P Ganguly
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]wo dates Baisakh 25 and Shravan 22 corresponding to May 8 and August7 are dear to many in the country and abroad – DOB of Robi Thakur (British Tagore) –the eighth child of Maharshi, an active member of Brahmo Samaj which was a synthesis of Roman Catholic and Vedic Hinduism and the date of his demise. He by all accounts was the greatest poet of all times. A versatile genius who left his impression in many fields but in poetry he excelled. The admirers observe the two dates from their hearts.
Volumes have been written during his lifetime and after his death. All said and done, some could be still added to explain his philosophy of life – some outstanding events and some not. Bengali (like Gorkhali) is an offshoot of sweet Maithili. Mithila is in Bihar. Today’s Bihar is a poor reflection of its ancient glory so is its Darbhanga where Maithili is spoken. The oldest epic Ramayan mentions that Ram’s wife was Mithila princess. Many renowned writers down the ages composed in the language and the greater part of the rich Vaishnav literature belonged to same. Robi too began in his boyhood ‘tuhu nahi bisoribi, tuhu nahi chodobi, Radha- hriday tu kobohu na todobi’ (ne’er you’ll forget, ne’er you’ll leave, ne’er you’ll break Radha’s heart). He started writing from the age of 8 and it ended at 80. He was inspired by his elder brother’s wife who belonged to aristocracy, passed many years at London with her ICS husband, wore breeches to ride huge Australian horses like English ladies and stepped upon conservative contemporary social norms at every step drawing adverse criticism and finally committed suicide – she did not have an issue and liked the child poet. A woman is blamed for being barren. Robi reciprocated her affection in an almost suffocating atmosphere of glamour, success, wealth and so on. A creative mind searches for inspiration. Ancient Hindu writings mention that Anand or pure joy (of creation) is behind creation of all living organisms including the Universe. He was considered as unworldly and impractical by his seniors so justly banished to Tagore Estate in East Bengal where the beauty of Nature influenced his writings. At her residence next to Indian Museum where the later Shillong based Verrier Ellwyn worked in Anthropological Survey for his interest in the subject on arrival at Calcutta on Sudder (sadar) street he penned a famous poem ‘ Aji a prabhate Robir kar’( Sunrays this morning) – the majestic sunrise overwhelmed him emotionally. On way to London for study during his brief waiting period at Bombay for ship he was intimate with a Gujarati girl. Women are fond of poets and he was handsome. Lord Byron lost half a leg during Boer War – it is on record that Her Majesty the Queen Empress stealthily reached Buckingham palace balcony to have a glimpse whenever the poet was around on the street. Byron was extremely good looking. InTagore’s words “God alone did not create you woman ---- half a woman half (male) imagination.” Though Robi was quite fair by Bengali standard his mother found him dark complexioned. They were Banerjee originally North Indian migrant Brahmins however locally in their village (now BD) they were known as Pir –Ali\Brahmins because they would entertain a Mohammedan Saint (Pir) with home cooked food. They had little to do with Hindu myths and idols. Tagore learnt the Vedas by heart from his father.
He was unashamedly fond of eating different recipes at home. Mrinalini Debi, the daughter of his revenue collector at Shilaidaha (EB) estate was an expert cook. Tagore married her. Bengali dishes are not marketed but those are really different. EB women know numerous combinations which are simple and without meat. Veg and fish occupy prominent position. After all he was male of the species and a stomach does respond.”From the depth of poet’s mind” (Nimantran i.e. Invitation) meant his wife’s cookery skill.
In 1905 Lord Curzon divided Bengal. Surendra Nath (British Surrender Not) was told by him “It’s a settled fact” – pat came the reply “We’ll unsettle it”. Tagore took to streets to organise the masses. The country backed the movement. Mahamati Gokhale was in the fore front. Thus Ekla Chalo was born. In 1913 he was awarded Nobel in Literature. He was the first non-European to receive it. Knighthood was bestowed in 1916 but he refused it citing Jallianwala massacre in which Gen O’Dyer opened fire on innocent people inside an enclosure. The poet mentioned that the extended hand was soaked in blood. He added that Anglo- Saxon civilisation should not be a curse on others. Once (1931) he asked God “those who poisoned your air, extinguished your light did you forgive them, did you love them?” He again wrote “he who does injustice and who he tolerates it” the Divine curse might burn them equally. 30 crores of spineless Indians suffered under the boots of once “naked islanders”.
Tagore was close to the cultured Debbarma royals of Tripura. Many do not know that their rule extended deep inside modern Bangladesh. They blame Bengalis sitting on the heads of tribals as illegal immigrants. Assam and Sikkim were inundated with IBI and Nepali respectively due to their laziness and negligence. Not so with Agartala – the refugees were royal subjects who crossed the border in those turbulent days and indeed the tribals helped them. Thus Dharmanagar is Sylhet extension, Agartala capital Comilla (Kumilla) and Sabroom Chittagong. Ultimately the simple rural folks were decimated and brute majority dictates democracy. Late Dasrath Debbarma the legendary revolutionary wept at NE coordination meet after 1980 riot and said “We volunteers worked round the clock on the border. We lit fire to scare the animals and provide warmth. We cooked food for our Bengali brethren and now the riots.”(Chairperson was eminent Assamese writer Nirmala Basumatari 1980 – the author and his Naga family resembling Debbarma faced music then in Tripura). The Royals were urban, Bengali speaking elites. Tagore wrote dramas on them. He loved Shillong and many of his compositions (Brookside Laban) were done there like “Sesh-er Kobita” where the male voice concludes “don’t mourn my fate, I‘ve got the world around me.” The journey was through Bangladesh and not cumbersome. Naga then was unknown outside – Assam called them Noga (hill people) which became Naga for others. Tagore left a century before Naga stressed on their identity.
Mrinalini Debi with two of her kids died in an epidemic (1902). He lost his favourite son named Shami and the will to write. Then his well wishers introduced him to the then (Empire) popular Planchet Box – he talked with Shami (through Medium Sheet) and steadily recovered. He found that nothing really changed in Calcutta, Santiniketan, Buenos Aires, Stuttgart, Bangalore, Chandernagore, Rampur or Moscow.
Communist activities began in British India after setting up of a centre at Tashkent (1930) for its Asia chapter. The oppressed colonies were targeted. Many Indians in London tried their hand in India. Communism was projected as a panacea for all evils. Naturally a few local followers criticised the poet describing him as bourgeois, reactionary, capitalist and rich. Tagore was surprised. He did a lot of charitable work in his estate. Not only that, he gave common man’s welfare priority. He wrote “I’m dedicated to the world” and “ let my name earn fame, as one of your own, nothing more – this is my final introduction”. Tagore did not deserve their ugly criticism. A noted communist leader in Bengal claimed himself to be “a communist and not a gentleman”. Das Capital does not define as such.
After a prostate surgery which was reportedly opposed by Dr BC Roy, the famous physician (later CM WB) he was mostly confined to bed at his JoraSanko (means a pair of bridges) residence where today Rabindra Bharati University is partly housed and dictated his last poem on July 30 1941. On his death Calcutta observed A-randhan (no cooking) which was introduced by the poet himself during 1905 movement to free the ladies (kitchen bound) take to roads. Eye witness accounts mention that it was a sea of mourners from Jorasanko to Neemtola burning ghat on the Ganges. Robi (means Sun) went below the horizon, the twilight continues to date.
Lastly a menu should `end with a sweet dish (Sanskrit: Modhurena samapayet) “Kerosene flame said to Earthen lamp – if you’d call me ‘brother’ I’ll strangle you. Then Moon rose in the sky. Kerosene flame said – Come my elder brother” (Relationship). It needs no explanation. Life’s like that.
