Asim Bando's KOLKATA BLOG

Noted film-makar of Kolkata - Rituparno Ghosh passes away this morning at his residence. He died from a massive heart-attack while he was sleeping and the doctors confirmed his death at 7:30 am today. He was only 49 and was suffering from pancreatitis, for which he had to take various medicines daily. Fans of him thronged his residence in south Kolkata this morning including ministers of the State Government. Noted actor Soumitra Chatterjee said, it is unbelievable. We lost a skilled filmmaker. He has made 19 films, out of which 12 films bagged national film awards. His films acclaimed internationally too. Rituparno lamented that his films never been considered for Oscar nomination, which is regrettable. He was born on 31 August in the year 1963 in Kolkata and brought up here too. His parents were related to film industry. His father was a noted documentary filmmaker. Rituparno studied at South Point school and then graduated in Economics from Jadavpur University. He ma

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Rabindranath Tagore lived here occasionally as the zamindar of Shilaidaho. He lived at the Kuthibari there. -- A. B.

Rabindranath Tagore also lived here at Sajadpur now in Bangladesh. He lived there as the zamindar. -- A. B.

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Even after 70 years of departure of Rabindranath, Jorasanko Thakur Bari has still some furniture of Tagore family and we feel thrilled to see it still. -- A. B.

It was 10 October, and the year was 1917 when the famous play of Rabindranath 'Dakghar' was for the first time staged at Bichitra Bhavan of Jorasanko Thakur Bari. The artists were Gaganendranath, Abanindranath, Soumendranath and Rabindranath Tagore. The second day's play was remarkable due to the presence of Mahatma Gandhi, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Madan Mohan Malabya, C F Andrews etc. Once the play Dakghar (The Post Office) was played at Bichitra hall for seven days at a streach. Surupa Debi, the daughter of Abanindranath was played the role of Sudha and Ashamukul played the role of Amal. Rabindranath used to play the roles of prahari, rajkabiraj, thakurda and baul. -- A. B.

Abanindranath Tagore - the paternal uncle of Rabindranath also lived at the house of Jorasanko Thakur Bari. He was mainly a painter, but was fond of music too. He used to play esraj. Here the first two pics are that esraj - Abanindranath used to play. Here are some pics of things used by Abanindranath - fine Japanese hand-fans, four pens, silver spoon, silver wax-stand, a beautiful box made of elephant tusk, another box with nice shellac art-work by a Chinese artist, two knives for paper cutting one each made of elephant tusk and sandal wood, 15 'Kutum Katam' made by Abanindranath Tagore. A mirror is there which was used by the grandfather of Rabindranath - Dwarkanath Tagore. The frame of this mirror is made of silver. -- A. B.

The poet Rabindranath Tagore had written a letter from Eiffel Tower of Paris to his wife Mrinalini Debi at Jorasanko. In this letter he had written in Bengali that, "I am now on a very high iron-structured place called Eiffel Tower. I thought that I must write you from here. I reached here at dawn today. I'll write you again from London..." The poet had written the letter on 9 September, 1890 -- , Tuesday. A. B.

This is the living room of poet Rabindranath Tagore's wife Mrinalini Debi where she lived as a housewife and breathed her last. The Nilambori sari she used to wear, the nice pots, the wooden make-up box, beautiful hand fan, curved fan box, show-piece, chairs, table she used.And the letters she had written to Sukumar. There're photos of the couple, the poet with son Rathindranath and daughter Madhurilata, and a pic of sons & daughters. The touch of a mother and wife is still there in the room. -- A. B.