found that his purpose in life was “to free yourself from the bondage of foreign rule”. He had been allied with many spearhead leaders of the freedom movement, and has been greatly motivated by their visions. He wanted to build a remote, human inhabitant free haven for the fugitives, preferably in the midst of woods to dupe cudgels and piercing eyes of the alert British Police. It was to help the youths involved in freedom movements earn their livings for themselves and their families. They could work on sari printing, handloom and leather craft production. Mr. Mukherjee was a hitherto wanderer, and through his rigorous travelling, he met different people, learnt new techniques of waxing, cracking and printing.

It is said that this place has once been home to notable Moni Ganguly and Pannalal Dasgupta, whom Mr. Mukherjee had met in prison. His dream vision was on halt from 1932 to 1937 – during his imprisonment. However, on returning they started with a new zeal and with the help of notable freedom fighters, they also imparted knowledge on Marxism.

Two brothers, Kamalaksha Bose and Alok Bose, are the heirs of the nearly 100 acre land and are running the organisation with utmost love and dedication making it the only place in India to specialise in creating leather Batik objects, the motifs on them inspired by the Bengal school of Art and Ajanta cave paintings.

How to reach Shantiniketan

Shantiniketan, a neighborhood city of Bolpur is in the Birbhum district. Though you can go by road, the most convenient transport is train.

Train – Find the list of trains available – Indian Rail. It takes around 2-3 hours to reach by train.

Road – You can go by your own vehicle, the route is pretty simple with a comfortable drive via NH2 till Burdwan. From here, once you take the NH2B, the roads are a bit congested, but only until you leave the Burdwan town (50 m approximately). Some 15 kms from the main road, the smell of Bengal’s villages is sure to hit your nose. With lush green paddy fields, palm trees, and small ponds every here and there, it’s usually a relaxing drive till Shantiniketan. The road crosses a few villages, and thus at times making the drive cumbersome. It takes around 4 to 5 hours to reach by personal vehicle.

Another weekend within a few hours distance from Kolkata is on the banks of Rupnarayan River

Best time for a weekend trip to Shantiniketan

The best times to to visit is July to February.

However, you can also visit during the different festivals

• Vasanta Utsav – Rabindra Nath Tagore named Dol as Vasanta Utsav to welcome the onset of Spring, is celebrated in the month of March. This national festival of India, is known as Holi in most of the parts of our country. But dol in Shantiniketan has a different charm. There was time when all the colors used to be handmade from the flowers – it used to be what we term as organic today! A number of dance performances and cultural programs are staged by the students during this time of the year.
• Rabindra Jayanti – another time when you can witness the rich culture of the town is the birthday of Kobiguru Rabindranth Tagore (in May)– to commemorate him, students perform cultural programs like poetry, dance and drama, written and composed by him.
• Poush Mela – One of the biggest attractions of Shantiniketan is the Poush mela which pays a homage to the day when Devendranath Tagore With Twenty Followers Accepted The Brahmo Creed From Ram Chandra Vidyabagish On 21 December 1843 (7 Poush 1250 According To The Bengali Calendar). Though the fair is officially for three days, it starts from December end and lasts till end of January. Besides finding rich work of art, you can also enjoy live baul performances.

Sources: SiliconIndia, Wikiwand, Amar Kutir brochure

For an escape to the hills, know about Darjeeling.

Coming up… Where To Stay and What To Do

The post Weekend Destination Near Kolkata – Shantiniketan appeared first on KolkataFusion.