KNIGHTHOOD REJECTION LETTER OF TAGORE --- WRITE-UP : COURTESY, PROF. AMITAVA DATTA

WRITE-UP : COURTESY, PROF. AMITAVA DATTA
PHOTO : RABINDRANATH TAGORE (ADDED BY ME)

A public letter was written by Rabindranath Thakur(Tagore) to Lord Chelmsford, Viceroy of India on this day in 1919. In this letter, Rabindranath protested the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar, Punjab (April 1919), and renounced the knighthood that had been conferred on him in 1915. The letter was published in The Statesman (June 3, 1919), and in the Modern Review (July 1919). The Letter:

Calcutta
31 May 1919

Your Excellency,
The enormity of the measures taken by the Government in the Punjab for quelling some local disturbances has, with a rude shock, revealed to our minds the helplessness of our position as British subjects in India. The disproportionate severity of the punishments inflicted upon the unfortunate people and the methods of carrying them out, we are convinced, are without parallel in the history of civilised governments, barring some conspicuous exceptions, recent and remote. Considering that such treatment has been meted out to a population, disarmed and resourceless, by a power which has the most terribly efficient organisation for destruction of human lives, we must strongly assert that it can claim no political expediency, far less moral justification. The accounts of the insults and sufferings by our brothers in Punjab have trickled through the gagged silence, reaching every corner of India, and the universal agony of indignation roused in the hearts of our people has been ignored by our rulers-possibly congratulating themselves for what they imagine as salutary lessons. This callousness has been praised by most of the Anglo-Indian papers, which have in some cases gone to the brutal length of making fun of our sufferings, without receiving the least check from the same authority-relentlessly careful in smothering every cry of pain and expression of judgement from the organs representing the sufferers. Knowing that our appeals have been in vain and that the passion of vengeance is blinding the nobler vision of statesmanship in our Government, which could so easily afford to be magnanimous as befitting its physical strength and moral tradition, the very least that I can do for my country is to take all consequences upon myself in giving voice to the protest of the millions of my countrymen, surprised into a dumb anguish of terror. The time has come when badges of honour make our shame glaring in the incongruous context of humiliation, and I for my part wish to stand, shorn of all special distinctions, by the side of those of my countrymen, who, for their so-called insignificance, are liable to suffer degradation not fit for human beings.
These are the reasons which have painfully compelled me to ask Your Excellency, with due reference and regret, to relieve me of my title of Knighthood, which I had the honour to accept from His Majesty the King at the hands of your predecessor, for whose nobleness of heart I still entertain great admiration.
Yours faithfully,
Rabindranath Tagore

Aftermath: Dyer was initially lauded for his actions by conservatives in Britain and became a hero among many of the people who were directly benefiting from the British Raj, for example, members of the House of Lords. However he was widely criticised by liberals in the House of Commons and in July 1920 a committee of investigation set up by the British Parliament censured him. No penal or strict disciplinary action could be given because his actions had been approved of by his military superiors, but he was disciplined by being removed from his current appointment, being turned down for a proposed promotion, and was prohibited from further employment in India. As such, he was forced to retire from the army and returned to England, where he died in 1927.

Written by Prof. Amitava Datta

THE MAHATMA AT 150 ... 1

THE MAHATMA AT 150 ... 1

This is the sesquicentennial (150th) year of Mahatma Gandhi's advent. Let us offer our homage to the Sage of Sabarmati who like the rishis of old graced this holy land and sanctified it. His contributions are legion and his impact on the world incalculable as would become a transcendent teacher of seminal attributes who could go beyond demarcation of territory to embrace the whole of humanity. Naturally, his local follies were many and we too often conflate the two issues, namely, his contribution to the world and the monumental mistakes committed by him while guiding India through her revolutionary struggle for freedom. This obscures the real Gandhi and either raises him unto a divine platform of supposed infallibility or denigrates him as the culprit of Partition et al. Chauri Chaura, Tripuri, experimentation in continence, picking the wrong horse for the Prime Ministerial post, all these pale into insignificance before the lustre of this frail human being of supreme humanity and monumental folly.

Genius is ever the resultant of diametrically divorced attributes whose harmony necessarily is non-existent. So is the character of Gandhi, full of stupendous contradictions, follies and foibles, yet shining like an effulgent star across the night sky of terrestrial darkness. The beams are for us to gather, for us to wear about our world of infantile dreams and mature into manliness, for us to lead ourselves through 'the night of the dark', and in so doing we will have paid our befitting homage to this rishi of our times the like of which the world sees but once in several millenia. May we rise up to the occasion at this unique moment in the unfolding of the Mahatma's greater life that transcends the bounds of time and space and truly makes him a saint of supreme significance!

Written by Sugata Bose

P.S. : COMMENTS --

Tapan Bhattacharya : In so many incidents as like as Bhagat Sing case his stands were not appropriate for the real freedom fighters. But he projects himself as a BRITISH PRODUCT to demolish the Revolutionery attempts.

Sugata Bose : Keep up the criticism, Tapan Babu, and in Bengali, too, for all to read so that the issue is kept alive.

LEADER, LIGHT AND THE FLOCK ... 1

LEADER, LIGHT AND THE FLOCK ... 1

The individual of clarified conception serves as a beacon for the masses. He leads by dint of his realisations and men follow him implicitly. He wields his will over the multitude and his wisdom holds it to attention. Ultimately it is character that dominates proceedings, dictates terms to all and sundry, aligning them in sympathetic domains for quickened spiritual evolution. The leader leads the way and the masses follow. A wise leader, and a valorous one at that, guides his flock along progressive lines unto maturing glory and freedom.

Written by Sugata Bose

DEWDROPS ... 2

DEWDROPS ... 2

He who shares, cares;
He who cares, shares.

Who loves the most, lives the most,
For all of life is threaded in love.

The cosmos is held in love divine.

A kind word may save a life;
A life saved may save the world.

Sleep covers up consciousness
But divine dreams awake one
To the One within.

The hours of toil
Will be the hours of fruition.

Let us daily die
To infuse life into the masses.

The poor are divinities on earth;
Serving them is the highest worship.

The surface-whirl is Maya.
Dive deeper to behold the beloved.

God is
Where time is not.

Written by Sugata Bose

WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA ... 6

WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA ... 6

It was so nice to see the spiritual culture of ancient India spread out in the neighbouring countries in their attire and attitudes today at the swearing-in ceremony of the Union Government at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The visiting dignitaries exhibited their indigenous Indian culture to my great delight. Alas, if only all Indians also did so !

Written by Sugata Bose

WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA ... 5

WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA ... 5

The heritage of India may be preserved by us living up to it truly instead of indulging in superficial allegiance to it. The history of the land must be studied, known, understood, interpreted and advanced by our active participation as the continuing links to the legacy we have inherited. Ours is an ancient civilisation, true, but not a dead one. Ours is a pulsating, living culture with roots in unrecorded antiquity but shoots all over overspreading our variegated national life. Let us be proud of our heritage and let us grow each day as individuals whose collective fruition shall be the growth of our nation. Let each Indian proclaim with voice of truth that they bear absolute allegiance to the motherland. May India rise to save herself and the world from catastrophic consequences that otherwise, for sure, will consume humanity, threatened as it is by the destructive forces unleashed by the delirious, delusive and diabolical elements of medieval monstrosity !

Written by Sugata Bose

WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA ... 4

WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA ... 4 

Appeasement of the minority communities is detrimental to the solidarity of the nation and is opposed to the spirit of the Constitution of India as well. Beholding the nation as an integral whole is the right attitude and anything that opposes this spirit must be opposed with all energy and enthusiasm.

Nationhood must transcend sectional allegiance, be it religious, racial or linguistic, and this preeminent feature of the Constitution must be constantly stressed on. However, for all this allegiance to Constitution, the history and heritage of our ancient motherland must not be lost sight of and the blueprint of the Indian civilisation dating from millenia behind this day must be adhered to, for the avenue of advancement must be along the track trodden by the sages and saints of this holy land and not along any novel path imposed upon us by conquest or contamination in the name of global influence. We must be true to our spiritual heritage and must develop along the line envisaged by the rishis (seers of Truth), in accordance with the prescriptions enjoined upon us by the most enlightened document we have been blessed with --- the Constitution of India. 

Written by Sugata Bose

GOD-MEN, GURU AND GOLD ... 2

GOD-MEN, GURU AND GOLD ... 2

Men make compromise with miracle-mongers impelled by greed, the third vice. Spirituality is, by definition, opposed to materialism and totally so to materialisation of ash, necklace, ring.

Sri Ramakrishna held miracle-mongering in low esteem.

The masses are weak and fall for these charlatans who exploit them to the hilt. At any rate, producing unaccounted-for gold is a culpable offence and doing so by sleight of hand and claiming divine power by virtue of such is hardly an attribute in terms of excellence of character, far from being remotely a spiritual characteristic. To dupe the public is an offence and to propagate the same to perpetuate such debilitating tendencies in society is no less so.

It will yet take some more experience in sufferance at the hands of dubious 'divinities' before vast masses of people awake to discrimination that will rectify their crooked career and set them on the royal path to spiritual freedom shorn of all such mercenaries masquerading as messiahs, and their assorted material adornments.

Written by Sugata Bose

MY TEN FAVOURITE FEMALE HINDUSTANI CLASSICAL VOCALISTS

MY TEN FAVOURITE FEMALE HINDUSTANI CLASSICAL VOCALISTS

1. Kesarbai Kerkar
2. Rasoolan Bai
3. Hirabai Barodekar
4. Moghubai Kurdikar
5. Saraswatibai Rane
6. Azambai of Kohlapur
7. Indirabai Khadilkar
8. Meera Banerjee
9. Malini Rajurkar
10. Veena Sahasrabuddhe

Selected by Sugata Bose

GOD-MEN, GURU AND GOLD ... 1

GOD-MEN, GURU AND GOLD ... 1

Only the feather-brained believe in the sleight of hand of supposed god-men and mortgage their rationality to such, allowing them their divine status. The true spiritual seeker would neither subscribe to gaudily-robed Guru, claiming 'seeking' as his forte, nor to materialising Baba producing ash, necklace and ring of dimensions of manageable proportions but would be content to pursue principles in his bid to arrive at the truth. Spirituality in the hands of these charlatans has taken a severe beating and the need of the hour is to go back to the rational principles of sadhana enshrined in our scriptures which have nothing to do with weakness-mongering faith in pretentious 'pious' men of otherwise dubious spiritual standards.

Spirituality has everything to do with the spirit and nothing whatsoever to do with matter that would warrant the proving of divinity of supposed saints and sages on the basis of mystery-mongering and miracle-making. That there are so many takers of such arrant nonsense doing the rounds in our polity today indicates the sharp decline in our spiritual culture and the sooner we rise up against all such pretentious piety, the better. Better by far would be to become self-dependent, self-respecting atheists instead of being such foolish subscribers to irrational and even infra-rational faith that becomes the barbarian better than citizens of this ancient nation of pristine spirituality and culture. In believing in these quacks and god-men we are shaming our forefathers of indisputable intellectual brilliance, of matchless spiritual excellence.

Let us take stock of ourselves and 'shake off this sterile curse' that has sadly befallen our nation in its nadir of cultural decay. If we do not, we shall be culpable then to the propping up of these charlatans to seek personal advantage out of the same, impelled as we are by superstition, cunning and craftiness of every kind. These men of pronounced material interests benefit by our indulgence and the sooner we stop patronising them, the sooner our country will rise to power and glory in the comity of nations, for these Gurus and Swamis and Babas represent but the symptoms of a disease which has its tentacles spread out deep in the psyche of the nation, preventing its proper fruition despite the advances of material science. As for spirituality, we may seek refuge in our classical scriptures for light and knowledge instead of seeking distorted and refracted stuff from these semi-literates who masquerade as messiahs of men despite pronounced protestations to the contrary.

May sanity prevail ! May good culture restore the health of the polity ! May this disease of mystery-mongering, materialisation and mumbo jumbo philosophising be eradicated once and for all so that the people of this land grow to health, light and love on the firm basis of self-help rather than degenerate dependence on some self-declared deliverer !

Vande Mataram !

Written by Sugata Bose

''TAGORE WAS A SECOND-RATE PLAYWRIGHT" --- GIRISH KARNAD

''TAGORE WAS A SECOND-RATE PLAYWRIGHT" --- GIRISH KARNAD 

Girish Karnad said a few years back that Tagore was but a second-rate playwright, and there was much furore over it. This was but a second degree derivative of life that he subjected to his scrutiny thus, having in no way decried the primary play of life as insignificant.

Intellectual and artistic appreciation of the fundamental drama of life serves as the model for such judgement on the merit of literary dramas and Karnad's assessment of Tagore as playwright must have been made on a similar basis. His reasoned refusal to place Tagore on the same pedestal as Kalidasa in so far as dramatic merit is concerned must be accepted as an important contemporary dramatist's critical appreciation of a predecessor. The reasons cited are powerful even if, arguably, flawed in the eyes of the devout Tagore followers. 

Anyhow, it is refreshing to see someone daring the greats of the past and attempting to place their seminal contributions in their proper perspective. Such rethinking on the literary giants of the past keeps the discourse alive and effectively encourages the study of the masters. In this regard at least we must thank the outspoken critic that Girish Karnad is for bringing the limelight back on Indian drama, especially, its two exponents, mismatched in merit, may be, distant as they are in terms of time and circumstance. Kalidasa remains for Karnad the undisputed numero uno in this regard with Tagore an inconspicuous successor and, so, not quite worthy of being bracketed together. 

Karnad's principle criticism of Tagore's dramatic art is its lack of vigorous dramatic movement, its overly aristocratic bearing with little real feel for the poor other than a distant condescension which is to the modern mind anathema. As such, he argues that Tagore has never had much of an influence on his successors in this genre of the literary art form. Playwrights like Tendulkar, Badal Sarkar and others have distanced themselves from Tagore as they have gone about evolving the contemporary dramatic art form. Such isolation of Tagore and his lack of influence in shaping the course of modern Indian drama proves the mediocrity of Tagore's plays for sure, Karnad argues. He adds that Tagore's plays were staged during the poet's lifetime within the confines of Jorasanko and Shantiniketan and were witnessed only by his close friends and followers. That they did not get prominence beyond such affable limits is a pointer to their obvious second-rate status. Karnad does mention repeatedly that Tagore was a poet par excellence but failed to carry his versatility to the dramatic domain.

Although, Karnad pleads guilty to the charge of being innocent of the Bengali language in which the Tagore dramas are set, he argues that such linguistic ignorance did not much handicap his appreciation of the essential features of the dramatic art and that he was in no way better disposed of when it came to his appreciation of playwrights across the world in foreign tongues entirely unintelligible to him. Here, as there, he has had to resort to effective translations to enter the spirit of the plays and he could easily trace the fundamental features of the plays to be able to classify them and comment in consequence. 

Girish Karnad has served in the sphere of the Indian drama for decades, having won laurels at home and abroad for his own creations of acclaimed brilliance. His criticism is certainly welcome as it will help break the inertia of intelligence surrounding the seminal sage of Shantiniketan and make for a rational reviewing of his considerable contributions to world literature without being blinded by reverential adulation that makes a mockery of the fine art of appreciation. 

Written by Sugata Bose

RUMINATIONS ON RAMAKRISHNA ... 1

RUMINATIONS ON RAMAKRISHNA ... 1

If there is a God within, He must be seen. This was Sri Ramakrishna's spiritual stance. And in his search he discovered Her and then Him and then It and then what not. And he found God both within and without, immanent and transcendent. He then pronounced that God is illimitable and may be approached in diverse ways, each path, if sincerely followed, will lead to the goal. The question then arises --- what constitutes this sincerity?

Written by Sugata Bose

WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA ... 3

WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA ... 3

The life of a nation is in the masses and the life of the masses is in the age-old spiritual principles that animate this holy land of Bharat. No wonder Swami Vivekananda had cautioned reformers about the absolute necessity of preserving the sanctity of the religious beliefs of the masses as they went about improving their life on earth. Under no circumstance were they to violate the borders of their beliefs if they were at all intent in improving their lot.

This ought to be our cardinal principle, too, as we go about developing the nation. We must not commit the sacrilege of attempting to destroy the ancient spiritual traditions of our blessed land in our over-zealousness for socioeconomic evolution. The historical process does not follow the same path in every country and what may be true for Europe may not be true for India. This is preeminently a spiritual country and it must evolve along the path it has chosen ages ago. To attempt to alter its course will be impossible, for the force of history already generated in it will resist it and overcome all such innovative enterprise. Moreover, forcible change attempted will conduce to the misfortune of the nation whose dharma has been set ages ago and cannot but be spiritual in substance and in the aspired end. Thus, adapting to the natural conditions as suits this nation, measures harmonious to such must be adopted by way of letting society manifest its highest evolutionary energy. In it will conduce the highest benefit to the nation.

Vande Mataram ! Jai Hind !

Written by Sugata Bose

HAIL HUMANITY !

HAIL HUMANITY !

The written word so differs from the perception of its essence. And the written word creates so much confusion despite it being the best vehicle of communication thus far. The Word, they say, is the Truth, and the Word divides men so much that they annihilate each other in its name.

Can God be so capricious, so partisan, so irrational, nay, infra-rational, that He in all His mercy denounces the vast majority of those who refuse to follow Him, and arranges for their persecution here on earth and hell-fire hereafter? Where is His natural justice, whither His wisdom?

It is best to adhere to the dharma then than to subscribe to any divine dictate of sorts and sell one's discretion to discriminate intelligently as to one's conduct in life and one's approach to Truth. Better to be a rational, thinking man than a blind believer in irrational nonsense masquerading as religion, thrust upon the human species through the exigencies of social evolution in diverse parts of the world.

Hail humanity !

Written by Sugata Bose

যোগ ও ভোগ ... ১

যোগ ও ভোগ ... ১
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তমোগুণ দূর করতে উত্তম ভোগের আয়োজন করা আবশ্যক বলে অনেকে মনে করেন | কিন্তু অগ্নিতে গৃতাহুতি দিলে তা নির্বাপিত হয় না, বরং উত্তরোত্তর তা বেড়ে যায় | অতএব, ভোগ করে নি, পরে অমনিই যোগের আকাঙ্ক্ষা এসে পড়বে, এ চিন্তাধারা ভ্রান্ত ও নিছক বাতুলতা | শাস্ত্রনির্ধারিত পথ অবলম্বন করেই গুণের ক্রমবিবর্তন সম্ভব ও কালক্ষেপণে তমো-রজোকে অতিক্রম করে সত্তে উপনীত হওয়া যায় | ভোগের পথ কখনো সেই রাজপথে মিলিত হয় না | ভোগাকাঙ্ক্ষী মানুষ নিদ্রিত, স্বপ্নালু, তাঁরা এসব শাস্ত্রবাক্যের গূঢ়ার্থ অনুধাবন করতে পারেন না, তাই অদ্ভুত অর্থ করে বসেন শাস্ত্রসুত্রের ও বিপরীতবুদ্ধিসহায়ে বিভ্রান্ত হয়ে পড়়েন | চাই প্রাথমিক ভাবে ব্রহ্মচর্যসহায়ে আত্মচিত্তশোধন | তাহলেই শুভবুদ্ধির আলোকে শাস্ত্রার্থ হৃদয়ঙ্গম হবে ও যোগের রাজপথও দৃষ্টিগোচর হবে |

রচয়িতা : সুগত বোস (Sugata Bose)

NOT QUITE A RAY OF LIGHT, O ANGLOPHILE SISTER, O ANGLOPHILE BROTHER !

NOT QUITE A RAY OF LIGHT, O ANGLOPHILE SISTER, O ANGLOPHILE BROTHER !

When shall we learn to unlearn whatever nonsensical stuff in the pronunciation of Indian names that we have slavishly imbibed from the mispronouncing Anglo-Americans? Is it not time to call Satyajit Ray as 'Ray' (Raaey) with the Bengali turn in accent rather than the English mispronunciation 'Ray' (Rae) which in another context would seem to mean 'a ray of light'. Well, certainly, Satyajit Ray was not merely a ray but a veritable sun beaming out rays in diverse directions of the cinematic world. His literary contributions were not mean either nor his artistic ones in so many modes and manners.

It is time to rectify our servile mentality with reference to the West and adopt Indian modes and manners where it concerns the representation of our own culture in the world. That is the least that may be expected of any self-respecting Indian. Did not Satyajit Ray from his final hospital bed insist that Audrey Hepburn should pronounce his surname the way we do it in our vernacular in Bengal? And did not the cinematic celebrity take especial care to see to it that she pronounced it to perfection as she announced Ray's receiving the Lifetime Honorary Oscar? Then why on earth do we remain so negligent in doing so? Why even now the references to his name here in English bear the unmistakable stamp of the British pronunciation? Why this affiliation to everything English if even in the erroneous way at that? When will this colonial hangover 'shake off its sterile curse'? My countrymen, I seek an answer.

Satyajit Ray was himself culpable to the same offence in his film 'Sikkim' where he pronounced 'Himalayas' as 'Himalayas' as the Englishman does instead of pronouncing it as it ought to be, that is, 'Himaalayaas'. So, you see, he has himself sown the very seeds in the soil of the Indian consciousness that ought not to have been done in the first place and now it refuses not to sprout the infertile weeds which need uprooting constantly to purify pronunciation of like words, one of which happens to be his surname itself.

God bless the Indian English-educated intelligentsia and their pronounced Anglophilia ! May God save the Queen and if He does not, surely her Indian subjects will substitute well to prolong her reign over her commonwealth !

Written by Sugata Bose

'দেশ দেশ নন্দিত করি মন্দ্রিত তব ভেরী আসিল যত বীরবৃন্দ আসন তব ঘেরি | দিন আগত ওই, ভারত তবু কই ?' ... রবীন্দ্রনাথ

'দেশ দেশ নন্দিত করি মন্দ্রিত তব ভেরী

আসিল যত বীরবৃন্দ আসন তব ঘেরি |

দিন আগত ওই, ভারত তবু কই ?' ... রবীন্দ্রনাথ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Becm9ftUJyI&fbclid=IwAR111JTcWJ3LvUJQPsXVZhuXEfhrG6KPY8030WZXISTGmNhGWpOGtPjVzJY

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আহা, কি সব ছেলেমেয়েরা প্রাণ দিয়েছে দেশমাতৃকার শৃঙ্খলমোচনের জন্য ! এ তো শুধু সংগীত নয়, এ যে জীবনের গান, রুধিরস্নাত বিপ্লবীদের সংগ্রামগাথা | রবীন্দ্রনাথের এ সৃষ্টি এক অবিস্মরণীয় কীর্তি তাঁর, পরাধীন ভারতের সন্তানসন্ততিদের বীরগাথা | সুরমূর্ছনায় যে এ হেন দেশাত্মবোধ জাগানো যায়, তা এই গানটি না শুনলে হয়ত এভাবে অনুভব করতে পারতাম না | এর স্বরলহরী, সুরের উত্থান পতন ও শব্দের ওজস্বিতা --- এই ত্রয়ীর অপূর্ব সম্মেলন, এমনটি আর তো বড় একটা শুনিনি অন্য কোনো গানে | এর ভাবগাম্ভীর্য, সুরের সুষমা ও লয়ের চলন গানটিকে ভারতের 'লা মার্সীয়েস' (La Marseillaise) এর মাত্রা এনে দিয়েছে | বিপ্লবমুখর বাংলার অগ্নিযুগের জীবন্ত চিত্রন ঘটেছে এই গানটিতে | না জানি কত বিপ্লবী সেদিন অনুপ্রাণীত হয়েছিলেন এর ধ্বনিতে | আজও এর প্রাসঙ্গিকতা ফুরায় নি --- অতীতের ইতিহাসকে জুড়ে রেখেছে বর্তমান প্রজন্মের মানুষের মানসিকতার সাথে | এই সন্ধিস্থানে এই সংগীতের আবাহন হোক ও দেশপ্রেমের প্লাবন আসুক আবার | কবি বলেছিলেন তাঁর সংগীত কালজয়ী হবে | হয়েছেও নিঃসন্দেহে | এবার একটু শোনা যাক | পাঠের থেকে শ্রুতি শ্রেষ্ঠতর |

রচয়িতা : সুগত বোস (Sugata Bose)

THE GENIUS OF KUMAR GANDHARVA

THE GENIUS OF KUMAR GANDHARVA 

Kumar Gandharva was quite a genius having evolved a singular style of singing all by himself, fusing the folk and the classical forms with a dexterity that is unmatched in recent history. His loss of the use of one lung and consequent use of the only one remaining greatly handicapped him in singing in the classical style to which he was earlier accustomed and which he later had to renounce and adopt a new style of singing altogether, a fate forced unto him and one which surely must have played a seminal role in evolving his revolutionary style of rendition of the classical forms of vocal music. Whatever it may have been, the result of it all was that in the crucible of his life's health hazards was evolved a style of vocal rendition that remains unique in the annals of Hindustani classical music and marks Kumar Gandharva as a musical genius of a rare order. Anyone less endowed than him would scarce have recovered from the physical debility that he had suffered from which had incapacitated him for years and thwarted his singing, and which had prompted his physicians to strictly prohibit him from ever attempting to sing again, risking possible fatality if he did so.

But the one that had been born to sing could not be thwarted by a thousand maladies and Kumar Gandharva did triumph over tuberculosis and began to enthral his audience across India once again. He now blended the folk genre with the classical form to set up his unique style of music, a revolutionary form that lit up the auditorium the moment he broke into his rapturous rendition in his inimitable manner. The rest is history.

Kumar Gandharva, the child prodigy whose genius nether disease nor premature flowering could snuff out, conquered his great misfortunes through the tireless love and service of his life's partners and emerged as a stellar being of the Hindustani musical firmament. His legacy remains with his disciples and family members, a distinct style of music which posterity must take care to not let it sink into oblivion through disuse.

Written by Sugata Bose

TWEETS, MORE TWEETS ... 3

1. কর্ম কি সেবা বিবর্জিত ? নির্ভর করে মানসিকতার ওপর | শ্রদ্ধাবিহীন কর্ম দাসত্বমাত্র, শ্রদ্ধাপূর্ণ কর্ম -- সেবা, পূজা, আরাধনা, তপস্যা, যোগ , প্রেম |

2. The revolutionaries of the freedom movement exhibited the valour of the Great Revolt of 1857 and not quite in vain for it was their revolutionary activity that eventually brought us freedom, a fact now historically established but is not quite the narrative of the Government of India yet for obvious political compulsions.

3. সুরে স্থায়ীত্ব আসুক, চঞ্চল তান এমনি এসে পড়বে |

4. গাছ কেটে ফেললেন সব | এখন বুড়ো মানুষদের এই গরমে যে প্রাণ যায় |

5. When somebody addresses you, make sure you acknowledge it by words or by visible body language. It is etiquette to do so.

6. We are living in a democracy but we behave like feudal lords. Time to change.

7. Will Japan forget Hiroshima and Nagasaki? If they do, they will no more remain Japanese. Retribution or reform?

8. শুধু কর্ম করলেই হয় না, লোকব্যবহারও প্রয়োজন |

9. গরমে আমরা এখন সবাই সিদ্ধপুরুষ, অর্থাৎ, গরমে সব সেদ্ধ হয়ে যাচ্ছি আর কি |

10. সবাই জীবন ভালোবাসেন | জীবনের জীবন যিনি, তাঁকে কেউ চান না |

11. বিজ্ঞানের যুগ শেষ, এখন অজ্ঞানের যুগ |

12. বিজ্ঞানী = big জ্ঞানী ?

13. যে কারণে জগতে আসা, সে উদ্দেশ্যই সাধন হল না | জীবন বৃথা গেল |

14. ভোগে নিমজ্জিত মানুষ কী যোগের সংবাদ পায় ? নাস্তিক্যবুদ্ধি অবশ্যম্ভাবী | আবার প্রমাণ চেয়ে বসে ঈশ্বরের, যেন কত জানার ইচ্ছা তাঁকে বাসনাসহায়ে !

15. If the Lutyens' media is allegedly anti-national as is made out by the constant carping of a boisterous TV anchor, the critic from Mumbai is a compulsive mercenary wholly intent on gathering TRP in the name of a raucous nocturnal show. May God preserve nationalism from these noxious influences unto a saner understanding of it !

16. Rash Behari Bose, handing over the charge of the Indian Independence League and the reins of the overseas revolutionary movement for freedom to Subhas Chandra Bose in July 1943 at the Cathay Cinema Hall, Singapore, is a moment crystallised in history.

17. The repertoire of ragas that a musician has depends a lot on the 'taleem' (training) he is fortunate to receive from his Guru. Bhimsen Joshi was quite limited in this respect but transcended limitations through depth of presentation and his undeniable range of voice, prolonged 'taankari' through three octaves and the reverential mood he invoked through his concentrated rendition of the classical vocal art form.

18. Where do people go when they die? Where do they stay when they live? Do they live and do they die?

19. Reverence is a rare thing and once it grips an individual, he is on his way to the realisation of his cherished end.

20. সংগীত যেখানে সাধনা, সেখানেই তার সার্থকতা | আর, এ সাধনা শুধু সুরের নয়, এ সাধনা ঈশ্বরদর্শনের |

21. The life of a nation is in the masses and the life of the masses is in the age-old spiritual principles that animate this holy land of Bharat.

22. Transcending shame is not the same as shamelessness. The former calls for the spiritualisation of physical conceptions while the latter grossly gives in to greater physicality.

23. Care must be taken to do the minutest work with care. This is the way to yoga, perfection.

24. The Sanatan Dharma (Hinduism) is the grandest philosophical system, the deepest religion that there is in the world.

25. Mutual respect is democracy.

26. সত্য, শিব ও সুন্দরের আরাধনাই সংস্কৃতি |

27. কর্ম সৌন্দর্য্যমণ্ডিত হোক |

28. তিনি বুদ্ধির বহুদূর, বোধের গোচর |

29. 'Holy men' making ash, rings and necklaces through supposed 'materialisation' weaken the nation by going contrary to its spiritual tradition.

30. Miracle-mongering is a detestable pastime of supposedly spiritual men who dupe the public with cheap materialisation.

31. Gimmicks do not make music. The raga must reveal its essence, its colour and fragrance in all its optimal beauty.

32. হৃদয়ে যিনি, ব্রহ্মাণ্ডেও তিনি |

33. ভগবান আছেন ও কর্মরত আছেন | আপনার, আমার কর্তব্যকর্ম অবশ্য করণীয় কিন্তু তার ওপর নির্ভর করে কিছুই নেই ব্রহ্মাণ্ডে | তাঁর কর্ম চলছে, স্বাধীন, স্বতঃস্ফূর্ত, শৃঙ্খলাযুক্ত, শৃঙ্খলমুক্ত |

34. Seek Him not in facts and figures, in precepts and principles, but seek Him in the love of your heart.

35. The world runs independent of you and me. It is we who run round and round, being impelled into unceasing motion by the spinning wheel of cosmic karma.

36. যে কাজই করুন, সুন্দর করে করুন, নিপুণভাবে করুন | অসুন্দর কাজ অশ্রদ্ধা হতে উদ্ভূত | শ্রদ্ধাবিহীন কর্ম মঙ্গলসূচক নয় |

37. After the scientific quest for finding the ultimate truth has failed, must come the quest of the spirit. But be scientific to begin with. Else, you will precipitate into follies and foibles that will make a mockery of your rational faculties.

38. Unless there is a scientific revolution in India, there is no hope for India.

39. Let men be rational. Enlightenment must come through reason before intuition brings fulfilment by transcending it.

40. The call of the hour is enthusiastic service to humanity beholding the divine within man.

41. Life runs through you and me like air trapped in bubble. And when the bubble bursts, it is an unbounded Me.

42. He who seeketh Him in facts and figures, in precepts and principles, in scriptures and sayings, in philosophies and formulations, misseth Him for He is best concealed in the inmost recesses of the heart where data doth not reach. Seek ye the Lord in love and ye shalt find Him.

43. This life is a golden opportunity to evolve. Do not waste it in idle pursuits. Utilise it fully and blossom unto fullness.

44. Divergence of opinion is democracy.

45. Preparedness is the key
Before the wind catches
And surges us through the sea.

46. Chaotic life does seem like 'a tale told by an idiot' but life serene is akin to the blissful vision of a sage sublime.

47. Trapped between knowledge and ignorance we are, the intermediate state of terrestrial sentience.

48. How everywhere people are trapped, one to one, each to each ! The cosmic glue holds, karma binds, attachment builds bonds and bondage, too.

49. Dreams seem so real till they break and we awake to their hollowness. Is life a dream, too? Then, whither wakefulness?

50. The trivialities of life, the frivolities of life, its fun and frolic, its relentless pursuit of pleasure --- all these are fine if they lead to life's final fruition in Self-realisation. But do they?

51. Sometimes I am inclined to thinking that the truly semi-spiritual person is the atheist and the irrational materialistic believers are rank atheists.

52. Improve your skill in any work that you do and it will be service to the nation.

53. Practise Hinduism and strengthen it. Do not engage in vain talk merely. Austerity is the key, not laxity.

54. Let environment be one of the key issues to be dealt with in NDA Government 2.0.

55. VRIKSHAROPAN UTSAV ... 1

Plant 1.36 billion trees to save the environment. Each Indian deserves a tree at least. Let not the Government do it merely. Let us also join in.

Written by Sugata Bose

56. Let the media for the sake of gathering TRP not blow up personalities out of proportion. Let there be sanity in veneration.

57. PRINCIPLE, PLEASE, NOT PERSONALITY ... 1

This constant harping on personality must stop. It is emphasis on principles that makes a nation. Remember nationalism itself is principle and not personality.

Written by Sugata Bose

58. Swami Ekarthananda Puri Alas, you are subtler than most (sukshmaya sukshmaha darshibhi) ! Your posts are becoming the toast of the hour, Maharaj, and do raise it now and then to the health of our motherland.

59. দরিদ্রের স্কন্ধে সভ্যতা স্থাপিত |

60. ভাষা সংযত হোক রাজনৈতিক নেতা/নেতৃর | সকলকেই ' আপনি ' বলে সম্বোধন করলে শোভন শোনাবে, সভ্যতার মান থাকবে |

61. নেতাজী রামকৃষ্ণ-বিবেকানন্দের একান্ত ভক্ত ছিলেন | তিনি ছিলেন ব্রহ্মচর্যের প্রতিমূর্তি, ত্যাগী মহাপুরুষ | তাঁর প্রদত্ত জয়ধ্বনি বুঝি নবযুগের স্বার্থসিদ্ধির কাজে লাগবে এবার | একদিকে ' জয় শ্রীরাম ' তো অপরদিকে ' জয় হিন্দ ' | চমৎকার উদ্ভাবনী শক্তি রাজনৈতিক নেতৃত্বের কিন্তু এর পরিণাম কি, পরিশেষ কোথায় ?

রচয়িতা : সুগত বোস (Sugata Bose)

62. আজ বুঝি নেতাজীকে মনে পড়ল ? কিন্তু তাঁর আদর্শপালনের জন্য প্রয়োজনীয় চরিত্র আছে কি ?

63. Hindu vote is being consolidated and this is causing consternation among the opponents of the renaissance of Hinduism.

64. জয় হিন্দ ! জয় শ্রীরাম ! এবার রাষ্ট্রবোধের ভগ্নচেতনার বিরুদ্ধে ভগবৎবোধের খণ্ডিতরূপের সংঘর্ষ | রাজনৈতিক নেতা/নেত্রীগণ রাজনীতিকে প্রহসনে পরিণত করেছেন | রাজনীতিতে আজ নৈতিকতা কই ?

রচয়িতা : সুগত বোস (Sugata Bose)

65. এতদিনে শ্রীশ্রীঠাকুর বুঝি প্রকাশিত হতে চলেছেন বাংলার রাজনৈতিক রঙ্গমঞ্চে | জয় শ্রীরাম !

66. রাজনৈতিক নেতাদের এত প্রাধান্যও দেওয়া উচিত নয় যে তাঁরা মাথায় চেপে বসেন | মানুষ তাঁর আত্মসম্মানে প্রতিষ্ঠিত হোন |

67. " যে রাম, যে কৃষ্ণ, ইদানিং সেই রামকৃষ্ণরূপে অবতীর্ণ হয়েছে | " ... নরেন্দ্রনাথকে শ্রীরামকৃষ্ণ

জয় শ্রীরাম !

68. Slogans will not work, work will. The new generations do not subscribe to idle talk. They need opportunities for self-development.

69. Maryada Purushottam Shree Ramchandra, the spiritual ideal of India. Jai Shree Ram !

70. 49.99% of the population is, yet, mathematically a minority in India. So, where does the demographic change head towards?

71. A semi-literate liberalism to uphold fanatical faiths does not conduce to human well-being. Study the doctrines to infer.

72. Save the children from fanatical religious indoctrination. Clerics, take a back-step and allow scientific evolution.

73. All life is sacred and must be protected --- trees, animals, humans et al.

74. ছবি দেখে আর কত দিন কাটবে ? এবার লেখাগুলো পড়ুন | স্বতঃস্ফূর্ত হলেও, পরিশ্রম করেই তো লিখি | তাই বলছি, পড়ুন |

75. You cannot divorce Ram and Krishna from Ramakrishna who was the harmonic embodiment of both. Jai Shree Ram ! Jai Shree Krishna ! Jai Shree Ramakrishna !

76. রাজনৈনিক নেতা/নেত্রীগণ যদি দেশের স্বার্থ অতিক্রম করে স্বীয়স্বার্থকে প্রাধান্য দেন, তাহলে তাঁদের ইতিহাস হতে হবে | জনতার রোষই দেবতার রোষ |

রচয়িতা : সুগত বোস (Sugata Bose)

77. Save every drop of water. Let not the water-table sink. Hard days are ahead as the earth warms up. Plant trees to bring in rain.

78. We are scratching on the surface of Maya as the enchantress divine beholds us in our playful vision.

79. The synthesis of Ram and Krishna is Ramakrishna. And who knows, how much more? Was Ramakrishna a revolutionary? Vivekananda was. But the prophet-patriot was Ramakrishna reborn. So, what is the inference?

80. At the end of the day it is still 'Jai Shree Ram '. Ram, the torch-bearer of our civilisation, the preserver of our dharma, the concentrated essence of our eternal spiritual culture.

81. The poor man is illiterate but humble. The politician is ignorant and arrogant. Now who should lead whom?

82. Businessmen, cut down all the trees of the land and render our nation into a desert. Your profit demands it, your greed dictates.

83. Terrorism is as often inspired by religion as it is not, for ideology is as much religious as secular.

84. Do not shout down your opponent in debate. Reason your way through, and if you cannot, then keep your own counsel.

85. Enough of religion. Now be scientific please. The nation's advancement depends on that. Let the youth be rational.

86. As parties fight for power, the people suffer. Alas, a new generation shall yet arise to raise with it the nation.

87. Politicians must sanitise their thoughts, restrain their actions. Else, the ire of the people will spare none.

88. Simplify your lifestyle to save the environment. Enjoy the higher delights born in sacrifice.

89. Save the environment. Else, we all perish. The rich, remember, your industrial greed will consume you, too. There is no escape.

90. The planet heats up. Plant trees. Cool the planet.

91. Trickling drops of water collecting over an hour to fill a pot. Rajasthan parched and thirsting. Help with water.

92. 1% of the population owning 73% of our private national wealth. How nice is that?

93. There are two types of people on this earth :
1. They who sacrifice and serve.
2. They who exploit and enjoy.

94. WHEN SLOGAN STEALS THE SHOW

Shree Ramchandra and Sri Subhas Chandra now pitted against each other in counter-slogans in West Bengal. Did the revolutionaries bleed for the advent of this day?

Written by Sugata Bose

95. Hindus must unite. Upon the solidarity of the Hindus rests the future of our dharma tradition and the preservation of our timeless heritage.

96. Dalits are Hindus. Do not be deluded to believe that they are non-Hindus. This is a narrative in conspiracy against Hinduism.

97. Work not grudgingly out of a slavish sense of duty. Work freely out of love. And with a big smile. Does it cost so much to smile?

98. Strength will come to the nation through purity. Continence holds the key.

99. Converts from Hinduism have turned inimical to the Hindus. Proselytising is a curse that has historically befallen this nation.

100. STOP SCOWLING, START SMILING

Do not take life so seriously. At any rate life is a serious matter. So, lighten the burden by making light of things. Live free of care, happy, blissful, so far as life allows, though. But a lot depends on your attitude. Stop scowling, start smiling.

Written by Sugata Bose

101. A cheerful face is the sign of spirituality. So, be cheerful.

102. Bhagat Singh was martyred then (1930) and has been martyred ever after. Mere clamour will not do. Live his principles to bring about a more equitable society.

103. A country that has self-respect is still a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations? This colonised mindset has to go.

104. PRINCIPLE, PLEASE, NOT PERSONALITY ... 1

This constant harping on personality must stop. It is emphasis on principles that makes a nation. Remember nationalism itself is principle and not personality.

Written by Sugata Bose

Sugata Bose : [@Debaprasad Bhattacharya] Not if there is undue emphasis on personality to set up a cult that obscures the vision underlying the principle and aims at superseding it with self-interest. The line of demarcation is fine and must not be transgressed through the clamour of sycophants seeking self-gain by constant propaganda of the leader's name which befits, perhaps, a feudal society but not quite a democratic polity as such.

THOSE FRESHEST FLOWERS OF HUMANITY

THOSE FRESHEST FLOWERS OF HUMANITY

Let children be brought up bold and free, without a shred of superstition muddying their minds, without a doubt arising therein being stifled by doctrinaire dictates.

Let children rationalise their way through to enlightenment. Do not dictate terms to them. Do not suppress their spontaneity. Let them grow free and fair and without fear marring their way to manhood, to womanhood. Let them breathe peacefully without fear of being heavily chastised or unduly admonished for ever so slight an error made in the eye of the adult. Let their spirits flourish. In it lies the highest good, the best benefit that can accrue to the growing child. 

Written by Sugata Bose

Photo : Rash Behari Bose with daughter and son.

133 RD BIRTH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF RASH BEHARI BOSE AT MAHABODHI SOCIETY [ 25 MAY, 1886 -- 25 MAY, 2019 ]

133 RD BIRTH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF RASH BEHARI BOSE AT MAHABODHI SOCIETY [ 25 MAY, 1886 -- 25 MAY, 2019 ]

HOME FROM HOMAGE

Just returned from the Mahabodhi Society where the great spirit of the redoubtable revolutionary loomed large on the proceedings to make with his blessings a grand success of the commemorative programme on the occasion of his 133rd birth anniversary.

THE OCTOGENARIAN WHO HAD ONCE BEEN WITH BHAGAWANJI

Sri Bijoy Nag presided over the proceedings and in a brief impassioned speech, in response to a question on Bhagawanji's having been allegedly a PTSD patient and a schizophrenic personality at that, busted the theory with reverential emotion effusing that left the discerning audience in awe of the seminal personality of Netaji.

Q & A

Dr. Madhusudan Pal took charge of the Q & A Session as he responded many a time to a query without mincing words and sparing none of the miscreants who have over 70 years distorted and destroyed the narrative of the revolutionary freedom struggle where our hero of the day was the stellar being who wielded his force across the entire first half of the 20th century spanning two world wars and the inter-war years that eventually brought us freedom. Prof. Nandalal Chakraborty also answered questions from the audience but we were not privileged to hear him through for any length of time owing to paucity of the same.

FORGER OF ASIAN UNITY

Dr. Rama Prasad Bandopadhyay, a management expert, also delighted the audience with his talk on Rash Behari's contribution to the resurgence of a united Asia decades after his death and his contribution to the rise of Indonesia as a free country.

CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS

Dr. Shankar Kumar Chatterjee spoke on the events of Rash Behari Bose's life, giving a chronological account of it to bring the somewhat straying discourse to the mainstream again.

YOUNG AUTHOR

A young author, merely 24 years of age, Soumyabroto Dasgupta, enthralled us all with his talk on Rashbehari in Japan. Incidentally, he has recently published his book in Bengali entitled 'Japan ey Rash Behari' which is on sale right now. I propose to purchase a copy of it so impressed was I with his brief but captivating speech.

Dr. Pabitra Kumar Gupta had earlier spoken on the seminal figures of the early days of the freedom struggle wherein he had mentioned the roles of Tagore, Nazrul and Rash Behari.

SONGS

Smt. Sanjukta Bhaduri had set up the mood for the afternoon's events with three songs. The first one was the Shvetashvatar Upanishad shloka 'Shrinvantu vishve' and its Bengali version composed by Tagore, 'Shono shono suroloko bashi'. The second song was Tagore's 'O amar desher maati'. She concluded with a Nazrul 'Durgamo giri kantar maru'.

VOLCANIC WORDS

Dr. Madhusudan Pal was at his best today with his impassioned outbursts at the perpetrators of the perversion of the history of the freedom struggle. He was unsparing in his criticism of the polity that has ever betrayed the revolutionary cause in India and literally launched a tirade against the traitors to the nation wherein he spared neither messiah nor man. His unrelenting verbal assault, never with acrimony but with the spirit of the patriot who took his nation's plight to heart and would not rest till he had unburdened his agony in communicating it to his assembled brethren, did us all proud. His forthright body language and volcanic words lit up the afternoon and gave it the right revolutionary fervour which otherwise would have been sadly missing despite the erudition of the lectures before and after.

REFRESHMENTS

There was a midway recess for lunch as we were all served sumptuous fried rice with potato curry, and tea was served to all after the programme got over.

SUBLIMITY

With the national flag fluttering on both sides of the speaker's desk and the imposing photograph of Rash Behari Bose making its strange spiritual presence felt, this afternoon saw us not so much paying homage to the hero but in us being lifted up to an ethereal realm by his grace. This may have been a personal experience for I certainly cannot vouch for all but, I am sure, all will agree that it was a memorable afternoon spent ruminating the revolutionary who had spent his whole life brooding on our well-being which then lay in the womb of impregnated but undelivered history.

A CRITICISM

A final word and that, however, must be by way of due criticism and it is this. The young Turks, who did serve all very well and in every possible way throughout the programme, were very talkative throughout, almost to the point of flouting all norms of civility that ought to obtain during such a programme, and it was very much regrettable indeed. Not only that, taking the cue from them, it seems, others, much more advanced in age, also gave vent to their dialogues and discussions while the speakers on the dais spoke and this included even the professors gathered who would be part of the panel that would hold the attention of the audience. It seemed that we do not quite deserve to hold such commemorative meetings in the absence of fundamental civility that ought to characterise the polity of an emerging free nation. I regretfully say that men behaved today, despite Rash Behari, as a gentlemanly mob that they have been accustomed to being for God knows how long. This is a matter of serious concern and I would draw the attention of the organisers to this effect and blame them squarely for this great transgression of civic norms for they were most culpable to this offence.

GRATITUDE TO A FRIEND

However, all things said and done, it was all due to Dr. Shankar Kumar Chatterjee's magnanimity in allowing me passage to and fro in his self-driven car that made it possible for me to enjoy this programme so well for there was neither weariness of travel attending it nor the monotony of lonesomeness en route either way. The heat could be avoided in an air-conditioned car and his luminous company gave the added fillip to my already boosted mood anticipating the day's events. No thankfulness will be enough for all his graciousness today and I must desist from offering such.

May God bless all and may the revolutionaries live in us as beacons in this dark night of our seafaring through uncharted terrain but to the eventual destination of India's glory and true freedom ! Vande Mataram ! Jai Hind !

Written by Sugata Bose