Comments on: Tagore in America

By: meena

meena — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 08:41:08 +0000

i m looking 4 ASSESS the contribution of Tagore’s educational thought in the present context. it is important 4 me… its my assignment… can any1 help???? thanx..

By: Annu

Annu — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 16:13:36 +0000

too baaaaaaaad…….. i want to get the accurate thing

By: Santanu Mitra

Santanu Mitra — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 05:21:17 +0000

Hello everyone.

I am looking for a copy of the Vande Mataram song as first recorded in the Voice of Rabindranath Tagore, believe in 1906 by a Calcutta record company named H Bose Records. I believe that was the first time the song was recorded. It was originally a poem, by Bankim Chatterji, to which Rabindranath had applied the music score himself, and sung it about ten years earlier at a Congress conference in 1896. It got recorded ten years later as the words "Vande Mataram" was becoming a rising call for nationalism and independence, perhaps initiated from the protest against partition of Bengal in 1905.

Anyhow, I believe that the song as well as the chanting of the slogan "Vande mMataram" got banned by the British, who subsequently sent the police to H Bose Record company's warehouse and destroyed it, along with all copies of the record. Somehow, a few records still survived, in Europe, and I am told that All India Radio eventually published a CD or something in the late 1990s with the song as originally sung by Tagore almost a hundred years ago.

I am looking to buy this CD, or the song, or to listen to it somehow. Can anyone help ?

Thanks

By: Rana Chakraborty

Rana Chakraborty — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 20:33:18 +0000

This is in reply to Prakruti’s comments. I believe that a poet’s appreciation ultimatley rests with the audience. So in that sense, if Tagore is not appealing to you that is perfectly legitimate. But to neglect his contribution to Indian literature and his contribution to Indian philosophy would be foolish and a sheer sign of ignorance. To name a few legacies that has been left behind by Tagore is the canon of literature which rises from individual romanticism all the way to modernism. In terms of art criticism, Tagore’s letters and essays fuses the critical literary traditions of India and the West. In the realm of philosophy his ardent internationalism is something we still cherish and should draw our lesson from, especially in an age of intolerance and violence (please read his Crisis in Civilization). And his contributions to society? – Creation of the Vishva Bharati University (drawing from Indian ancient system of Gurukul) — a truly first of is kind international university. He donated all his Nobel prize money to the creation of his university. – Creation of several social projects to uplift the handicrafts of rural India – His ardent criticism of British imperialism – His explosive article at what he thought was the breakdown of civilization at the dawn of the second World War. His personal letters to Romain Rolland, Albert Einstein and several leading American and European intellectuals at his time. At this time he was eighty years old. – His way of creating the ‘Rakhi Bandhan Utsav’ where Hindus and Muslims would tie rakhi to each other. This was a mark of protest to Lord Curzon’s decision to divide Bengal in 1905. Due to these protests, the British government finally stopped implementing the division.

By: Rana Chakraborty

Rana Chakraborty — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 19:44:52 +0000

I just wanted to share one of Kaji Nazul Islam's poems in English translation. He is sometimes completely overshadowed by Tagore. He was a contemporary of Tagore and had his distinctive literary style. In a lot of his poems, he invokes images from Hindu, Muslim, Greek, Roman and Hebrew mythologies. He was a polyglot and translated immnensely from Arabic and Persian to Bengali. Here is poem by Kaji Nazrul Islam:

I am the unutterable grief,

I am the trembling first touch of the virgin, I am the throbbing tenderness of her first stolen kiss. I am the fleeting glance of the veiled beloved, I am her constant surreptitious gaze...

...

I am the burning volcano in the bosom of the earth, I am the wild fire of the woods, I am Hell's mad terrific sea of wrath! I ride on the wings of lightning with joy and profundity, I scatter misery and fear all around, I bring earth-quakes on this world! Ã¢â‚¬Å“(8th stanza)Ã¢â‚¬Â

I am the rebel eternal, I raise my head beyond this world, High, ever erect and alone! Ã¢â‚¬Å“(Last stanza)Ã¢â‚¬Â[7] (English translation by Kabir Choudhary)

By: Rana

Rana — Mon, 15 May 2006 23:07:57 +0000

Together Tagore and Kaji Nazrul Islam have taken Bengali literature in particular and Indian literature in general to a different realm.

By: Saurav

Saurav — Mon, 15 May 2006 22:47:47 +0000

Besides Tagore Bengali poetry was also enriched by Kaji Nazrul Islam who is the national poet of Bangladesh.

Thanks for bringing him up! We also love him in WB…and Long Island

By: Rana Chakraborty

Rana Chakraborty — Mon, 15 May 2006 22:38:47 +0000

http://banglapedia.search.com.bd/HT/I_0109.HTM

Besides Tagore Bengali poetry was also enriched by Kaji Nazrul Islam who is the national poet of Bangladesh.

By: General Veers

General Veers — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 18:06:59 +0000

JOIN THE IMPERIAL EMPIRE!!!!! CRUSH THE REBEL SCUM!!!!

By: Saurav

Saurav — Mon, 25 Jul 2005 08:15:36 +0000

Saurav, Suhail: No, no!!::) Jhinge is ridge gourd, and posto is poppy seeds… Here’s a recipe. Totally recommended. Especially for Sunday lunch, the poppy seeds put you to sleep in minutes..:))

Yes, now this sounds familiar. It’s the orange posto. Which I also detest.

If I were not veg, I would live off of fish fry with lebu and onion, bhath, daal, and some assorted other things (and mishti and rolls. until my heart gave out.