TRAVEL ARTICLE
(Picture 1: The Beautiful and Magnificent ‘Thakur Bari’ at Jorasanko, Kolkata, India)
It was January 2019, when I peregrinated in the city of joy, Calcutta, now renamed as Kolkata. It was a time, when my parents were not well and I had to run from one medico to the other. Finally, when everything went on well, I thought of visiting the ‘Jorasanko Thakur Bari’, a place where the great poet and Nobel Laureate, Rabindranath Tagore resided and was born.
Rabindranath Tagore was popularly known as Kabiguru and Gurudev. Born in 7 May 1861, he was a poet, musician and an artist of the Indian Sub-continent. He was the reason for transfiguring the art and culture of Bengal in the 19th and 20th century. He wrote Gitanjali, which is a collection of poems, which made him the first non-European to win the Noble Prize in Literature.
As I decided to visit the great poets abode, I approached my cousin brother Arindam Biswas, if he can accompany me to see history. It was winter and since time was running out, we drove down to the elegant, beautiful and magnificent ‘Thakur Bari’.
(Picture 2: Side View of ‘Thakur Bari’ at Jorasanko, Kolkata, India)
As I entered, I was enthralled & fascinated by the antiquity of the yesteryear structures. The captivating beauty of the red coloured building has the ability to overwhelm hearts. In a plaque infront of the gate it was mentioned that Rabindranath moved into the new house on 30th May, 1901, a few days before his eldest daughter Madhurilatas marriage. The house was called “Lalbari”, but later was renamed “Vicitra Bhavan”. Inside the house there is Maharshi Bhavana. In another plaque it is written that the great poet Rabindra nath was born and breathed his last here. It is said that about half of his life was spent in this house. This ‘Thakur Bari’, as it is popularly known became a prime centre of the Bengali culture and life.
It is to be worth mentioning that Rabindranath Tagore apart from getting the Noble Prize for Literature also was awarded a knighthood by King George V in the 1915, but Tagore renounced it after the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
As I moved into the building, I was mesmerized by the collection of photos in the house. The architecture of the rooms of those times, the bed where Rabindranath Tagore use to sleep , the section where International Dignitaries presented him with gifts, the mementoes received from around the world etc are worth seeing as history unfolded itself highlighting the brilliant era of literature of the bygone era.
(Picture 3: A Picture of Rabindranath Tagore with Albert Einstein) Source: https://twitter.com/nobelprize/status/1018051224552255488
As we moved, we can hear Rabindranath saying – When I sit on my balcony and listen for his footsteps, leaves do not rustle on the trees, and the water is still in the river like the sword on the knees of a sentry fallen asleep. It is my own heart that beats wildly — I do not know how to quiet it. (Poem – When I Go Alone At Night)
The family history of the great Tagore dynasty is also placed in the Museum and as we moved upstairs, we can see the rare collection of portraits of Rabindranath Tagore with eminent persons. As we Stroll the balcony and slowly moved to an open space in the ground floor, the air seemed to be filled with the words from the poet – Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.
(Picture 4: Inside ‘Thakur Bari’ at Jorasanko, Kolkata, India)
This open space is now placed with flowers which creates a serene environment. We sat there in that serene and quiet mezzanine floor and introspected on the life of this great poet, his struggles, his challenges and yet coming out in flying colours to show the world his thoughts through his poetry. As we bid farewell to his historic residence, I could hear the winds whisper – If you cry because the sun has gone out of your life, your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars.
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Writer:
Mainak Majumdar
Email: mainakmajumdar@travelreview.reviews and mainakmajumdar1@gmail.com
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Please note that the above views and experience are based on my personal feelings. Your experience may be different after visiting this place and we do not guarantee any authenticity of the information shared in this travel article.
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