Zaindari, who was in East Bengal at that time, belonged to the Tagore family.
Shilaidah in Kushtia, Shahjadpur in Sirajganj, and Patisar in Naogaon – these three places were entrusted to Rabindranath Tagore, the youngest perfect son of Devendranath Tagore.
He was 28 years old and married six years ago.
As for the year and month, it was November 1889. The professional life of the emigrant youth had begun. At that time, he made a name for himself writing.
In those days, there was no road communication, and railroads did not come to this country.
Rivers were the main means of communication. Rabindranath had to go to Shilaidah today, then Shahjadpur after a week, and Patisar the following week.
He held zamindari in East Bengal for a total of 12 years until 1901. Today, on the poet’s twenty-fifth birthday, let’s collect one or two sentences from various books and make the body of the story!
Rabindranath had a bajra.
The poet said the boat. Pramatta of Bengal loved the river Padma, so he named it Padma.
His grandfather, Dwarkanath Tagore, made this bajra with artisans from Dhaka.
Inside were two large rooms, the dining room, and two smaller rooms. Dwarkanath could not enjoy the Bajra after much effort. Son Devendranath became the owner of Bajra by inheritance. He liked the boat.
Rabindranath, along with his three sons, once came to visit Padma. Finally, Rabindranath was given the responsibility of the zamindarikaz of East Bengal, and the ownership of this bullion also reverted to him.
Rabindranath Tagore found solace
And comfort on the boat ‘Bajra ‘. It was not just a means of transportation but a sanctuary where he could find peace amidst the chaos of the world. Food and sleep were arranged in it, making it a home away from home.
He would embark on journeys to Bihar with his family and friends, creating memories that would last a lifetime. Poet Rathindranath Tagore beautifully captured the essence of the boat, saying, “Once you get into the boat (barge), everything is like home.
I felt at ease with the exquisite craftsmanship and family atmosphere inside. The houseboat Padma served Baba well. When the world took his peace, he gave him shelter and peace.” (My Father Rabindranath, Rathindranath Tagore)
Another Bajra of Rabindranath is found
In the writings of his younger daughter Meera Devi. That bull’s name was Atrai. In his memoirs, he wrote, “Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose and Maharaja Jagadindranath Roy of Natore used to visit Shilaidha often.
They loved sitting in the barge on the Padma. We had two barges. So there would be no problem if it worked.
The name of one Bajra was mentioned earlier; the name of the other was ‘Atrai.’ In another pargana, we had the river Atrai, from which it was called Atrai.’
The poet roamed the rivers of Bengal riding
A barrow. In the poet’s songs, poems, and stories, sailboats, boats loaded with paddy, the shy laughter of village wives, women bathing on the banks of the river, and the cries of sailors appeared repeatedly. In the third letter of “Chinnapatra,” the poet wrote, “Our boat is anchored in front of a char on the other side of Shilaidah.
The vast expanse sweeps away—no end in sight—only the line of the river is seen here and there.
Rabindranath’s resilience
And creativity were evident in his use of the boat ‘Bajra ‘. It was not just a mode of transportation but a platform for his artistic expression.
He would pen down his thoughts and emotions, creating masterpieces like ‘Sonar Tari’ while sitting on a boat in Shilaidha.
It was the month of Falgun, and the poet wrote, “Gagane roar megh Ghan Barsha.” Poet and essayist Abul Momen wrote:
“If space and container are connected, imagination can overcome the reality of time!” This is a testament to Rabindranath’s ability to find inspiration in the most unexpected places.
In a letter written to granddaughter Indira Devi
Of Shilaidah on 6 October 1891, the story of the boat also appeared:
“The next day, I was sitting quietly by the window of the boat, a sailor in a jading went off singing a song … one not quite hello – I suddenly remembered that it had been a long time when I was a child, I used to come to Padma by boat with my parents.
One day, when I woke up around two in the morning,
I raised the window of the boat and looked up to see that there was a jyotsna on the river Nitrang; a boy was sitting alone in a small canoe, singing a song with such a sweet voice, I have never heard anything so sweet. Suddenly, I felt like I could get my life back from that day!
The barge sometimes floated a short distance from the shore. After going this far, the poet sat in the canoe. When he got off the barge, four lackeys would place the poet in a special chair and take him to Kuthibari.