Asim Bando's KOLKATA BLOG

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Ramkrishna Sarada Mission has completed the renovation work of Sister Nivedita's house at 16A, Bose Para Lane. It is the heritage building which the State Government has taken four years ago and handed over to Ramkrishna Sarada Mission for renovation work. The said house is situated on about 5 kathas of land. The house is renovated in such a way that the rooms remained same as they were used by Sister Nivedita years ago. A museum is being formed there inside the house where the books, things, furniture used by Sister Nivedita will be exhibited for all. Moreover, many information, photos of Sister will be placed there. So many past events occurred in the life of Sister Nivedita will become real by audio-visual effects. On the day of inauguration, a compilation book on life & works of Sister Nivedita will be published there. Moreover, a book on preservation of the house will be published there too.

Rabindranath Tagore was toured Java in the year 1927 accompanied by eminent architect Surendra Nath Kar. Later, when Tagore decided to establish another house at 'Uttarayan' complex, Surendra Nath applied the architectural form of Java on that house and Tagore's son Rathindra Nath took the whole charge of construction of that house. Japanese artist Kono Shuson decorated this house. Tagore named it "UDAYAN". The construction work went till the year 1938.

In the year 1934, this mud house 'SHYAMALI' which also had a mud roof was constructed as an experiment. The outer wall was decorated with beautiful relief work by Kala-Bhavan students under the guidance of artist Nandalal Bose. The house is now under renovation by Archaeological Survey of India.

The house 'Konark' was built during the year 1919-21 at Shantiniketan. At first it was two mud houses with thatched roof. Later, it was re-constructed as per wish of the poet situated on the north-west corner of Uttarayan complex. The floors of this one-storied house are not similar - some floors are high, some low and the roof of all the rooms are separate in design.

Rabindranath Tagore moved into this house named 'PUNASCHA' in the year 1936. He would often sit and work in the open terrace in front of the house.

It is the last house of Rabindranath Tagore named UDICHI (উদীচী) where the poet lived towards the end of 1939. This is a room on 1st floor of UDICHI. It is the bedroom on 1st floor of this two storied house of Tagore - Udichi.

            Raja Ramram Mitra was Diwan of Nawab of Murshidabad. He belonged to Dakshin Raarh Kayastha (দক্ষিণ রাঢ় কায়স্থ) community and Mitra family of Konnagar, Hooghly. Once, he came to Gobindapur (now Kolkata) from Murshidabad and had started living here. Ayoddharam was Ramram's son. Their family became prosperous during the time of Ayoddharam. After the War of Plassey, he had to construct residence at Mechobazar (মেছোবাজার) because his earlier residential area was occupied by British to erect new fort (Fort William) there. Ayoddharam had two sons - Kriparam & Jagannath. During the time of property division - Kriparam went to Shunra (শুঁরা) which is now under Beleghata-Phulbagan area (Raja Rajendralal Mitra was the descendant of Kriparam) and Jagannath stayed in his ancestral house. Jagannath's son Ramsundar Mitra (খ্যাদা রাম মিত্র) constructed the palace-like house at 84, Muktaram Babu Street of Chor Bagan. Once that big house was affected b...

            Jagatram Dutta was Diwan of import-export division of East India Company's Patna warehouse. He was the grandson of architect Ramchandra Dutta of Hatkhola area in Kolkata. Jagatram built a big mansion at 78, Nimtala Ghat Street after leaving his ancestral house in the year 1785 approximately. As per the custom of that time, Jagatram too initiated Durga and Kali Puja in his own house at Hatkhola. The mansion was very remarkable as a beautiful architecture, but now it is in dilapidated condition for want of proper maintenance. The conditions of walls and ceilings of Thakurdalan (ঠাকুরদালান) are very poor. The walls and ceilings are cracked, even the beams of ceilings are in extremely bad condition. Rain water drops through the cracked ceiling of roof and as a result, the walls became damped, deformed and the parget by plaster on walls are damaged. They usually cover the damaged portions by curtains during puja and other festivals. Goddess Ka...

The photos are of Rabindranath Tagore in his early youth after returning from Himalayas. And the house Udayan at Shantiniketan, which was erected planned by the poet. The decoration of verandah is of Joypur style. -- A. B.

Rabindranath Tagore stayed several times at Kalimpong and Mongpu. The houses where he used to live, still there, but neglected. 'Gouripur Lodge' is the name of a bungalow where the poet loved to live at Kalimpong, near Darjeeling. The lodge surrounded by various trees and within calm atmosphere beside hills. Tagore first came here on 25 April, 1938 and zamindar Brojendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury of Gouripur arranged for the boarding & lodging of the poet here. The poet was craving for a calm and peaceful place to live in for a few days. So, he liked the place. After a few days, the enthusiastic local people delightfully arranged the 80th birthday celebration of Tagore here. The famous writer of 'Na Hanyate' Moitreyee Debi came from Mongpu and insisted the poet to write a new poem. And the poet wrote 'Janmadin' - the famous poem. A memorable event occurred on that day - the poet recited this poem over telephone and All India Radio Calcutta broadcas...

Kolkata Municipal Corporation declared the house of Sister Nivedita, 16/A Bose Para Lane as heritage building last year and was decided to prepare an archive there with the memoirs of Sister. But the present owner of this house reluctant to sell the house and said, 16/A is not the house of Sister Nivedita, but she resided at house no. 16 and hence the project facing setback. We know that Sister Nivedita established a school for girls at house no. 16 and therefore 16/A also a part of house no. 16 where Sister Nivedita was resided. At present, condition of house no. 16/A is very grave as shown in the picture. It is under dilapidation. Therefore, it is high time to undertake the house and start the works of renovation as done by the Ramakrishna Mission in the case of Swami Vivekananda's paternal house in north Kolkata.-- A. B.

'Shibalik' - the house at the riverbank of Khardaha, near Kolkata going under river Ganges (Ganga) as it is very old house where Rabindranath stayed four times. The poet used to like the light coldness during winter here and stayed in this house from the year 1932 and in total, he stayed here for 54 days. During this period, the poet wrote poem-letters like 'Har' 'Kalo Ghora' 'Maranmata' 'Marichika' 'Ratrirupini' 'Yatra' 'Pasarini' 'Godhuli' 'Aprakash' 'Puspacharini' 'Bhiru' and many more. Later, these poems placed in the collection of poems 'Bichitra' and 'Bithika'. He wrote the last part of 'Malancha' also in this house. Now, the residents of Khardaha alongwith numerous admirers of Rabindranath want the administration shall take concrete steps to conserve the heritage house in memory of Rabindranath Tagore.-- A. B.

1. This is the house in Kolkata where Swami Vivekananda was born on 12 January in the year 1863 and spent his early 23 years. This house was recovered recently from the state of ruins and constructed by keeping the original state and hence it is now an important heritage monument of Kolkata. 2. The house after renovation. 3. Inside the house. 4. Swamiji's bedroom at Belur Math. 5. Swamiji's mother Bhubaneswari Debi and the young Vivekananda. If you want to know more about Vivekananda, click on the title to go to Wikipedia.-- A. B.