Monday, November 29, 1999

Life and times of Rabindranath Tagore

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New Delhi, May 9 (IANS) Chronology of major events and developments in Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore's life from 1861-1941:-- 1861, May 7: Born at the Jorasanko House of the Tagore family. He was the 14th child of father Debendranath Tagore and mother Sarada Devi.-- 1868: Admitted to the Oriental Seminary and subsequently to a regular school.-- 1869: Attempted his first verse after reading a Bengali translation of Bernardin de Saint-Pierre's 'Paul et Virginie'.-- 1870: Started learning music and to draw along with other subjects and practised wrestling and gymnastics.-- 1871: Admitted to the Bengal Academy, an Anglo-Indian School.-- 1873: Tagore's 'upanayan' (brahminical initiation) performed; he wrote a play 'Prithviraj Parajaya' (manuscript lost) and toured India.-- 1874: His poem 'Abhilasa' (Desire) published anonymously; admitted to Saint Xavier's School, Kolkata.-- 1876: Joined the short-lived Secret Society, modelled on Mazzini's Carbonari; his first literary criticism of a book of Bengali poems 'Bhubanmohini Pratibha' appeared in Jnanankur, a journal.-- 1877: Wrote and recited poem on Delhi Durbar arranged by Lord Lytton Jan 1 to proclaim Queen Victoria; wrote his first long story 'Bhikharini' (Beggar Maid) and his first unfinished novel 'Karuna' and long poem 'Kabikahini'.-- 1878: Went to Ahmedabad to study English; embarked upon his first foreign tour - September 1878 to February 1880 - and went to school at Brighton, England.-- 1879: Shifted to London and joined University College.-- 1881: Composed his first set of devotional songs; his first musical play 'Valmiki Pratibha' was staged at Jorasanko; sailed for England April 20; started writing novel 'Bauthakuranir Hat' (The Young Queen's Market).-- 1882: Tagore, along with elder borther Jyotirindranath, established Sarasvat Samaj and wrote the poem 'Nirjharer Svapnabhanga' (The Awakening of the Fountain).-- 1883: Tagore married Mrinalini Devi.-- 1886: Was entangled in controversies over social and socio-religious subjects; composed and sang the inaugural song for the second session of the Indian National Congress.-- 1888: Debendranath, his father, executed the trust deed of the Santiniketan trust on March 8; Tagore published 'Samalochana', a collection of essays on literary criticism.-- 1890: Attacked the anti-India policy of Lord Cross; took charge of the management of the Tagore Estate; sailed for England and also visited Italy and France.-- 1891: Wrote first six short stories, especially 'Post Master', and the first of 'Chitrangada'; along with nephew started a Bengali magazine Sadhana; attended the festival connected with the consecration of the prayer hall at Santiniketan Dec 22.-- 1895: Penned short stories beginning with 'Kshudita Pashan' (Hungry Stones).-- 1897: Wrote a comedy 'Baikunther Khata' (The Manuscript of Baikuntha) and performed the role of Kedar in its stage presentation; wrote dramatic poem 'Sati'.-- 1898: Became the editor of Bharati magazine and opposed the policies of the British; drew up plans for setting up a school at Santiniketan for imparting religious education.-- 1899: Tagore's family moved to Santiniketan; he assisted Sister Nivedita (Margaret Noble) to organise relief for plague victims in Kolkata, delivered his first sermon in the temple at Santiniketan on its anniversary.-- 1900: Published 'Katha' (plays and ballads) and 'Kahini' (story-poems) and collection of short stories 'Galpaguchchha'.-- 1901: Set up Santiniketan Dec 22 on the model of ancient forest schools (tapovana) of India and himself taught there; scripted play 'Chirakumar Sabha' (The Bachelors' Club).-- 1902: Tagore faced severe financial handicaps in running the school at Santiniketan for which he sold his personal property; wife died Nov 23.-- 1911: Composed 'Jana Gana Mana', which was declared India's national anthem in 1950. It was sung at the 26th session of the Indian National Congress.-- 1912: 'Gitanjali-Song Offerings' is published. It won the Nobel Prize for Literature a year later.-- 1913: Lectured in Chicago on the 'Ideals of Ancient Civilsation' and 'The Problem of Evil'; Calcutta University decided to confer a D.Litt degree on him, news reaches Shantinikaten about the Nobel Prize. The Macmillan & Co, London, published a popular edition of 'Gitanjali'.-- 1914: Tagore received the Nobel Prize Diploma and Medal on behalf of the Swedish Academy at a special reception in Kolkata.-- 1917-1925: Toured the world, took to painting and attended lectures both in India and abroad.-- 1940: Condemned Russia's aggression in Finland; was taken seriously ill Sep 26.-- 1941, Aug 7: Tagore died.(Source: 'A Centenary Volume: Rabindranath Tagore 1861-1941' by Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyaya and Kshitis Roy, published by Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi.)

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