Latest news with #RabindranathTagore
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Rabindranath Tagore's handwritten letters to be auctioned next week
Kolkata: A set of 35 handwritten letters of Rabindranath Tagore along with 14 envelopes will go under the hammer next week for an estimated price of '5-7 crore - the biggest auction of the works of the Bengali polymath in terms of price and scale. A heart-shaped sculpture, the only known sculptural piece attributed to Tagore, will also be sold for an estimated price of '55-70 lakh. AstaGuru Auction House will hold the online auction on June 26-27. The rarity and the historical significance of these works by the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in literature make this event special. The auction is expected to generate interest and enthusiasm among art and literature lovers, scholars and institutions. "This auction presents collectors and institutions with access to two exceptional works that provide unique insight into Rabindranath Tagore's creative evolution, across literature, visual art and even sculpture," Astaguru chief marketing officer Manoj Mansukhani told ET. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Revitalize seu corpo e recupere sua potência, virou febre entre os homens Baixa na libido Saiba Mais Undo The letters, written between 1927 and 1936, detail Tagore's engaging correspondence with the sociologist, musicologist and his confidante, Dhurjati Prasad Mukherji. Each letter bears the weight of a distinct moment, and 12 are written on different letterheads - from Visva-Bharati, his Uttarayan residence, Glen Eden in Darjeeling and aboard his houseboat, Padma - tracing Tagore's intellectual and geographic journey, AstaGuru said in a catalogue. Live Events "Tagore's letters to Mukherji have pivotal historic value and are important documents for understanding his literary mastery as well as his reflection on his own music," Abhra Ghosh, a prominent Tagore researcher, told ET. Though deeply personal in tone, several of these letters are preserved through a string of publications in journals such as Parichay and books like Chhanda, Sahityer Pathe, Sur O Sangati and Sangit Chinta. "These letters should be in the possession of Rabindra Bhavana of Santiniketan which preserves Tagore's manuscripts, correspondences, paintings and sketches, other than his personal belongings. I would urge the auction house or the collector of these important documents to think to this end," Ghosh said. In some of these letters, one would find Tagore's criticism of Bengal's rigidity as he argues that real creativity comes from adaptation. Just as Bengali literature flourished by moving beyond Sanskrit, he expressed hope that Bengali music too could grow independently but he stressed on the need for disciplined creation rooted in deep inner realisation, drawing on the classical rigor of dhrupad or Hindustani music.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Writers and artists in Tripura write to Muhammad Yunus condemning vandalism at Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral home in Bangladesh
Amid protests against an attack on Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral home in Bangladesh, poets, writers, and intellectuals wrote to Bangladesh Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus on Thursday demanding 'exemplary punishment' for the culprits behind the 'shameful and condemnable' incident. A letter signed by eminent litterateurs Professor Mihir Deb and Ratul Debbarman; renowned theatre artist Bibhu Bhattacharya; painter, mime artist, and Sangeet Natak Academy awardee Swapan Nandy; and Professor Mujahid Rahman, was sent via the West Tripura district magistrate's office, from where it is expected to be forwarded to the Assistant High Commission of Bangladesh at Agartala. The Assistant High Commission is in turn expected to forward the letter to Dhaka. In the letter, the signatories said their protest was voiced from Tripura, which has a long relationship with Tagore and was visited by him several times, and that the people of the state were 'deeply hurt' by the attack on the Nobel literature laureate's ancestral 'kacharibari' (revenue office) at Shahzadpur in Bangladesh's Sirajganj district last week. 'Rabindranath Tagore is the consciousness that encircles all our inspirations, awareness. He is a beacon holder of global thought, rising above the narrow barriers of language, identity, religion, colour. We celebrate him every day through the national anthem. We believe with all our heart that everything which share his memory are of pride for us. Insult or disrespect to Rabindranath Tagore – whether it is in our country or elsewhere, is shameful and condemnable, unpardonable,' reads the letter. The vandals have not only damaged precious historical assets but also insulted the cultural values of millions of people and deserve 'proper justice' and 'exemplary punishment', the writers and artists further wrote in the letter. On Monday, the ruling BJP protested in Agartala against the vandalism and attacks on minority communities in Bangladesh. BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharjee and leaders Subal Bhowmik, Bhagaban Das, Mimi Majumdar, and others carried placards and banners condemning the developments in the neighbouring country. Earlier, on June 14, similar protests took place in other parts of the state, including at Kailashahar in Unakoti, the Raghna international border in North Tripura, Sonamura in Sepahijala, Belonia in South Tripura, and Agartala. TIPRA Motha also organised several protests against the vandalism in Bangladesh.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Rabindranath Tagore will always be relevant to Bangladesh
The recent vandalism at Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral Kuthi Bari at Sirajganj in Bangladesh has raised justified criticism in both India and Bangladesh. The present interim government, headed by Muhammad Yunus, has condemned it, and two persons have been taken into custody. The government has also clarified that such incidents are unwarranted and undesirable. It also stated that Tagore remains a continuing source of inspiration, and such stray incidents do not, in any way, diminish his towering presence in the historical evolution of Bangladesh. In erstwhile East Pakistan, there was a concerted effort to denigrate Tagore. The state-approved radio was not allowed to play his songs. But his works had a significant influence on the 1952 Language Movement, which eventually led to the emergence of Bangladesh. Linguistic nationalism triumphed over communalism and challenged the very basis of the two-nation theory. For Maulana Bhashani, who played a historic role in challenging the government's diktat and helped in creating a firmer basis of Bengali nationalism, Tagore's works were an integral component of Bengali culture and heritage. One of the canards that was perpetrated by a small section of Islamists was that Tagore opposed the establishment of Dacca (now Dhaka) University, for which there is no historical evidence. The Dacca Nawab family also denied any truth in this. In fact, when Tagore visited the University in 1926, he was carried by students from the railway station to the place where he stayed. Similarly, there is a small section among Bangladeshi elites who wish to replace Amar Sonar Bangla, Bangladesh's national anthem. Qazi Abdul Mannan, a well-known Bangladeshi Tagore scholar, commented on Tagore's respect for medieval Sufi saints. Mannan observed that Tagore placed his faith in those who transcended narrow religious boundaries and hoped that humanists from both communities would be able to cement the gulf. For Tagore, the solution needed to be social rather than merely political. Tagore showed that even during the medieval period, many holy figures — many of them Muslims — attempted to bridge the divide. Tagore acknowledged Kazi Nazrul Islam's literary qualities and encouraged young Muslims in their literary pursuits. The song Amar Sonar Bangla reflected a hope of ushering in a new age. Tagore's best and most productive period was spent at Kuthi Bari in Shilaidaha on the banks of the Padma in the 1890s. His finest literary writings of this period include one of his most popular poems, Nirjharer Swapna Bhanga, which seemed to contain the rudimentary philosophy of Visva-Bharati. Here, he penned another classic: Dui Bigha Jomi. On January 10, 1972, when Sheikh Mujibur Rahman landed at Delhi airport, his speech included a quote from Tagore: 'Rikta āmi Nishma āmi dēbār kichu nē'I, āchē śudhu bhālōbāsa tā'i diẏē jai' (I am empty, I am free, I have nothing to give, only love, so I give). Hundreds of young Bangladeshis still visit Shilaidaha daily. Mannan noted that Tagore looked to the Hindu-Muslim riots as a sign of degradation of the contemporary Indian situation and made efforts to find an amicable solution. For instance, to elicit the opinion of intellectuals on the Hindu-Muslim conflict, Tagore initiated the Nizam Lectures in 1936, and Qazi Abdul Wadood delivered three lectures on this subject. The Tagore family led an autonomous and somewhat isolated existence among the Hindu Bengali elites of the late-nineteenth century. The family was considered 'Pirali' Brahmins – the word comes from the belief that Pir and Ali dined with the ancestors of the Tagores and converted them – who were ostracised socially by their orthodox counterparts. Nawab Wajid Ali Shah had considerable influence on the family. According to Bangladeshi author Ghulam Murshid: 'Bengal has not had a second genius as great and as many-sided as Tagore. But Tagore did not reach such heights by genius alone. The family and environment that he was born into stoked his genius and encouraged it to grow. This is true not just of his literary creativity but also of all other aspects of his genius.' Among the many stalwarts of modern Bengali literature, including Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, Tagore is the most secular, modern, cosmopolitan, and Gladstonian liberal. He not only championed Bengali language and culture, but also minced no words to criticise them when needed. In one of his poems titled Bangamata, he held Bengal's affectionate, motherly culture responsible for its lack of interest in exploring the world beyond the confines of their comfort zone. His words transcend any religion or localism. He was — and will remain — relevant to Bangladesh, India and the world. The writer taught Political Science at Delhi University
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Delhi BJP protests against attack on Tagore's ancestral house in Bangladesh
The Delhi unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held a protest march on Monday afternoon at Teen Murti Marg, condemning the June 8 vandalism of Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral home in Bangladesh. Hundreds gathered for the rally, which attempted to reach the Bangladesh High Commission, but was stopped by Delhi Police at a second barricade, just a few hundred metres from the starting point. The protest, led by senior BJP leaders, framed the attack as part of a broader assault on Hindus. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the party 'will not stay silent over injustice against Hindus there.' BJP MLAs, party workers, and supporters carried placards reading 'an assault on Bengal's soul' and 'a wake-up call for Hindus.' Some demonstrators raised aggressive slogans such as 'Down with Bangladesh.' The BJP claimed several protestors were detained and taken to Chanakyapuri Police Station but were released after about 30 minutes. The incident in Bangladesh has triggered political and cultural concerns in India, especially given Tagore's legacy in both countries.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP protests vandalism at Tagore's home in Bangladesh
New Delhi: The Delhi BJP on Monday held a protest near the Bangladesh high commission against the attack and vandalism at the ancestral home of Nobel laureate and Bharat Ratna Rabindranath Tagore in Bangladesh recently. Under the leadership of Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, protesters gathered at the Prime Minister's Museum at Teen Murti Chowk and marched toward the high commission. They broke through two police barricades before being stopped by police. They were taken to Chanakyapuri police station, but were released after about 30 minutes with a warning. Carrying portraits of Rabindranath Tagore and placards with slogans, the protesters kept chanting, "India will not tolerate the insult of Bharat Ratna Rabindranath Tagore!" Sachdeva said: "Rabindranath Tagore was a great man. The deliberate destruction of his ancestral home is not just an attack on a building, it is an attack on Bengali culture and Hindu heritage. Bangladesh came into existence in 1971, but today, we are witnessing the dangerous forces that are influencing it." The Delhi BJP chief added that "Bengali culture speaks of music, sweetness, art and culture. But if anyone tries to insult it, every Indian will raise his voice. We are united today to send a message that we will not tolerate any tampering with Bengali heritage. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo If India helps any country, it will not stay silent over injustice against Hindus there." South Delhi MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, who also took part in the protest, said: "Rabindranath Tagore was a man beyond borders. We condemn the interim govt of Bangladesh. The lack of action in this matter so far is highly questionable." MP Manoj Tiwari said: "The atrocities being committed against Hindus in Bangladesh, especially the deliberate attempt to destroy Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral home, a heritage of the Hindu community, are unacceptable. The image seen here today will inspire pride among Hindus in Bangladesh."
