Sabyasachi Mukherjee
Sabyasachi Mukherjee, director general of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS), shares that the poet’s elder brother, Satyendranath, coaxed young Rabindranath Tagore to come to Bombay in 1878. During this time, young Rabi stayed with Dr Atmaram Pandurang Turkhud at 65, Kandewadi in Girgaon
The saree made for Jnanadanandini Devi (Pic Courtesy: CSMVS)
CSMVS also houses a rare Baluchar saree that belonged to Jnanadanandini Devi, the wife of Satyendranath Tagore. Though it is traditional in its weave, the design around the pallu features a contemporary scene of a steam engine train with European passengers wearing typical hats and costumes
Madhumita Pyne
Chef and culinary revivalist Madhumita Pyne has been serving Thakurbari cuisine across Mumbai. As a family, the ‘Thakurs’ (anglicised to ‘Tagore by the British) were travellers and gastronomes who would source recipes from Europe, Asia and from across India. Tagore also began the monthly tradition of a Khamkheyali Sabha at Jorasanko Thakur Bari, the ancestral home of the Tagore family
Anusree Bonnerjee in a performance of Chitrangada in 2009
The multi-faceted genius of Tagore is most evident in his literary and musical work. For Anusree Bonnerjee, city-based danseuse and honorary creative director of Shahana, Rabindra Sangeet was an introduction to the intricacies of Bengali culture and language. “In fact, the interpretation of these songs through movement in his dance dramas led to a new form, Rabindra Nritya,” the danseuse reveals. Rabindra Sangeet performances and events are often held in Mumbai.
(L) Sandhya Mehta; (R) A handwritten letter by Mahatma Gandhi to Rabindranath Tagore on his return from England (Pics Courtesy: Mani Bhavan Sangrahalaya)
Though he was older than Mahatma Gandhi, Tagore shared a close bond with him. “He travelled to Bombay in 1920 when he met with Gandhiji at Mani Bhavan,” shares Sandhya Mehta, researcher at the Mani Bhavan Sangrahalaya and co-author of Gandhi in Bombay. “Gandhiji even wrote in a letter to Devdas Gandhi quoting, ‘I saw a good deal of the poet in Bombay.’ Remember, this was also the time they were propagating the idea of Swadesi,” she adds. Those intrigued can always drop in for a peek at the letter that is displayed at the Sangrahalaya till date
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