The district administration today marked
a subdued 153rd birth anniversary of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in Mungpoo, some 32km from Darjeeling town.
According to sources, the district
administration received a communiqué from the state government asking it
to scale down the celebration programme given the ongoing election
model code of conduct.
“We received orders from the state
government asking us not to organise a grand programme to celebrate
Tagore’s birth anniversary because of the election code of conduct.
However, we may host a grand celebration in collaboration with the
Gorkhaland Territorial Administration and other state government
departments after the election is over,” said one of the sources.
Artistes from Darjeeling and Siliguri
performed Rabindra Sangeet and dances during the programme that lasted
for some 90 minutes at the Rabindra Bhawan where the bard used to stay
during his visits to the hills, which he did on four occasions.
“We held a small scale programme today
to remember and honour the ‘Guru’ on his birth anniversary. We garlanded
his bust and organised a recitation of his poems, while Rabindra
Sangeet and dances were performed by artistes from Darjeeling and
Siliguri,” informed Darjeeling SDO Soura Mondol.
The Bhawan has been converted into a
museum to preserve the heritage and sanctity of the bard’s stay in the
hills. It houses furniture used by Tagore and also his paintings,
attires and a number of letters and poems.
Sisir Raut, the caretaker of the Bhawan,
rued a grand celebration could not be held due to the election and also
lamented the fact that the Bhawan and Tagore’s legacy were not being
protected as desired.
“The Bhawan needs massive repair and
renovation work, but till date, we have only seen minor repair works and
those are not enough. We must uphold Tagore’s value as he is our
nation’s pride to showcase to the world,” he said.
Raut added, “Making matters worse is the
confusion about which department is supposed to look after the Bhawan. I
have no idea even though officials from the state government or the
district administration and the GTA come to visit the place
occasionally. They leave by promising much, but nothing of note has been
done.”
Officials of the GTA and the police
department along with the cinchona plantation were also present at the
function initiated by the state information and cultural department.(EOIC)
Rabindranath Tagore’s Gauripur House in ruins
‘Kabi-guru’ Rabindranath Tagore had celebrated his 78th birthday in Gauripur House here in Kalimpong. He had composed a poem titled ‘Janmadin’ on April 25, 1940 and had aired it live via telephone on All India Radio from Gauripur House. That was the day when telephone services had first commenced in town.
“Undivided India had heard the bard reciting his poem from Gauripur House here all the way to Delhi and Lahore,” says former principal MN Bhattacharya even as he narrates the Nobel laureate’s intimate connections with Gauripur House, located about 2km from town.
Tagore used to stay at Gauripur House whenever he climbed up the hills during the hot season. He first visited Kalimpong in 1938 and penned several of his classic poems, including ‘Janmadin’, ‘Maya’, ‘Jaska’ and ‘Jaratikhati’. The poet spent two months at Gauripur House in 1938 and was back again two years later. Sitting in the confines of silence and pleasant weather, the legendary poet composed ‘Upaghat’, ‘Namkaran’ and ‘Jalsansar’, among other eminent pieces.
Time’s passage has had its toll on Gauripur House and the structure is now in ruins. It is owned by a Kolkata resident and has been looked after by three generations of a family. The place is now surrounded by an overgrowth of grass and weeds and the structure itself is on the verge of collapsing any time.
Noted educationist and former principal TB Thakuri says, “We did our best to salvage the place but failed. It is necessary to save Gauripur House as it is attached to the legacy of Tagore.”
According to Thakuri, whenever Tagore visited Kalimpong, he used to gather locals around him and render Rabindra Sangeet and recite his poems. The government must take an earnest initiative and save Gauripur House, he added.
Meantime, Bhattacharya said they have appealed to the authorities several times to save the historical site, but all cries for help have fallen on deaf ears. He said Darjeeling district by itself is an underdeveloped region and the state government has no concern regarding its development. Bhattacharya said, “It is the moral responsibility of the state government to save Gauripur House. The structure must be accorded heritage status.” (EOIC)
“Undivided India had heard the bard reciting his poem from Gauripur House here all the way to Delhi and Lahore,” says former principal MN Bhattacharya even as he narrates the Nobel laureate’s intimate connections with Gauripur House, located about 2km from town.
Tagore used to stay at Gauripur House whenever he climbed up the hills during the hot season. He first visited Kalimpong in 1938 and penned several of his classic poems, including ‘Janmadin’, ‘Maya’, ‘Jaska’ and ‘Jaratikhati’. The poet spent two months at Gauripur House in 1938 and was back again two years later. Sitting in the confines of silence and pleasant weather, the legendary poet composed ‘Upaghat’, ‘Namkaran’ and ‘Jalsansar’, among other eminent pieces.
Time’s passage has had its toll on Gauripur House and the structure is now in ruins. It is owned by a Kolkata resident and has been looked after by three generations of a family. The place is now surrounded by an overgrowth of grass and weeds and the structure itself is on the verge of collapsing any time.
Noted educationist and former principal TB Thakuri says, “We did our best to salvage the place but failed. It is necessary to save Gauripur House as it is attached to the legacy of Tagore.”
According to Thakuri, whenever Tagore visited Kalimpong, he used to gather locals around him and render Rabindra Sangeet and recite his poems. The government must take an earnest initiative and save Gauripur House, he added.
Meantime, Bhattacharya said they have appealed to the authorities several times to save the historical site, but all cries for help have fallen on deaf ears. He said Darjeeling district by itself is an underdeveloped region and the state government has no concern regarding its development. Bhattacharya said, “It is the moral responsibility of the state government to save Gauripur House. The structure must be accorded heritage status.” (EOIC)