Asim Bando's KOLKATA BLOG

Relationship of Rabindranath with Chandannagar was very deep. The poet used to live several times at several houses of Chandannagar. 'Janhabi Nibas' near river Ganga is one of those houses. The poet wrote, on the top, there was a room with opened doors, from where I used to see the sunlighted net on the top new leaves of bushy 'Bakul' tree. Here I once lived. The poet wrote, those beautiful days of mine on the bank of river Ganga, were just like dedication of full bloomed lotuses on the river Ganga. Unfortunately the house is now neglected, proper care and conservation of this house never seen Chandannagar. The poet inaugurated the Banga Sahitya Sammelan at Chandannagar in the Bengali year 1343. Where the Gondalpara Jute Mill situated now, a bungalow was there named Moran saheb-er bagan bari. Moran means Lat Saheb. In Latin, it means 'which glitters in dark'. The poet mentioned about this house in his short story 'Adhyapak O Apod' (The Pr

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.

My childhood and the Calcutta where I was born... -- A. B.

When I was born... -- A. B.

-- A. B.

25 Boishakh, 8 May 2012 - 152 birthday of poet Rabindranath Tagore. Kolkata, the city of joy will observe the birth centenary of the great poet with traditional reverence, happiness and enthusiasm. The main event on this day would be performed in the open stage at Rabindra Sadan from 2pm-10pm. Eminent singers of the city will sing Rabindra Sangeet : Dwijen Mukhopadhyay, Purba Dam, Mohan Singh, Swapan Gupta, Swapna Ghoshal, Abhirup Guhathakurata, Purabi Mukhopadhyay, Ajoy Chakraborty, Hoimanti Shukla, Pubali Debnath, Dr. Chitralekha Chowdhury, Pramita Mullick, Srikanta Acharya, Swagatalaksmi Dasgupta, Shraboni Sen, Raghab Chattopadhyay, Shantanu Roy Chowdhury, Rajashri Bhattacharya, Ustad Rashid Khan, Nachiketa, Rezwana Chowdhury Banya, Jayati Chakraborty, Indrani Sen, Indraneel Sen, Lopamudra Mitra, Anjan Dutta and Sriradha Bandyopadhyay. Recitation: Pradip Ghosh, Shaonli Mitra, Pranati Thakur and Satinath Mukhopadhyay. Dance-drama: Balmiki Pratibha (direction: Alakananda

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

In the year 1913, Rabindranath Tagore's play Dakghar (The Post Office) was first staged at Abbey Theatre of Ireland by the famous poet W. B. Yeats and by this way, it was the first staged play of Tagore in abroad.

In the year 1922, on this day, Rabindranath Tagore established Sriniketan - the rural centre for folk culture and cultivation of rural activities, near Shantiniketan. Today, 6 February, to mark the foundation day, the festival of folk culture organised at Sriniketan, where tribal dancers of rural Bengal performed beautiful dance programmes. Moreover, stalls decorated with rural handicrafts and functions of folk culture are the other attractions of Sriniketan Utsav. -- A. B.

Inauguration of 36th International Kolkata Book Fair 2012 today at Milan Mela ground in Kolkata. Focal theme of this year's book fair - country Italy. At international level Britain, Vietnam, USA, Indo-Latin American Association, Spain, Turask, Peru, China, Apple Publishing International, Japan, Israil and gigantic Bangladesh pavilions will be there. A 6-day long literary meet would be the main attraction of book fair where eminent writers of national and international fame will discuss about the present status and future of books. Bengali version of Severgnini's La Bella Figura will be released on this occasion. The Bengali version of this book is called Chhokher Aloy Italy. This years book stalls have been reduced to 782 from 842. The event would witness the Guild pay tribute to Swami Vivekananda. A children's pavilion would be dedicated to Sukumar Roy, to mark his 125th birth anniversary. The book fair would be inaugurated by Italian journalist, author and

'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.

Kolkata's first theme park near Jorasanko inaugurated yesterday by the Mayor. KMC decorated the park with vivid colours and greens depicting Tagore's literary creations like extracts from 'Amal O doiwala' (excerpts of 'Dakghar' or 'The Post Office'). The theme park named: 'Rabindranath O Paribesh' (Rabindranath and environment). It is the Dr. Jatindra Mohan Park, near Girish Park. KMC has plans to create more theme park in the city. -- A. B.

Book fair is the main attraction of this year's Poush Mela at Shantiniketan. Literary collections of Rabindranath translated in 26 languages will be exhibited here for the international tourists. Moreover, souvenir collections published to commemorate Tagore's 100, 125 & 150 birth anniversary will also be exhibited, translated in Indian and foreign languages. Tourists and foreigners started to come here already. Apart from this, usual items of rural handicrafts will also be there. The mela is officially open for 3 days (23-25 Dec) but unofficially it will run upto 31 December. -- A. B.

Rabindranath staged his play 'Dakghar' (The Post Office) at his own house in Kolkata and acted in the role of Fakir (on the right here).-- A. B.

Whether science or poetry - Rabindranath used to take interests in both of them. Here the poet alongwith the great scientist Albert Einstein (up) and sharing some memorable moments with the famous Spanish poet Victoria Ocampo (down). -- A. B.

Rabindranath Tagore was also the director of his famous dance drama 'Notir Puja' and staged it several times. He directed it on the celluloid also. -- A. B.

Engrossed Rabindranath in paintings. -- A. B.

Helen Keller was a famous admirer of Rabindranath Tagore. In this picture, she is enjoying the reading of the poet and wrote her feelings below the picture. -- A. B.

6, Jorasanko - where poet Rabindranath was born. -- A. B.

This is the place in Kolkata where the great poet Rabindranath Tagore was born on this day 150 years ago. The premises called Jorasanko 'Thakur Bati'. The said premises is now Rabindra Bharati University. This morning, a cultural function was organised here to celebrate the birthday of Rabindranath. Songs and poems of Rabindranath rendered by eminent personalities in front of enthusiastic audience. In this picture, a singer rendering a song of Rabindranath. -- A. B.