Creativity of Rabindranath (1894-95)

The sad Suicidal death of Kadambari  completed its tenth year in the Baishakh of this year [1894]. The role of this lady in  the life of Rabindranath is tremendous. After her death Jyotirindranath left living  Jorasanko for ever. As a result Rabindranath could occupy the room in the 2nd floor full of memory of Kadambari.

On 1st Baishakh [13th April] Rabindranath wrote a poem 'Nababarshe' published in Sadhana, Baishakh issue. After this  he wrote two poems Dusamay, Mritur Pare. both are written in Jorasanko.
In the manuscript of Sonar -Chitra it is written on the top of the poem Dusamay, "Late, Late,too late, thou canst not enter now" The lines are mixed with the memories of Kadambari.. In the manuscript of Mrityur Pare the title of the poem was Santi. Both the poems are full of pathetic memories of Kadambari Debi.

The tune of the song 'ohe jibana ballaba, ohe sadhanadurlava' written on 20th April 

is of Kirtan tune.This is to be noted that it is an attempt to make his mind peaceful.
A few days ago [30th March 1894] Rabindranath wrote Indira Debi a letter, "Where the heart breaks with a deep sorrow a source of consolation arises from that place.all the groups of patience begins to work its own work - then the power of tolerance increases by glory of sadness."
Before completion of his personal grief `he had to participate in national bereavement at the death of Bankim Chandra on 26 Chaitra 1300 [1893]. A condolence meeting was arranged in Star Theater on 16 Baisakh [28 April] organised by Chaitanya Library and Beadon Square Literary Club under the president ship of Dr. Gurudas Bandyopadhyay. About 1500 persons were present on the occasion. among others rabindranath delivered a lecture.

"Baro Bismay Lage.."

"Sundara Hridiranjana tumi"

After one month of writing "Mrityur Pare" Rabindranath wrote another poem,

Aji hote sabe daya kore

Bhule jao, ghre jao chale

Kario na more aparadhi

Majhkhane thamilam bale.

Ami chahi aji rajanite

Nirab nirjan,

Bhumitale ghumaye parite

Stabdha achetan.

It seems that as if this is spoken from the mouth of Kadambari Debi. 

After a few days flow of music appeared from the mouth of Rabindranath. 

He wrote many songs

1. Baro bismay lage heri tomare,

2. sundara hridiranjana tumi

2nd edition of raja o Rani was published.

After  few days Rabindranath wrote Pramatha Choudhry in Oxford,

"I send you 1st edition of my Short Stories, and 2nd edition of Raja O Rani....." 

Application of harmony in song is one of the important incident of Rabindranath. 

"Path hara tumi pathik jena go" included in and published in Sadhana, Asharh issue   was tuned by Jyotirindranath with a new fashion. He gave the Bengali version of "harmony" as "mishramil". This created an enthusiasm in Tagore-family. Sarala Debi has given the music notation of the song " sakatare oi kandiche sakale" written by Rabindranath. She gave Bengali form of harmony as "swara-milan". 

Biharilal Chakrabarty, Kabyaguru of Rabindranath , died on 24th May 1894 at the age of sixty.After the death of Bankimchandra Rabindranath wrote an essay on him. After the death of Biharilal Chakrabarty he also wrote an essay on him . Bhudev Mukhopadhyay was also an eminent Bengali. But Rabindranath did not write any essay on him. The issue was raised at the meeting of Prof. Bipin Behari Gupta with Rabindranath on 28th Sept 1894. At the query of Bipin behari Babu Rabindranath gave an word to write a similar essay on him. But that did not materialized.

Probably Rabindranath went to Silaidah on 21 June,1894.He wrote Pramatha Choudhury a few days ago i.e. 16June. " I am starting for Silaidah immediately.I had to pass alone in boat in this rainy season.Some books and a few Khatas will accompany me.. "

He wrote Indira Debi  on 24th june, " I have come here just four days ago. I think that I have come here for  long time ........"

26th Jun describing the river on rainy season [for cutting paddy, the cultivators wearing Toka and covering their body with clothes made of jute are crossing the river, reminds us the comments of Dwijendranath on Sonar Tari] he wrote , " Since I don't have any work at present I ,looking at the river,  was singing in a low voice a classical tune mixed with Bhairabi,Todi and Ramkeli a morning tune. ..." 

Last year in the month of Asharh Rabindranath wrote a letter to his wife, " there is no expenses in writing poems if we do not want to print it. He had to  borrow money this year for printing books.I received a letter from the house of Dickince along with a reminder.Again I have to approach to Satya. I had loan of Rs 900/- from him. After returning to Kokata he rrepaid Rs.  293/-. 

While living alone in Silaidah Rabindranath gradually became confined in solitude permanently.But he became restless when some guests came to his place.

Rabindranath wrote , "Alas, the demise of your French gave me a rude shock. An honest, poor fellow died in a foreign country."He was a Swidish named Karl Erich Hammergrain His cremation  was done   in Nimtolla in Hindu rituals.

The Statesman published the news on 5th July 1894;

 Cremation of an European by Hindus

For the first time in the history of Calcutta , it is believed , a European has been cremated at Nimtolla-ghat , in the Hindoo fashion. On Tuesday , the Brahmos consigned to the flames , according to Brahmo rites , the body of the Karl Hammergren , a Swedish gentleman , and a  member of their body .the deceased came out to this country. in july last , to study more closely the history and and principles of the Brahmo Samaj, which he had joined in Sweden. he was a highly educated man , a master of many languages and was becoming eminently useful to his church by infusing into it a spirit of high culture. He was cremated at his own wish.."

It is known from The Indian Messenger on 7th July his Shraddha Ceremony was performed in Dr. Mohinimohan Basu's house at 61/1 Rajabazar Street.Dr. Basu donated Rs. 100/- to the foundation of  Rammoan Library . 

Hammergren received Nobel Prize after may days. Rabindranath talks of him at his lecture delivered in Sock Home on 24th May 1921. 

While going to Sajadpur on 7th July 1894 through Ichamati Rabindranath read translated form of The Jew by Josef Igancy kraszewski [ transl

ated by L.Kowalewska, 1893].

At this time he read another foreign book.That is a book, Eyes like sea[ translated by R. Nisbet Bain] written by a Hungarian writer Maurus Jokai, 1825-1904

4th Asharh Rabindranath was elected as a Vice-President of Bangiya Sahitya Parishad. He first  took his responsibility of the Parishad at the third Monthly  Meeting of bangiya Sahitya Parished at the house of Benoy Krishna Deb at Grey Street at 5 p,m. A discussion was held after reading a letter written by Rajani Kanta Gupta  on Bengali form of different foreign  words. A committee of the following persons  Krishnakamal Bhattacharya (President of the committee, Rabindranath, Ramendra Sundar Tribedi,Sharada Ranjan Roy, Gurudas Badyopadhyay, Bipin Behari Gupta, Rajani Kanta Gupta and Debendranath Mukhopadhyay (secretary of the committee. )

Pravat Kumar Mukhopadhyay wrote, "Khsmkheyali Sava" sits occasionally in the house of Jorasanko. ... After the proposal of Rabindranath a club namely "Kheali Sava" was formed. .. Rabindranath wrote the invitation letter on a slate. A sample of  the letter is mentioned here - This Sava was clled on 13th Shraban, Saturday (28th July 1894.)

In Shraban 1301 issue of Sadhana the following articles were published,

1. Raja O Praja

2. Sahityer Gaurav,

3. Bideshiya Atithi Ebng Deshuya Atithi,

4. Anadhikaar Prabesh.

Raja O Praja is  a political essay. Civiliyan Radice tortured a Zamindar of Orissa violating the laws. Lt. Governor Macdonald downgraded his status for one yesar. Rabindranath wrote an essay following this incident.

Having reached Calcutta Rabindranath joined the 4th monthly meeting of Bangiya Sahitya Parishad held on 26 Aug, 1894. In the last meeting Dramatist Manmohan Basu proposed " As in the case of Sanskrit , Bengali should be introduced as a subject  in University."   

Rabindranath returned to Kolkata on 29th Sept from his zamindary. At this time a criticism of short stories of Rabindranath done by Jadunath Sarkar in a  bi-lingual magazine , Surhid. His criticism "The new Leaven in Bengal " came to the notice of Rabindranath  He sent the criticism to Indira Debi and wrote , "The man has some originality in his false statement. He says ill of my poetry and picks up my short stories to the high above. On the other hand there are persons who thinks in the opposite direction. Sitting in the middle of the situation I am waiting astonishingly . ..."

Rabindranath read an essay, titled "Meyeli Chara" in the evening at 37th session of Chaitanya Library and  Beadon square Literary Club held at Minerva Theater under the chairmanship of Gurudas Bandyopadhyay.

The statement was published in "The Indian Mirror" on 3rd Oct.

"Meyeli Chara" was published in Sadhana in Ashwin-Kartick issue. 

Creativity of Rabindranath (1893-94)

Indira Debi was at Agra with her parents enroute Simla.Rabindranath sent her a poem "Samudrer Prati" on 16 April and wrote, " when you will be reading this  poem, resting in the hotel of Agra it will be difficult to assume how you will appreciate  this. ..."
After a few days 2nd edition of his collection of "ganer bahi O Balmiki Prativa" was published on 8 Baishakh [20 April]. His collection of songs was first published as Rabichchaya in Baishakh 1292.

Bharati and Balak waas renamed as Bharati from Baishakh 1300. In this issue 4 songs of Rabindranath taken from 2nd scene of "Mahila shilpamalay Abhinita" Bibaha Utsab. 
2nd edition of "Manasi" kabyagrantha was published on 14 june 1893. When 1st edition of Manasi was published, Debaprasanna Roychoudhury wrote a fine criticism of the Kbyagrantha. After 2nd edition being published two wonderful criticisms were published. The first one was published in Sahitya patrika , Priya nath Basu, an intimate friend of Rabindranath.Having read the criticism Nityakrishna Basu wrote in his diary, " Such criticism I have never read. This is an expression from a devotee from his core of heart....". The 2nd one was  written in English published in National Magazine of May 1894 issue written by Atulya Chandra Ghosh. He wrote, "Babu Rabindranath , the best lyric poet of modern Bengal...."     
Rabindranath wrote in "Samayik Sarsangraha" after many days. He was reading and thinking on Socialism for some days. An article , "Paribarashram" , was published in the magazine Fortnightly Review. Rabindranath painted a real picture , Udayaster Chandrasurja, about this. Comparing with Karhi O Komal, Sonar Tari,  Atulya Chandra Ghosh said, "We may assert that Manasi is the grandest effort." "Raja Rani" excepted, of the author's genius'. Criticising  the attitude of Rabindranath towards east he praised out and out his love poems, "it is in the description of this passion that Rabindranath chiefly excels . From his earliest efforts down to his present perfect effusion - from the "Lajmayee" of Saishab Sangeet down to Bhule, Bhulbhanga, amar Sukh,of Manasi , his poems have traversed all phases of this master-passion with that fine, keen sensibility which is at once indicative of the highest sense of delicacy and the truest art; with a sublimity , pathos and depth which is  worthy of Petrarch or Alceaus, or, in our literature, of the Vaishnava poets."
Rabindranath was at Calcutta at the middle of Jaishtha. He wrote two poems, one 25th june - Hriday Jamuna, and the other on 29th june - Byartha Jouban.
Rabindranath read an essay, Meyeli Charhaon 1st Oct 1894 at Minerva Theatre on the  occasion of 37th anniversary of Chaitanya Library  and Beadon Square literary club presided over by Dr. Gurudas Bandyopadhyay.  The subject matter of the essay was his collection of Rhymes as that of Nursery Rhymes.

Rabindranath has given music tune to his two poems, Hriday Jamuna and Byartha Jouban and wrote two songs in the rainy season.10 July he wrote a letter to Indira Debi , "Have you got songs written recently.The music of the song 'baro bedanar mato ' is not to be sung in a light mood. These songs are to be sung in a lonely place. I have given the music notation to that song gradually in bath room. I am still singing the song always - today morning also I sung this song - while singing a deep sensation reveals in my mind. This is one of the dearest song to me. "Baro bedanar Mato"
The other song is "Hridayer ekul o kul ". It s to be noted that the tune of both the songs are that of Baishnab Padabali.
Rabindranath wrote two poems, Bhara Bhadare and Pratakhyan on the day he wrote the letter. Next day he wrote Lajja , a poem.
13th July Rabindranath wrote a letter to Indira Debi, "Now a days writing poems is like a secret forbidden pleasure.....".
Rabindranath requested Mrs P.K.Roy [Sarala Roy]to collect some fairy tales for him. It is not known how many tales she could collect but she wrote a lovely letter to Rabindranath on 23 July. Rabindranath  replied to this letter, " I have collected some Rhymes and 10 short stories.
Rabindranath had an aim of collecting fairy tales. But he could not do it. He greeted Dakshinaranjan Mitra Majumdar for writing Thakurmar Jhuli and wrote congratulating him, With a reference to this Abanindranath  wrote ," 'When Rabindranath was at Silaidah he wrote to me that he was collecting Rhymes and fairy tales here for children. You try to find some local and foreign fairy tales from Calcutta.' Our house was full of villagers. I collected many Rhymes and fairy tales from them. Rabikaka said after coming here - let me see your khata.. I was writing rhymes with picture.Rabikaka gave me a khata and said ,'this khata is full of fairy tales. Try to write some stories from these.' I wrote many stories from ' kshirer putul, chor chakrabarty, etc after finishing Sakuntala." He wrote in some other place, "he made to collect many fairy tales with the help of Kakima [his wife]Kakima wrote those tales in a KhataFrom that khata I collected Kshirer Putul from that khata.
Rabindranath wrote from Sajadpur a letter to Abanindranath without dates , " I got some more tales from you. .I feel lucky. I collected about eight Rhymes at this place from the Cashier of Sajadpur. I am requesting those whom I met..." He wrote Gaganendranath from Silaidah, "I am writing this letter to remind you about collectingRhymes - don't forget.
This shows his fascination in Rhymes and fairy tales.
Rabindranath wrote his longest poem "Puraskar" of 662 lines. Probably this is his longest poem.He wrote a letter without date to Mrinalini, "when I write poems on sea shore or on the waves of sea I forget about Bigha and Katha...." After writing this longest poem , he wrote Kach O Debjani. This was published in Sadhana in Magh issue. He the character Kach from Mahabharat. 


       

Creativity of Rabindranath (1892-93)

It is known from the letter of Indira Debi that Rabindranath came to Silaidah in the month of Chaitra of last year [1298]. Probably in the month of Baishakh Jnadanandini Debi, Indira Debi, Mrinalini Debi with her three children came to Silaidah.This information is obtained from few letters written to Rabindranath by Indira Debi. She wrote on 9 Jaishtha about Rathindranath , " I have seen that suddenly he asked without any reference , ' dad, there was river in Silaidah - is it true ?" After thinking a lot he said to his mother, 'Mama , we were fine at Silaidah. "  She wrote again on 21st July  ," now a days, the river is not in  that form . there was dam of one story height by the side of the river at that time , now that is not there. It has come down to one hand in size due to wear and tear. ..."
Rabindranath wrote , as usual, the heighest no. of Poems in Sadhana in Baishakh issue, 1299..

1. Bangla Sahityer prati Abajna,
2. Tyag,
3. railpather Dui Parshwe,
4. Sahitya,
5. Bimbabati
6. Hiner Kabita,
7. Samayik sahitya samalochana,
8. Nabyabharat   
The debate of sea voyage of Hindus raised a huge agitation in the then society. The essay "tyag" is a reflection of that.

Rabindranath translated 9 poems of Heinrich Heine from German which shows his know in German language.
The nature of men and women and their relations were one of the subject of discussion of Rabindranath. In his discussion the essay "Shikshita Nari" written by Krishnabhabini Das was included. Also letters written to Indira Debi at this time reflects this subject.He wrote two poems about this, 1. tomra O Amra", 2. "Sonar  tari"
On 17th Jaishtha [29 May] Rabindranath wrote another poem , "Sonar Bnadan". This is complementary to "Tomra O Amra".
18th Jaishtha he wrote a poem "Hing ting chat"of different test.
From a letter written to Indira Debi a list of writings of Rabindranath published on 16th Jaishtha [28 May] is as follows;
1. Adim Arya nibas,
2. Ekratri
3. Paris Haite London
4. Saisab Sandya
5. Smayik Sar Sangraya
6. Socialism
7. Pantha
8. Samauyik Sahitya Samalochana.
The essay Socialism was written in the line of the book written by Ernest BelfordBax.
In asharh issue Rabindranath wrote a poem "Sonar Bandhan" It is a Sonet
Rabindranath had deep attraction on Philology since his boyhood. In the magazine "Balak" in Asharh  1299 issue he wrote an essay "Banglar Uchcharan.

Creativity of Rabindranath (1891-92)

On 14 March 1891 , 18th session of Chaitanya Library and Bidden Square literary Club was held at General Assembly's Institution. It was presided over by Gurudas Bandyopadhyay. Rabindranath read the preface of his Europe Jatrir Diary. After one and half month the essay was published as Europe jatrir Diaryir Bhumika - Ist Volume. As per the catalog of Bengal Library it was published on 5th May 1891. It was dedicated in the name of his friend Lokendranath Palit.
A critical estimate of was published in the Falgoon issue of Nabyabharat." Rabindranath has written this book comparing the society of London with that of Bengal. He always writes His writings is always witty but this one is to some extent one sided......"
A new weekly "Hitabadi" was published in 17 Jaishtha [saturday, 30 May]. An advertisement was out in The Bengali paper where the name of the writers were published ; Ramesh Chandra Datta [only of literature], Kali Prasanna Ghosh, Rabindranath Thakur, Nagendranath Gupta, Mohinimohan Chattopadhyay, Dr. Jadunath Mukhopadhyay, Dr. Amulya Chandra Basu, Ashutosh Choudhury, Pandit Kalibar Bedantabagish O Swarnakum,ari Debi.
Krishna Kamal Bhattacharya became editor.Rabindranath Thakur was given the charge of editor in charge of Literature . The paper became flourished by the writings of Rabindranath.He wrote many short stories in this paper. "bhikharini", O "Ghater Katha" , Denapaona, Postmaster, Ginni, Rmkanier Nirbudita, Byabadhan, etc.                         
    The fact of printing "Postmaster" in Hitabadi Rabindranath wrote to Indira Debi, "Post office was then situated in our "Kuthibadi" in the ground floor.  I used to see him every day.. One day in the noon  sitting on the 1st floor I wrote this story "Postmaster" and when this story was published in Hitabadi, the Postmaster Babu laughed with his shyness. "
The story Postmaster is mixed with reality and imaginary. Many days after Rabindranath said in an Interview, "Then there was a postmaster. He used to come to me. He had been away from his place for a long time and he was longing to go back. He didn't like his surroundings. He thought he was forced to live among barbarians. And his desire to get leave was so intense that he even thought of resigning from his post." The reality of the story was this, the rest was  imaginary.
The story Ginni was written from his memory of childhood.
Once questions are raised about the reality of Rabindranath's writings. Its reflections are even heard even after that. Of course, there were enough obstacles of free mixing of Rabindranath with common people. Examples are seen in his childhood and boyhood days. Obstacles are not removed even after his later days.
On 25th Jun Rabindranath wrote, "In the afternoon I anchored my boat at its bank. I used to see Lots of boys  playing . But I could not feel happy with the presence of the group of infantry in charge of me remains with me day and night. .."
Some letters written to  Mrinalini at this time were published in the 1st part of Cchinnapatra.