Latest news with #Tagore
Time of India
20 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
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
India Gazette
5 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
BJP protests in Kolkata over vandalism of Tagore's ancestral home in Bangladesh; slams Yunus govt
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 16 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in Kolkata staged a rally from Sealdah Railway Station to the Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh there on Monday, protesting the vandalism of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral home in Bangladesh. The demonstration, led by prominent BJP leaders including Agnimitra Paul and Locket Chatterjee, highlighted the growing concerns over the safety of minorities and the cultural heritage shared between India and Bangladesh. The rally saw participants demanding accountability from the interim government of Bangladesh, led by Muhammad Yunus, over the incident. Following their meeting at the Deputy High Commission, BJP leader Locket Chatterjee, who was part of the delegation that met the officials, emphasised the cultural significance of Tagore across borders and slammed the Yunus government in Bangladesh, accusing them of erasing Tagore's symbol as they vandalised his ancestral home there. 'Be it India's West Bengal or Bangladesh, Rabindranath Tagore lives in everyone. The interim (Bangladesh) government is trying to erase all of his symbols, and his ancestral home was also vandalised, and the Deputy High Commission was ashamed of it,' Chatterjee said. She added that the officials assured them of conveying the message to Bangladesh, enquiring if an investigation had been initiated. 'They will send a message to the country and ask if an inquiry has been initiated into the matter. We will hold a large protest if such an incident happens in the future,' she added. BJP leader Agnimitra Paul, who was part of the meeting, drew parallels between the political dynamics in Bangladesh and West Bengal, accusing Yunus of engaging in 'appeasement politics', similar to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and being influenced by 'Islamic fundamentalist forces' that seek to erase Tagore's legacy, including the national anthem he composed. 'Five leaders were there (in the meeting) and raised some pertinent questions, like why was the house of Rabindranath Tagore vandalised? Why are Hindus being attacked (in Bangladesh)? Why isn't the Yunus government taking action? Why is the population of minority Hindus decreasing?' Paul questioned, 'Because Muhammad Yunus, just like Mamata Banerjee, does appeasement politics. He is under the control of Islamic fundamentalist forces, who don't want the national anthem composed by Rabindranath Tagore in Bangladesh,' she alleged. The Deputy High Commission officials, according to Paul, responded politely and requested official mail to forward to the Bangladesh government while also expressing concerns over the cancellation of visas affecting their country. 'I clearly told them that this wasn't started by India but by Bangladesh, when Hindus were killed, and yet no action has been taken. We want the previous friendship to normalise,' Paul reiterated. Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs condemned the 'vandalism' of one of the ancestral homes of Rabindranath Tagore located in Bangladesh. Addressing a media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the violent act is a disgrace to the memory and the inclusive philosophy and the teachings of the Nobel laureate. When asked about reports coming out of Bangladesh on the issue of vandalism of the ancestral home of Rabindranath Tagore, the MEA Spokesperson said, 'We strongly condemn the despicable attack and vandalisation of the ancestral home of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore by a mob on June 8, 2025. The home, historically called Rabindra Kutcherybari, is located in the Sirajganj district of Bangladesh. The violent act is a disgrace to the memory and the inclusive philosophy and the teachings that the Nobel laureate espoused in Bangladesh.' He further noted, 'The attack falls in the broad pattern of the systematic attempts by the extremists to erase the symbols of tolerance and eviscerate the syncretic culture and the cultural legacy of Bangladesh.' Calling the perpetrators of the act as 'terrorists', MEA urged the interim government to take strict action against the perpetrators. 'We urge the interim government to rein in the terrorists and take strict action against the perpetrators, preventing the recurrence of such incidents that sadly have become a repetitive feature,' the Spokesperson said. (ANI)
India Gazette
5 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Will 2027 Census follow Telangana model or is India staring at another Jumla?": Congress MP Manickam Tagore raises questions on Census 2027
New Delhi [India], June 16 (ANI): Raising questions on the Census 2027, Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Monday questioned Union Home Minister whether the Census data would follow the Telangana model or if the country was staring at another 'Jumla.' 'Dear Mr. Amit Shah, will the 2027 Caste Census follow the Telangana model, or is India staring at another Jumla? The first caste census since 1931 has been officially notified. But we have questions. Big ones. And the country deserves answers,' the post on social media X read. Tagore also questioned the government, asking if it was following the Telangana model or avoiding it for political convenience. He also raised questions if the Census 2027 would release full caste data, including the OBCs or would it be another round of data collection. 'Will your government release the full caste data this time, including OBC sub-categorisation? Or will it be another round of data collection without justice?' the post further read. Tagore also raised questions on what was stopping the Government from having a precise and transparent Census. Furthermore, Tagore questioned if the 2027 Census would become a tool of justice or would be another headline. 'Will the 2027 Census become a tool of justice, or just another headline? Mr. Shah, history is watching. India is waiting. And the OBCs will not settle for optics without outcomes,' he further wrote. Earlier in the day, the Central government notified that the Population census, the process of which will begin in March 2027. As per a gazette notification released by the Ministry of Home Affairs, 'In exercise of the powers conferred by Section three of the Census Act 1948 and in suppression of the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Home Affairs dated March 26, 2018, the Central Government declared that a census of the population of India shall be taken during the year 2027, as per a circular released by the Ministry of Home Affairs.' The notification said that the reference date for the census shall be March 1, 2027, except for the Union territory of Ladakh and the snow-bound non-synchronous areas of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Furthermore, the reference date for the Union Territory of Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand will be October 1, 2026. (ANI)
Hans India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Tripura BJP holds candlelight rally against vandalism at Tagore's ancestral home in B'desh
The ruling BJP in Tripura on Sunday held a candlelight rally to protest the recent attack and vandalism of the ancestral home of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in Bangladesh. Tripura BJP President Rajib Bhattacharjee, who led the candlelight rally, said that people across the world respect and love Tagore for his monumental literary creations in all fields. Strongly condemning the vandalisation of Tagore's home in Bangladesh, Bhattacharjee, who is also a member of Rajya Sabha, termed the act as a blow to literature, culture and humanism. 'Tagore is the architect of the national anthem of both India and Bangladesh," the BJP leader said and demanded exemplary punishment for those who are involved in the shocking incident. The ruling BJP on Saturday held protests at more than six places in seven districts along Tripura's border with Bangladesh. Senior leaders, including ministers, led the protest rallies in Agartala, Bishalgarh, Udaipur, Belonia, Kailashahar, Dharmanagar and Khowai. BJP sources said that similar protests would also be held on June 16 in all Assembly constituencies in Tripura. State BJP General Secretary and MLA Bhagaban Das, who led a protest rally in Agartala-Akhaura Integrated Check Post, said, 'A barbaric incident of attack and vandalisation at the ancestral home of Rabindranath Tagore in Bangladesh has shocked people in India.' Das, a former minister, said that such an attack on the shared cultural heritage is totally unacceptable. 'There must be a limit to such atrocious actions. The properties and heritage relating to a towering cultural icon like Tagore have not been spared in Bangladesh. Such acts are an unforgivable crime,' he told the media. Earlier, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha also condemned the attack and vandalisation of Tagore's ancestral home in Bangladesh and termed it as an "attack on our culture and heritage". He said that the act was a strongly condemnable and shameful incident for the entire nation. 'The interim government of Bangladesh needs to act strongly,' the Chief Minister said. On June 8, a mob attacked and vandalised the ancestral home of Rabindranath Tagore in Bangladesh, also known as Rabindra Kachharibari or Rabindra Memorial Museum in Sirajganj district. Media reports said that the attackers also assaulted a director of the institution. Situated in Shahzadpur in Rajshahi division, Rabindra Kachharibari is the ancestral home and revenue office of the Tagore family. Many of Tagore's literary works came up while living in this mansion. India's Ministry of External Affairs also on June 12 strongly condemned the vandalism of Tagore's ancestral home in Bangladesh, describing it as part of a 'systematic' pattern by extremists to undermine the country's syncretic cultural heritage. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal termed the June 8 attack on the Rabindra Kachharibari as a 'despicable' act and 'a disgrace to the memory and the inclusive philosophy' of the Nobel Laureate.
