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THE STORY OF THAKURBADI TAGORE’S HOUSE

Dr. Sushil Rudra

Table of Contents: The story of Takurbari/Tagore’s house

1. Intro
2. Debendranath Tagore: Father of The great poet
3. Dwarakanath Tagore & His wife
4. Glimpsing of Tagore’s forefathers: From Khulna to Calcutta
5. Jorasanko and Pathuriaghata
6. Dwarakanath : The Prince and Bengali Culture
7. The last few words :

INTRO : The Story Of Thakurbadi/Tagore’s house

Today, in this post, I will look into the Thakurbadi/ Tagore’s house. The great poet of India, Rabindranath Tagore in one of his poems, ” Janmokatha”( the story of birth ) longs to know about his birth story.

As a child, he asked his mother where he came from, and his mother answered the question of her child. Like the poet, we are also eager to know how and where he was born in.

Here, on his birthday anniversary, we have to look back to the story of Thakurbadi/ Tagore’s house, his birthplace where he was upbringing, playing with friends and brothers, and doing other activities.

2. Debendranath Tagore : Father of the great poet & the story of Thakurbadi / Tagore’s house

Debendranath Tagore had fifteen siblings. He was not a businessman like his father.

Rabindranath was fourteenth out of fifteen. His birthplace is in Joresanko, Kolkata. Debendranath was serene and pious. He became a member of Brahma Samaj.

Moreover, he was wealthy and prosperous as his father managed to establish enormous Zamindari. Rabindranath’s grandfather, Dwarakanath was an eminent businessman.

Initially, one of Rabindranath Tagore’s forefathers, Nilmoni Thakur established here in Calcutta at first being separated from his brother. His luck might favour him.

But his succession, Dwarakanath by his intelligence, achieved massive wealth and properties.

• GRANDFATHER DWARAKANATH : The Story Of Thakurbadi/Tagore’s House

Dwarakanath built a mansion just beside this house. His wife was a follower of Vaisnabism and worshipped Lord Krishna. So she did not like foreign culture and non – veg.

Naturally, Dwarakanath separately built this mansion where he arranged modern furniture. English officials and their families used to attend their parties.

So the landlord used to arrange various drinks and other precious menus for their dinner. Here children and women of the house were not allowed to participate.

3. Prince Dwarakanath Tagore, And His Wife (grandfather of R N Tagore )

No, I won’t discuss only the poet’s grandfather. We shall try to depict here the story of his forefathers and their whereabouts.

Jagannath Kusari was the forefather of Rabindranath who married the daughter of Shukdev Raychoudhury. He was a Pirali Brahmin.

Therefore, Jagannath lived in the village of his father -in -law at Dakkhindihi ( Khulna, Bangladesh). As he married in Pirali family, he lived as an outcast.

It’s the era of the Turkish and Pathan rulers. People who cain me close contact with the rules were treated as an outcast. Therefore, the Raychoudhury family had to bear such stigma.

4. Glimpses of Tagore’s forefathers: From Khulna to Calcutta

However, Some generations after Jagannath, a dispute had raised between Panchanan and his uncle’s family and they left the village by boat and reached to Kolkata ( then Calcutta).

It was British period. So there was no problem for the livelihood. English businessmen started Internationally export and import businesses.

Then Kolkata was a shopping centre. Village Gabindapur and two other villages turned into Kolkata shopping town . Kushari family settled in Gobindapur.

However, there dwelled untouchable Hindus – (depressed class among the Hindus). Most of the households were very poor. Not a single Brahmin family lived there. So the neighbours became delighted having them.

So, the most important matter is this, when they were outcastes in Khulna, here in Calcutta they were regarded as priests, even the honour of being Brahmin. At that time common people honoured Brahmins as God. They called them “Thakur Mashai” ( priest).

Panchanan extended his earning through the service in the Ship company. The English merchants, and others workers called him Thakur. But they couldn’t pronounce Thakur. So, they pronounced “Tagore”.

From then they were called as Tagore as their title. The title “Kushari” ultimately had changed to Tagore or Thakur. They started writing Thakur or Tagore henceforth.

5. Jorasanko & Pathuriaghat : The story of Thakurbari

It’s almost hundred years ago of Rabindranath’s birth, Neelmani engaged in a service in revenue department of Odisha Collectory in 1765.

At that time East India Company got Deuwani in Bengal. As a result, Neelmani managed a lot of wealth.

Hence, The story of Thakurbadi is amazing. Panchanan had a son. Jayram was his name. He was also a businessman and became wealthy and affluent.

Other than that, he was also a surveyor of a British Company. He had four sons. Amongst them, Nilmani and Darpanarayan were the ancestors of Rabindranath.

Nilmoni lived in Jorasanko and Darpanarayan settled at Pathuriaghata in old Calcutta.

Darpanarayan was not also an idle man. He too earned massively. Both the brothers purchased a land in Pathuriaghata and built a mansion.

Money begets money. This saying of sages took place in the family. Their relations were strained. Ultimately, they’re separated.

Neelmani handed over the mansion of Pathuriaghata and purchased a land in the east side of Chitpur near Jorasanko and constructed another building. That time it was Mechobazar by name. Later, its name had been changed to Jorasanko.

6. Dwarakanath : The Prince & Bengali Culture :The story of Thakurbari

Tagore’s grandfather, Dwarakanath was born in this family. From 1794 to 1846 – only 52 years span of his life, Dwarakanath gained a massive properties and wealth.

Since his lifetime, the Tagore’s family not only enriched with affluent of money and lands, they achieved great honour and respect too.

• However, Dwarakanath was an eminent businessman of contemporary Calcutta. He also started a shipping business. Initially, he got success in this new business. Probably he was the pioneer in India in connection with this business. Later Jotirindranath Thakur started this business but failed to manage this.

Besides, he was highly educated, and a distinguished intellectual of this time. Both natives and Englishman used to respect him. Undoubtedly, this story of Thakurbadi/Tagore’s house is most interesting.

RabindranathTagore As A Doctor/http://kalpatarurudra.org

• Thirdly, Dwaraknath Tagore dedicated his life to the upliftment of Calcutta city and its citizens. For this purpose, he had donated and endorsed a lot of his earnings.

• Fourthly, he travelled to foreign countries. The royal families of the Western world respected him with high esteem. And he was conferred by the title of the Prince Dwaraknath. He had also donated there.

• The Morning Star of India: The story of Thakurbadi/ Tagore’s house
Raja Rammahan Ray was his best friend. He did neither give up Indian cultures, not the practice of Hinduism, but in need, he used to practice English fashion. Although he never put on foreign dresses.

http://www.kalpatarurudra.org/Rabindranath Tagore and depressions