Gone are the days…

In response to WordPress’s Daily prompt Gone of 3rd. Jan 2017, a simple poem of mine is shared with you!

 

Tagore and Kadambari Devi

Rabindra Nath Tagore at young age
Kadambari Devi

The mystery that surrounds Tagore’s relationship with his sister-in-law Kadambari Devi has attracted biographers as well as researchers over the years. I was too curious knowing that she committed suicide after the marriage of Tagore with Mrinalini Devi. Curiosity lead me to go through articles here and there and added those pieces together to understand their relationship and the circumstantial facts behind her suicide.

Kadambari Devi was wife of Jyotirindranath Tagore, the elder brother of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. She was married to Jyotirindranath Tagore, on 5 July 1868 at the age of 9 years. Then Rabindranath was 7 years old. They were almost of the similar age group. When Kadambari came to in-laws house, Rabi being similar in age, became her playmate and companion. Tagore’s Biographer Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay has written- “He had been her playmate and companion ever since her marriage.” They grew up to adolescent and then to their youth.

Jyotirindranath was a multi-talented personality having interests in theatre, paintings, translation and editing, music and also in business ventures. While staying in Ahmedabad (1867), with his elder brother Satyendranath Tagore, he learnt sitar and painting, picked up French and Marathi and he translated many books, mainly dramas, from different languages into Bengali. He also having some family businesses which were looked after by him. He ventured new business of shipping in Khulna (now in Bangladesh). There was stiff competition in the business and he incurred heavy loss due to competition and finally he opted out of that business in 1889. He served as secretary of the Adi Brahmo Samaj from 1869 to 1888.

Jyotirindranath was a open minded person. He supported the cause of education of women those days and he arranged for his wife Kadambari’s education. He not only arranged for her education, but also taught her horse-riding in the public grounds of Kolkata, defying the conservative society of those days. Later Tagore wrote in his childhood memory that Jyoti dada and Bouthan (sis-in law) used to take horse rides to Eden Garden through the Chitpur.

With this background of Jyotirindranath, it is understood that he hardly could spare any time for Kadambari. It is understood that she was a neglected and lonely lady.

At the age of 22 years, Tagore was suddenly and unexpectedly married (As per Biographer Mukhopadhyay, Tagore’s marriage at the end of 1883 had been “sudden and unexpected.”) to Bhabatarini Devi of 11 years age on 09 Dec 1883. She was renamed as Mrinalini by Tagore. After 4 months and 10 days of his marriage, on 19^th April 1884, Kadambari committed suicide. The family might know the reason of suicide but it was suppressed and never made public.

Kadambari Devi’s death was profoundly felt by Tagore which  can be established through his own words. Much later, in 1917 Tagore said in a letter to Amiya Chakravarty : “Once, when I was about your age, I suffered a devastating sorrow, similar to yours now. A very close relative of mine committed suicide, and she had been my life’s total support, right from childhood onward. And so with her unexpected death it was as if the earth itself receded from beneath my feet, as though the skies above me all went dark. My universe turned empty, my zest for life departed.” Tagore was moved by the unexpected and sudden death of Kadambari Devi. He lost his companion, friend and what not because she was his total support for life as told in his above letter. There are number of poems that speak to or about the deceased Kadambari Devi. After 4 years of Kadambari’s death Tagore wrote a poem which is a well known Rabindrasangeet “Tobu Mone Rekho…”. This was written in her memory being in her place as if she is telling him –  ”Yet, do remember, if I move far from here, Yet, do remember. If the old love is smothered by a love’s new snare” and so on.

Marie Seton, in her book  “Portrait of a Director : Satyajit Ray” (1971) ,is all about Ray’s research on Tagore before his translation the “Nashtaneer” story into a film named “Charulata”. It was established that the story of “Nashtaneer” was written by Tagore keeping Kadambari in mind. It’s the story of Kadambari Devi, Her husband Jyotirindranath and himself. In this book Marie Seton at one place adds parenthetically that Bengal believed the sister-in-law “committed suicide following ‘Rabi’s marriage.”

Kadambari Devi never wanted Rabi to Marry and thats why she, once said, when she was told to search a bride for Rabi, that she did not get any bride for Rabi in Jessore (now in Bangladesh). But perhaps due to some unknown reason Tagore’s marriage was suddenly arranged by senior members of the family. Kadambari then secretly tried to stop it. Here we can understand her position, she did not want this marriage to happen but she was not in a position to oppose it openly or strongly which only indicate a doubtful relationship of her with Rabi. So she secretly tried to stop it but she could not. Finally Tagore was married to Bhabatarini Devi on 09 Dec 1883 and Kadambari committed suicide on 19^th April 1884, after four months and 10 days of Tagore’s marriage.

After Tagore’s marriage, what was Kadambari’s feeling, her sufferings which led her to suicide, we don’t know. She has never scribbled anywhere. But analyzing the events it can be concluded that she did not approve the marriage because she by heart did not want her brother-in-law Rabi to marry Bhabatarini and she even tried to stop it. The way she ended her life after 4 months of the marriage, it was not the question of her wanting of the marriage, there was something more which we do not know but we have to take help of some imagination by joining pieces of events.  The marriage separated or distanced them from each other, there was no doubt in it. Rabi, the most dearer and nearer, her companion her playmate since childhood was no more with her and all of a sudden she lost all her un-written rights on Rabi which she gained over the years. All this she could not tolerate in her mind. All trouble because of Bhabatarini but nothing could be done to her.

Secondly, it is also said that she was a neglected (by husband) and lonely lady. She was also issueless. In this situation, there was nobody near her other than Rabi to be  her companion in her youth too. That Rabi too was no more her companion after his marriage. We know Tagore gave her a nickname “Hecate” the name of a Greek Goddess, linked to moon but also to witchcraft and magic. It shows that they were enjoying the teasing relationship which normally exists in this relation with sister-in-laws. This relation is a beautiful one which we can find it in Bengal and some other places of India. In this relation, there always be affection towards brother-in-law (husband’s younger brother). Society never minds with this type of relationship, and they are allowed to mix freely in the family. But at the same time it may turns to be dangerous too.  This relationship might evolve out of affection into love by crossing the fine line of the “affection”. This what happened to Charu in the film “Charulata” (Directed by : Satyajit Ray) which is the story of Tagore himself, his sister-in law Kadambari and her husband. So it can be concluded that love blossomed in them and they were having a play tonic love.  It was a natural thing to evolve love because she was lonely and starved for companionship. When Tagore got married to Bhabatarini Devi, she might felt deserted again and she lost her companion forever to a much younger woman. She might have thought of not to die by inches but to die forever because there was no solution in sight to her problem which led her to the extreme step.

 Read the Bengali version (বাংলায় পড়ুন)

 

Jaane tu ya jaane na – Review

After quite a long time, I have seen a cool and entertaining film. Aamir khan, as producer of the film, tasted the success once again. “Jane Tu Ya Jaane Na” is an enjoyable film. This film is directed by director Abbas Tyrewala and we can give him full marks for this film.

“Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na” is a simple, sweet, teen-comedy film. It is a film of a group of college kids. In the group, Jai Singh Rathore (Imran Khan) and Aditi (Genelia D’souza) are the central characters of that college gang in focus. In a nutshell, story of the film revolves around two very close friends (Jai and Aditi) who can do anything for each other but fail to find lover in each other. But finally the film traces the journey of Jai and Aditi discovering that their friendship has turned into love and they’re actually in love.

The film has focused the life style of young generation of today. People will also love funny names of the characters like Rats (Jai) and Meow (Aditi, loves cats that’s why Meow). Genelia D’souza (Aditi alias Meow), the next-door cute girl, steals the whole show in the film. The actress is a real live-wire of the film and with her beautiful eyes, very clearly conveys those annoying feelings of jealousy, confusion, irritability and fake happiness without any problem.

The end is no surprise, but the way it arrived, that makes “JaaneTu ya jaane na” such a refreshing, enjoyable movie. The characters are real, believable and endearing. Supporting actor Naseeruddin Shah, as Jai’s dead Rajput father who speaks from his portrait on the wall, has done his job magnificently.

It’s a film of young generation of today but free from sex and violence. Its a clean, cool and entertaining film based on relationship of two  college friends which can be enjoyed with family members of all ages.

Picture courtesy : msn.co.in

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Essence of Love

“Love is something eternal, the aspect may change, but not the essence. Perhaps it will seem to you that the sunshine is brighter and that everything has a new charm. At least, I believe this is always the result of a deep love, and it is a beautiful thing. And I believe people who think love prevents one from thinking clearly are wrong; for then one thinks very clearly and is more active than before. And love is something eternal – the aspect may change, but not the essence. There is the same difference in a person before and after he is in love as there is in an unlighted lamp and one that is burning. The lamp was there and it was a good lamp, but now it is shedding light too, and that is its real function. And love makes one calmer about many things, and in that way, one is more fit for one’s work.”

~Vincent van Gogh

The Radha-Krishna amour is a love legend of all times. It’s indeed hard to miss the many legends and paintings illustrating Krishna’s love affairs, of which the Radha-Krishna affair is the most memorable. Krishna’s relationship with Radha, his favorite among the ‘gopis’ (cow-herding maidens), has served as a model for male and female love in a variety of art forms. Krishna’s youthful dalliances with the ‘gopis’ are interpreted as symbolic of the loving interplay between God and the human soul. Radha’s utterly rapturous love for Krishna and their relationship is often interpreted as the quest for union with the divine.                  (Courtesy : Hinduism.about.com)

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Thinking of you

Thinking of you

Its raining early morning in a summer day,

Sitting idle at home in the mood of a holiday.

In this cloudy rainy day, I am alone at home,

My mind thinking of you, it is in the roam.

Mind floating with the clouds, memories in queue,

Sitting alone, drowned in the memories of you.

My mind not with me, in these moments of dull,

My heart desires to meet, waiting for your call.

No sight of stopping, continues rain with wind,

Enjoying the fragrance of yours in my mind.

Thinking of you every moment having no limit,

When will you arrive, when shall we meet ?

~~~~~  By : Anil  ||  05 Jun 2008  ~~~~~

 

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My beautiful Kausani : a poem

I met her at Kausani in an evening dusky and rainy,

She attracted me, as if known for years many.

Welcome me raising her large eyes to my face,

Our four eyes met and made everything in mess.

She expressed her happiness on her bright face.

In the breezy evening my heart was in a brisk pace.

Her room was in a corner on the same floor of mine,

We shared the balcony to view the peaks and pine.

Our eyes were meeting while watching the peaks few,

I was gazing her beauty with the nature that she knew.

In windy weather, hairs were out of control of hers,

She put her shawl down, raised her arms to knot the hairs.

I found her slim body turned to a great posture,

Raising her “peaks”, beautiful and inviting,

she appeared to be, to me a beautiful painting,

She looked at me, I mutely thanked for her gesture.

After rain and wind, calmness prevailed in the mountains,

We were alone but unable to come closure, suffered the pains.

At last she looked at me and stepped to the terrace,

Wanted me to follow her to be with me face to face.

She smiled at me and hinted me to follow,

She took me to the clouds in the valley below.

While walking with her on the clouds under the sky,

I told her I had seen you somewhere, don’t be shy.

Tell me your name my dear lady, if I am right,

With smile, large and black eyes she was bright.

She said I am Kausani, don’t you know my dear?

She smiled and wanted my name to hear.

Suddenly my dream ended due to bang of sound,

I discovered myself in my bed but she was never found.

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About Kausani & the poem : During my visit to Kausani I was astonished by the beauty of the hill station. Not only the beauty, a heavenly calm prevails there which inspire to think about the vastness and beautiful creation of the God. The climate of the place changes frequently and clouds comes down to the valley at a lower level. The beautiful natural beauty, calmness, clouds and Himalyan peaks standing tall at the horizon inspired me to bring out the poet in me to compose the above poem.

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