Jyotirindranath Tagore
Encyclopedia
Jyotirindranath Tagore (May 4, 1849 – March 4, 1925) was a playwright, a musician, an editor and a painter. Endowed with an outstanding talent, he had the rare capability of spotting talent in others. He played a major role in the flowering of the talents in his younger brother, the first Asian Nobel Prize
winner Rabindranath Tagore
.
and the fifth son of Debendranath Tagore
, Jyotirindranath was born in the Tagore family
of Jorasanko
, in Calcutta (now Kolkata). When viewed against the exceptionally brilliant achievements of his younger brother, Rabindranath Tagore, he loses much of his shine. However, having been born in the same family and being twelve years his senior, Jyotirindranath assisted in the development of his younger brother with examples, encouragement and companionship. Two of their elder brothers - poet and philosopher Dwijendranath Tagore
and the first Indian ICS officer and musician Satyendranath Tagore
- were brilliant and renowned in their own right. His younger sister, Swarnakumari Devi
, was a well-known writer and musician.
in 1864. The renowned historian and writer Romesh Chunder Dutt was his class friend. While studying for the First Arts examination in Presidency College, he developed interest in the theatre and left his studies.
established the Jorasanko Natyasala in 1865. The first play to be staged was Krishnakumari by Michael Madhusudan Dutta. Jyotirindranath acted in the role of Ahalyadevi, a brave queen. His early success developed in him a determination to be one of greatest playwrights in his age.
Ganendranath was also one of the founders of Hindu Mela. He drew Jyotirindranath into it at a young age. At Nabagopal Mitra
’s request, Jyotirindranath recited poems he composed. The entire process enhanced his sense of patriotism and he started writing plays with a patriotic fervour. The other trend he followed was composition of plays with satire. It was not enough to write plays, those had to be staged and so, he developed a cultural organisation and named it Bidvajjan-Samagam in 1874. The organisation also provided Rabindranath an opportunity to stage some of his early plays and dance dramas. He was elected a secretary of Hindu Mela in the ninth year of existence.
Jyotirindranath wrote popular plays such as Purubikram (1874), Sarojini (1875), Ashrumati (Woman in tears, 1879), Swapnamayi (Lady of Dream, 1882). His noteworthy satires include Kinchit Jalajog (Some Refreshments, 1873), Eman Karma Ar Korbo Na (I will never do such a thing again 1877), Hathath Nabab (Suddenly a Ruler, 1884), Alik Babu (Strange Man, 1900). His plays were extremely popular and were accepted by the commercial stage. Hathath Nabab was based on Moliere’s
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme
Purubikram is story of the brave Punjab
King Porus (Porus is called “Puru” in Bengali) who stood up to Alexander the Great. It was first staged by the Bengal Theatre in 1874.
Sarojini is a tragedy about the suicides (known as jauhar) committed by the Rajput
women when defeated by invaders in order to avoid indignities. Sarojini was daughter of Rana Lahshman Singh of Mewar
in Rajasthan
. She and many others committed suicide when the Rana was defeated by Alauddin Khilji
.
There is an interesting episode related to Sarojini. Rabindranath, then a young student, used to study in a room next to where Jyotirindranath worked. Quite often the younger brother listened to what went on in the other room. Once when Sarojini was under preparation Rabindranath proposed that the scene showing Rajput women entering the burning flames of cremation to commit suicide could not be portrayed properly in prose form, it had to be presented in the form of a song. He himself composed a song for that part of the play and Jyotirindranath readily incorporated it.
Ashrumati is a legendary-imaginary play about the love affair of a Hindu girl with a Muslim boy, and the girl is torn between her love and her loyalty to her father. However, the Rana family of Rajasthan took offence to the girl being mentioned as being from their family and Jyotirindranath had to tender an apology for that.
Alik Babu covers such social issues as the remarriage of widows. The universal power of love irrespective of caste and creed has been presented in the play. His plays continue to be staged in both Bangladesh and West Bengal.
, he learnt many things – how to play the sitar and painting. He picked up the French and Marathi languages. He translated books from different languages into his native Bengali, the focus being on plays. From English he translated Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations
, Shakespeare’s
Julius Caeser
. Apart from Pierre Loti
and Théophile Gautier
, he translated many books on history, philosophy and travels, novels and short stories from French.
Between 1899 and 1904, he translated seventeen major Sanskrit dramas into Bengali. It included Kalidas’s
Abhijñānaśākuntalam
(The Recognition of Shakuntala) and Malati Madhava (Malati and Madhava), and Sudrak’s Mrichhatika (Little Clay Cart).
From Marathi, he translated Bal Gangadhar Tilak
’s Geetarahasya.
His elder brother Dwijendranath was editor of Tattwabodhini Patrika
. Jyotirindranath proposed a new magazine, Bharati in 1877. Although Dwijendranath was its editor, it was effectively run by the younger brother. He was the vice-president of the Vangiya Sahitya Parishad
in 1902 – 03. He worked actively in a literary organisation called Saraswata Samaj, established in 1882, dedicated to enriching the Bengali language and literature. Jyotirindranath has 46 volumes of published works to his credit, including translations.
Jyotirindranath always attended a literary majlis (gathering) in the house of his elder brother Satyendranath Tagore
. Others who attended it were Dwijendranath Tagore
, Balendranath Tagore, Sarala Devi, Jagadindranath Ray, Lokendranath Palit, Sharatkumari Choudhurani, and Pramatha Chowdhury.
, violin
, harmonium
and sitar
.
The resonance of music in the Jorasanko Thakur Bari
environment was a gift of Jyotirindranath. His companion in the cultivation of literature and music was Akshay Chandra Chaudhuri. Later, when Rabindranath crossed the threshold of childhood and grew a little, he joined them. The system they followed was that Jyotirindranath composed a tune on the piano. Akshay and Rabindranath tried their best to incorporate the tunes into word-patterns. Twenty songs of Rabindranath’s dance drama Mayar Khela were based on tunes composed by Jyotirndranath.
Their elder brother, Dwijendranath , was the pioneer in developing notations for Bengali music. He modified and developed the system of notations. He compiled a book with songs and swaralipi (Bengali musical notations) of several composers, Dwarkin published it as Swaralipigitimala. In 1879, the organisation also published a magazine on musical matters, Binabadini, edited by Jyotirindranath Tagore. It is claimed to be one of the first such magazines in Bengali
. He published another magazine on music, Sangeet Prakashika. He composed many songs for use with prayers of the Brahmo Samaj
. Some of them based on Hindustani classical tunes. He founded the Bharatiya Sangit Samaj (Indian music society) in 1897 to work on Indian music. His songs are available in a CD.
One of the foremost musicologists of Kolkata, as well as a classical singer Rajyeswar Mitra opines, “At this stage too, we find the rise of a celebrated line of musical and dramatic culture in the house of the Thakurs (Tagores), which was much more polished and enlightened in character than most other such houses. The chief architect of this development was Jyotirindranath Thakur (1849 – 1925), Rabindranath’s elder brother. Although the entire process emanated from an aristocratic circle, the songs obtained wide circulation in society generally. Indeed their greatest service was to create a common taste for refined lyrics relying on a polished and melodic line. The perfection of this course lay, of course, in the work of Rabindranath Thakur (1861 – 1941).”
museum. Some of his sketches were published in Bharati in 1912. William Rothenstein
happened to see them and evinced interest in them. He wanted to see more of his sketches. When Rabindranath proceeded for his third visit to England the same year, he carried a bunch of sketches prepared by Jyotirindranath. Rothenstein was highly impressed and with his assistance the book Twenty-five collotypes from the original Drawings of Jyotirindranath Tagore was published in England.
and Barisal (both the places are now in Bangladesh).
He bought the shell of a steamer and on fitting it with engines was pressed into service as Sarojini. That was in 1884. An English company Flotila also entered the fray and soon competition emerged. Jyotirindranath bought four more steamers. After naming them Swadeshi, Bharat, Bangalakshmi and Lord Ripon, those were launched in his steamer company. Both the companies started reducing the fares. Jyotirindranath started incurring heavy losses but still persisted with the business. In 1889, while cruising in the Hooghly River, Swadeshi hit a jetty and sank. At that point of time, Flotila offered a fair price for his other steamers. Jyotirindranath sold them and opted out of the competition.
At his initiative a secret society Sanjivani Sabha was formed possibly in 1876, with Rajnarayan Basu
as president. This society attempted the manufacture of match sticks and hand-woven cloth.
and lived there. Satyendranath used to give him company quite often. He died in that house.
Satirical plays - Kinchit Jalajog (Some Refreshments, 1873), Eman Karma Ar Korbo Na (I will never do such a thing again 1877), Hathath Nabab (Suddenly a Ruler, 1884), Alik Babu (Strange Man, 1900).
Translations - Kalidas’s
Abhijñānaśākuntalam
(The Recognition of Shakuntala) and Malati Madhava (Malati and Madhava); Sudrak’s Mrichhatika (Little Clay Cart); Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations
, Shakespeare’s
Julius Caeser
; Bal Gangadhar Tilak
’s Geetarahasya.
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
winner Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore , sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature...
.
Family
The grandson of Dwarkanath TagoreDwarkanath Tagore
Dwarkanath Tagore , was one of the first Indian industrialists and entrepreneurs, was the founder of the Jorasanko branch of the Tagore family, and is notable for making substantial contributions to the Bengal Renaissance.-Childhood:...
and the fifth son of Debendranath Tagore
Debendranath Tagore
Debendranath Tagore was one of the founders in 1848 of the Brahmo Religion which today is synonymous with Brahmoism the youngest religion of India and Bangladesh....
, Jyotirindranath was born in the Tagore family
Tagore family
The Tagore family, with over three hundred years of history, has been one of the leading families of Kolkata, and is regarded as a key influence during the Bengal Renaissance...
of Jorasanko
Jorasanko
Jorasanko is a neighbourhood in north Kolkata. It is so called because of the two wooden or bamboo bridges that spanned a small stream at this point.-History:...
, in Calcutta (now Kolkata). When viewed against the exceptionally brilliant achievements of his younger brother, Rabindranath Tagore, he loses much of his shine. However, having been born in the same family and being twelve years his senior, Jyotirindranath assisted in the development of his younger brother with examples, encouragement and companionship. Two of their elder brothers - poet and philosopher Dwijendranath Tagore
Dwijendranath Tagore
See Tagore for disambiguationDwijendranath Tagore was an Indian poet, song composer, philosopher, mathematician, and a pioneer in Bengali shorthand and musical notations.-Formative years:...
and the first Indian ICS officer and musician Satyendranath Tagore
Satyendranath Tagore
Satyendranath Tagore was the first Indian to join the Indian Civil Service. He was an author, song composer, linguist and made significant contribution towards the emancipation of women in Indian society during the British Raj.-Formative years:...
- were brilliant and renowned in their own right. His younger sister, Swarnakumari Devi
Swarnakumari Devi
See Tagore for disambiguationSwarnakumari Devi was an Indian poet, novelist, musician and social worker. She was the first among the women writers in Bengali to gain prominence.-Family and early life:...
, was a well-known writer and musician.
Formative years
In early childhood he was taught at home by his elder brother Hemendranath. Thereafter, he studied at St. Paul’s and Montague’s school, and passed Entrance Examination (school leaving or university entrance) from Hindu SchoolHindu School, Kolkata
Hindu School is a school in Kolkata , India. It is located on College Street, in the vicinity of Hare School, College Square, Presidency College and Calcutta University....
in 1864. The renowned historian and writer Romesh Chunder Dutt was his class friend. While studying for the First Arts examination in Presidency College, he developed interest in the theatre and left his studies.
Involvement with the theatre
Jyotirindranath was attracted towards the theatre from his student days. He formed a home theatre group and staged dramas. One of his cousins GanendranathGanendranath Tagore
Gagendranath Tagore was a musician and theatre personality, and contributed substantially to nationalist discourse. One of the first students to pass the Entrance Examinations of Calcutta University, he was the founder-secretary of Hindu Mela.-Family:Dwarkanath Tagore, the founder of Jorasanko...
established the Jorasanko Natyasala in 1865. The first play to be staged was Krishnakumari by Michael Madhusudan Dutta. Jyotirindranath acted in the role of Ahalyadevi, a brave queen. His early success developed in him a determination to be one of greatest playwrights in his age.
Ganendranath was also one of the founders of Hindu Mela. He drew Jyotirindranath into it at a young age. At Nabagopal Mitra
Nabagopal Mitra
Nabagopal Mitra was an Indian playwright, poet, essayist, patriot and one of the founding fathers of Hindu nationalism. Along with Rishi Rajnarayan Basu he founded the Hindu Mela, the pioneer institution behind the genesis of Hindu nationalism...
’s request, Jyotirindranath recited poems he composed. The entire process enhanced his sense of patriotism and he started writing plays with a patriotic fervour. The other trend he followed was composition of plays with satire. It was not enough to write plays, those had to be staged and so, he developed a cultural organisation and named it Bidvajjan-Samagam in 1874. The organisation also provided Rabindranath an opportunity to stage some of his early plays and dance dramas. He was elected a secretary of Hindu Mela in the ninth year of existence.
Jyotirindranath wrote popular plays such as Purubikram (1874), Sarojini (1875), Ashrumati (Woman in tears, 1879), Swapnamayi (Lady of Dream, 1882). His noteworthy satires include Kinchit Jalajog (Some Refreshments, 1873), Eman Karma Ar Korbo Na (I will never do such a thing again 1877), Hathath Nabab (Suddenly a Ruler, 1884), Alik Babu (Strange Man, 1900). His plays were extremely popular and were accepted by the commercial stage. Hathath Nabab was based on Moliere’s
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature...
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme
Le Bourgeois gentilhomme is a five-act comédie-ballet—a play intermingled with music, dance and singing—by Molière, first presented on 14 October 1670 before the court of Louis XIV at the Château of Chambord by Molière's troupe of actors...
Purubikram is story of the brave Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
King Porus (Porus is called “Puru” in Bengali) who stood up to Alexander the Great. It was first staged by the Bengal Theatre in 1874.
Sarojini is a tragedy about the suicides (known as jauhar) committed by the Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
women when defeated by invaders in order to avoid indignities. Sarojini was daughter of Rana Lahshman Singh of Mewar
Mewar
Mewar is a region of south-central Rajasthan state in western India. It includes the present-day districts of Pratapgarh, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Dungarpur, Banswara and some of the part of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The region was for centuries a Rajput kingdom that later...
in Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
. She and many others committed suicide when the Rana was defeated by Alauddin Khilji
Alauddin Khilji
Ali Gurshap Khan better known by his titular name as Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji was the second ruler of the Turko-Afghan Khilji dynasty in India.He was a well and capable ruler. He belonged to the Afghanized Turkic tribe of the Khiljis...
.
There is an interesting episode related to Sarojini. Rabindranath, then a young student, used to study in a room next to where Jyotirindranath worked. Quite often the younger brother listened to what went on in the other room. Once when Sarojini was under preparation Rabindranath proposed that the scene showing Rajput women entering the burning flames of cremation to commit suicide could not be portrayed properly in prose form, it had to be presented in the form of a song. He himself composed a song for that part of the play and Jyotirindranath readily incorporated it.
Ashrumati is a legendary-imaginary play about the love affair of a Hindu girl with a Muslim boy, and the girl is torn between her love and her loyalty to her father. However, the Rana family of Rajasthan took offence to the girl being mentioned as being from their family and Jyotirindranath had to tender an apology for that.
Alik Babu covers such social issues as the remarriage of widows. The universal power of love irrespective of caste and creed has been presented in the play. His plays continue to be staged in both Bangladesh and West Bengal.
Translation and editing
In 1867, while staying with his elder brother Satyendranath Tagore in AhmedabadAhmedabad
Ahmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
, he learnt many things – how to play the sitar and painting. He picked up the French and Marathi languages. He translated books from different languages into his native Bengali, the focus being on plays. From English he translated Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations
Meditations
Meditations is a series of personal writings by Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor 161–180 CE, setting forth his ideas on Stoic philosophy....
, Shakespeare’s
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
Julius Caeser
Julius Caesar (play)
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, also known simply as Julius Caesar, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1599. It portrays the 44 BC conspiracy against...
. Apart from Pierre Loti
Pierre Loti
Pierre Loti was a French novelist and naval officer.-Biography:Loti's education began in his birthplace, Rochefort, Charente-Maritime. At the age of seventeen he entered the naval school in Brest and studied at Le Borda. He gradually rose in his profession, attaining the rank of captain in 1906...
and Théophile Gautier
Théophile Gautier
Pierre Jules Théophile Gautier was a French poet, dramatist, novelist, journalist, art critic and literary critic....
, he translated many books on history, philosophy and travels, novels and short stories from French.
Between 1899 and 1904, he translated seventeen major Sanskrit dramas into Bengali. It included Kalidas’s
Kalidasa
Kālidāsa was a renowned Classical Sanskrit writer, widely regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language...
Abhijñānaśākuntalam
Abhijñānaśākuntalam
Abhijñānashākuntala or Abhijñānaśākuntalam) , is a well-known Sanskrit play by Kālidāsa. Its date is uncertain, but Kalidasa is often placed in the period between the 1st century BCE and 4th century CE....
(The Recognition of Shakuntala) and Malati Madhava (Malati and Madhava), and Sudrak’s Mrichhatika (Little Clay Cart).
From Marathi, he translated Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Lokmanya Tilak –, was an Indian nationalist, teacher, social reformer and independence fighter who was the first popular leader of the Indian Independence Movement. The British colonial authorities derogatorily called the great leader "Father of the Indian unrest"...
’s Geetarahasya.
His elder brother Dwijendranath was editor of Tattwabodhini Patrika
Tattwabodhini Patrika
Tattwabodhini Patrika [Tattwabodhini Patrika ] was established by Maharshi Devendranath Tagore on 16 th August, 1843, as a journal of the Tattwabodhini Sabha, and continued publication until 1883...
. Jyotirindranath proposed a new magazine, Bharati in 1877. Although Dwijendranath was its editor, it was effectively run by the younger brother. He was the vice-president of the Vangiya Sahitya Parishad
Vangiya Sahitya Parishad
Bangiya Sahitya Parishad is a literary society in Bengal. Established during the time of the Raj, its goal is to promote Bengali literature, both by translating works in other languages to Bengali and promoting the production of original Bengali literature....
in 1902 – 03. He worked actively in a literary organisation called Saraswata Samaj, established in 1882, dedicated to enriching the Bengali language and literature. Jyotirindranath has 46 volumes of published works to his credit, including translations.
Jyotirindranath always attended a literary majlis (gathering) in the house of his elder brother Satyendranath Tagore
Satyendranath Tagore
Satyendranath Tagore was the first Indian to join the Indian Civil Service. He was an author, song composer, linguist and made significant contribution towards the emancipation of women in Indian society during the British Raj.-Formative years:...
. Others who attended it were Dwijendranath Tagore
Dwijendranath Tagore
See Tagore for disambiguationDwijendranath Tagore was an Indian poet, song composer, philosopher, mathematician, and a pioneer in Bengali shorthand and musical notations.-Formative years:...
, Balendranath Tagore, Sarala Devi, Jagadindranath Ray, Lokendranath Palit, Sharatkumari Choudhurani, and Pramatha Chowdhury.
Music
Jyotirndranath had lessons in music early in life from Bishnupada Chakravarty. He was an expert in playing the pianoPiano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, harmonium
Harmonium
A harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument similar to a reed organ. Sound is produced by air being blown through sets of free reeds, resulting in a sound similar to that of an accordion...
and sitar
Sitar
The 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
.
The resonance of music in the Jorasanko Thakur Bari
Jorasanko Thakur Bari
The Thakurbari The Thakurbari The Thakurbari (Bangla: House of the Thakurs (anglicised to Tagore) in Jorasanko, north of Kolkata, West Bengal, India is the ancestral home of the Tagore family. It is currently located on the Rabindra Bharati University campus at 6/4 Dwarakanath Tagore Lane...
environment was a gift of Jyotirindranath. His companion in the cultivation of literature and music was Akshay Chandra Chaudhuri. Later, when Rabindranath crossed the threshold of childhood and grew a little, he joined them. The system they followed was that Jyotirindranath composed a tune on the piano. Akshay and Rabindranath tried their best to incorporate the tunes into word-patterns. Twenty songs of Rabindranath’s dance drama Mayar Khela were based on tunes composed by Jyotirndranath.
Their elder brother, Dwijendranath , was the pioneer in developing notations for Bengali music. He modified and developed the system of notations. He compiled a book with songs and swaralipi (Bengali musical notations) of several composers, Dwarkin published it as Swaralipigitimala. In 1879, the organisation also published a magazine on musical matters, Binabadini, edited by Jyotirindranath Tagore. It is claimed to be one of the first such magazines in Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
. He published another magazine on music, Sangeet Prakashika. He composed many songs for use with prayers of the Brahmo Samaj
Brahmo Samaj
Brahmo Samaj is the societal component of the Brahmo religion which is mainly practiced today as the Adi Dharm after its eclipse in Bengal consequent to the exit of the Tattwabodini Sabha from its ranks in 1859. It was one of the most influential religious movements responsible for the making of...
. Some of them based on Hindustani classical tunes. He founded the Bharatiya Sangit Samaj (Indian music society) in 1897 to work on Indian music. His songs are available in a CD.
One of the foremost musicologists of Kolkata, as well as a classical singer Rajyeswar Mitra opines, “At this stage too, we find the rise of a celebrated line of musical and dramatic culture in the house of the Thakurs (Tagores), which was much more polished and enlightened in character than most other such houses. The chief architect of this development was Jyotirindranath Thakur (1849 – 1925), Rabindranath’s elder brother. Although the entire process emanated from an aristocratic circle, the songs obtained wide circulation in society generally. Indeed their greatest service was to create a common taste for refined lyrics relying on a polished and melodic line. The perfection of this course lay, of course, in the work of Rabindranath Thakur (1861 – 1941).”
Drawing
He was attracted towards drawing and sketching. He sketched the portraits of many persons in the family. Of Rabindranath there are numerous sketches in different styles. He drew the sketches of plain folk around him, including the employees of his shipping firm. Around 2,000 sketches of his are preserved in the Rabindra Bharati UniversityRabindra Bharati University
Rabindra Bharati University is a university in Kolkata, India. It was founded on May 8, 1962, under the Rabindra Bharati Act of the Government of West Bengal in 1961, to mark the birth centenary of the poet Rabindranath Tagore...
museum. Some of his sketches were published in Bharati in 1912. William Rothenstein
William Rothenstein
Sir William Rothenstein was an English painter, draughtsman and writer on art.-Life and work:William Rothenstein was born into a German-Jewish family in Bradford, West Yorkshire. His father, Moritz, emigrated from Germany in 1859 to work in Bradford's burgeoning textile industry...
happened to see them and evinced interest in them. He wanted to see more of his sketches. When Rabindranath proceeded for his third visit to England the same year, he carried a bunch of sketches prepared by Jyotirindranath. Rothenstein was highly impressed and with his assistance the book Twenty-five collotypes from the original Drawings of Jyotirindranath Tagore was published in England.
Business ventures
His grandfather Dwarkanath Tagore was a pioneering and legendary figure in business activities. He had earned so much and lived so lavishly that people called him ‘Prince’. Jyotirindranath earned some profits from indigo cultivation. He could not continue with indigo cultivation as result of the drop in demand subsequent to discovery of chemical indigo in Germany. He was eager to invest his profits in some business venture. At that time, there was a need for a steamer link between KhulnaKhulna
Khulna is the third largest city in Bangladesh. It is located on the banks of the Rupsha and Bhairab rivers in Khulna District. It is the divisional headquarters of Khulna Division and a major industrial and commercial center. It has a seaport named Mongla on its outskirts, 38 km from Khulna...
and Barisal (both the places are now in Bangladesh).
He bought the shell of a steamer and on fitting it with engines was pressed into service as Sarojini. That was in 1884. An English company Flotila also entered the fray and soon competition emerged. Jyotirindranath bought four more steamers. After naming them Swadeshi, Bharat, Bangalakshmi and Lord Ripon, those were launched in his steamer company. Both the companies started reducing the fares. Jyotirindranath started incurring heavy losses but still persisted with the business. In 1889, while cruising in the Hooghly River, Swadeshi hit a jetty and sank. At that point of time, Flotila offered a fair price for his other steamers. Jyotirindranath sold them and opted out of the competition.
Other activities
He served as secretary of the Adi Brahmo Samaj from 1869 to 1888. He founded the Adi Brahmo Samaj Sangitvidyalay (School for Brahmo songs) in order to popularise Brahma Sangeet.At his initiative a secret society Sanjivani Sabha was formed possibly in 1876, with Rajnarayan Basu
Rajnarayan Basu
Rajnarayan Basu was a writer and intellectual of the Bengal Renaissance. He was born in Boral in 24 Parganas and studied at the Hare School and Hindu College, both premier institutions in Kolkata, Bengal at the time. A monotheist at heart, Rajnarayan Basu converted to Brahmoism at the age of...
as president. This society attempted the manufacture of match sticks and hand-woven cloth.
Marriage
Jyotirindranath was married to Kadambari Devi on 5 July 1868. He not only arranged for her education, but also taught her horse-riding in the public grounds of Kolkata, defying the conservative society of the time. She committed suicide on 19 April 1884.Later life
Ever since his wife died he was very close to Satyendranath’s family. As he had no children of his own he enjoyed the company of Stayendranath’s children. In later life, he built a house named Santidham on Morabadi Hill in RanchiRanchi
-Climate:Ranchi has a humid subtropical climate. However, due to its position and the forests around the city, it is known for its pleasant climate. Its climate is the primary reason why Ranchi was once the summer capital of the undivided State of Bihar...
and lived there. Satyendranath used to give him company quite often. He died in that house.
Works
Historical plays -Purubikram (1874), Sarojini (1875), Ashrumati (Woman in tears, 1879), Swapnamayi (Lady of Dream, 1882).Satirical plays - Kinchit Jalajog (Some Refreshments, 1873), Eman Karma Ar Korbo Na (I will never do such a thing again 1877), Hathath Nabab (Suddenly a Ruler, 1884), Alik Babu (Strange Man, 1900).
Translations - Kalidas’s
Kalidasa
Kālidāsa was a renowned Classical Sanskrit writer, widely regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language...
Abhijñānaśākuntalam
Abhijñānaśākuntalam
Abhijñānashākuntala or Abhijñānaśākuntalam) , is a well-known Sanskrit play by Kālidāsa. Its date is uncertain, but Kalidasa is often placed in the period between the 1st century BCE and 4th century CE....
(The Recognition of Shakuntala) and Malati Madhava (Malati and Madhava); Sudrak’s Mrichhatika (Little Clay Cart); Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations
Meditations
Meditations is a series of personal writings by Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor 161–180 CE, setting forth his ideas on Stoic philosophy....
, Shakespeare’s
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
Julius Caeser
Julius Caesar (play)
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, also known simply as Julius Caesar, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1599. It portrays the 44 BC conspiracy against...
; Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Lokmanya Tilak –, was an Indian nationalist, teacher, social reformer and independence fighter who was the first popular leader of the Indian Independence Movement. The British colonial authorities derogatorily called the great leader "Father of the Indian unrest"...
’s Geetarahasya.