Rai-Son d'etre (the essence of existence) - Choker Bali and Rabindranath Tagore
Rai-Son d’etre
(the essence of existence) - Choker Bali
and Rabindranath Tagore
The
French phrase ‘raison d’etre’ means the most important reason or purpose for someone’s
existence. The Nobel Laureate famous
Indian writer, poet Rabindranath Tagore’s
novel ‘Binodini’ aka 'Choker Bali' is now a successful motion picture
(2003). No creation is better than the creator himself. Though it may be true in many aspects
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s portrayal of Binodini a sensuous, moderately educated
and scheming widow with her intimate and passionate emotions deserves high accolade. Choker Bali is a Bengali pet name means “Sand
in the Eye” or “An Eyesore” . Aishwarya Rai is not an eyesore but the
internationally acclaimed celebrity actor and Miss World pageant winner, an
intelligent person and truly admirable epitome of beauty and a revered personae
tip-toeing Cannes Film Festival of France is sharing her birth place within 352
km and less than 6 hours travel from this writer’s home town.
“The
highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes
our life in
harmony with all existence”.
- Rabindranath Tagore.
Rabindranath
Tagore (1861-1941) is the first Asian poet to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature
in 1913 for his ground breaking work “Gitanjali”. Rabindranath Tagore has written the Indian
National Anthem “Jana Gana Mana”.
Rabindranath
Tagore was a Bengali poet, philosopher, artist, playwright, composer and
novelist of the 19th and early 20th century. He was the first Nobel Prize winner of India.
“Everything
comes to us that belongs to us, if we create the capacity to receive it.” - Rabindranath Tagore.
Tagore studied
in one of the London university college for his barrister degree. Tagore
married in 1883 to Mrinalini Devi and had five children from the marriage. He travelled by the barges along the Padma
River’s sandy estuaries where he observed and inspired by the pastoral life
working in the paddy fields, the fishermen with their net, visiting school children
and attending the feasts in his honor.
The
“Shantiniketan”, the first open air university of India was founded by the
poet’s father Maharishi Devendranath Tagore in 1862. The Shantiniketan is
located 212 km north of Calcutta or present day “Kolkotta”, the city of
joy. In 1901, Rabindranath Tagore
started a school at Shantiniketan named
Brahmachari Ashram that was modeled on the lines of the ancient ‘Gurukul’
system that later came to be known as Patha Bhavan, the school of his ideals, with central
premise that learning in a natural environment would be more enjoyable and
fruitful. The Vishwabharati society was established in
1921. Tagore envisioned a center of
learning which would have the best of both the East and the West. The school
was expanded into a University and was named Vishva-Bharati which was defined by Tagore as “where the
world makes home in a nest”.
That was the inception of first ever open air university in India. When
Rabindranath Tagore won the Nobel Prize in 1913, it not only enhanced the pride
of India but also the prestige of Shantiniketan.
Kala
Bhavana, the art college of Shantiniketan, is still considered one of the best
art colleges in the world.
The
other institutions of Shantiniketan are –
·
Vidhya Bhavana - the institute of Humanities
·
Shiksha Bhavana
– the institute of Science
·
Sangeet
Bhavana- the institute of Dance, Drama and Music
·
Vinaya Bhavana
– the institute of Education
·
Rabindra
Bhavana – the institute of Tagore Studies and Research
·
Palli
Samghathana Vibhaga – the institute of Rural Reconstruction and
·
Palli Shiksha
Bhavana - the institute of Agriculture.
The Shantiniketan
is also home to Amartya Sen, the 1998 Nobel Prize Winner in Economics.
The
Shantiniketan is adorned by splendid sculptures, frescoes, murals and paintings
of Rabindranath, Nandalal Bose, Ramkinkar, Binod Bhari Mukhopadhaya and
others. Shantiniketan is also famous for
its fairs and festivals such as –
·
Poush Mela
(December)
·
Joydev Mela
(January)
·
Basanta Utsav
(March)
and the
famous Mystic Baul Singers.
Rabindranath
Tagore and his father once set out for a mission to reach Dalhousie in Himalayas.
In mid-April they reached the station, and at 2300 meter (7546 feet) they
settled into a house that sat atop Bakrota Hill. Rabindranath Tagore was taken
aback by the region’s deep green gorges, alpine forests and mossy streams and
waterfalls. They stayed there for months and adopted a regime of study and
privation that included the daily twilight baths in icy water.
Tagore
has traveled thirty countries in five continents. He lectured in Japan, North
and South America, Europe and Mexico. In 1927 he visited Bali, Java, Kaula
Lumpur, Malacca, Penang, Siam and Singapore.
“Love
does not claim possession but gives freedom” – A famous quote of Rabindranath
Tagore.
Tagore
repudiated his knighthood to protest against Jalianwala Bagh Massacre.
The
major works of Rabindranath Tagore –
- Gitanjali - collection of Mystical and Devotional Songs.
- Gora (Fair faced).
- Jana-Gana-Mana (Though Art the Ruler of All Minds) – Indian National Anthem.
- Amar Sonar Bangla (My Golden Bangla) – Bangladesh National Anthem.
- Nirjharer Swapnabhanga (The Fountain awakened from its Dream) .
- Manasi (The Ideal One).
- Sonar Tari (The Golden Boat).
- Chitra ( A Play in One Act).
- Chokerbali (Sand in the eye).
His
famous Novels –
·
Ghare
Baire (The Home and the World)
·
Shesher Kobita
·
Chaturanga
·
Char Odhay
·
Nauka Dubi.
Most of
his works are made into successful motion pictures.
Rabindra
Sangeeth is a collection of songs and poetry by Rabindranath Tagore.
Known
mostly for his poetry, Rabindranath Tagore wrote novels, essays, short stories,
dramas, thousands of songs and biography. His works are frequently noted for
their rhythmic, optimistic and lyrical nature.
There
are coins and postage stamps depicting Rabindranath Tagore in India. Many institutions are named after him.
To mark the 150th Birth Anniversary of Nobel
Laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore, the Government of India has instituted an Award of Rs. 1 crore as its prize money in
his memory for those who promote universal brotherhood.
“I shall rush from peak to peak,
I shall sweep from mount to mount,
With peals of laughter and
songs of murmur
I shall clap to
tune and rhythm.”
- Rabindranath Tagore.
The other works of Tagore are
Smaran (In Memorium), Katha O Kahini, Naivedya, Kheya, Raja, Dak-Ghar, The
Crescent Moon, Git Malya, Songs of Kabir, Stray Birds, Sadhana – The
Realisation of Life, Balaka – The Flight of Cranes, Fruit-Gathering, The
Fugitive and Gardener etc.
Plato, Dante, Cervantes,
Goethe and Tolstoy was the literary luminaries of Rabindranath Tagore’s life
and time.
The Tagore’s were a
progressive family. Their home a hub for
social and cultural activities. They
hosted theatrical and musical performances in their mansion. Many of Tagore’s
children became respected authors, poets, musicians and civil servants.
Rabindranath Tagore
in his life time has come in contact with - Albert Einstein, Robert Frost, Thomas Mann,
H.G. Wells, George Bernard Shaw and Mahatma Gandhi.
“Love is an endless mystery
for it has nothing else to
explain it.” - Rabindranath Tagore.
Tagore merits
extensive pages of writings about his life and time, his works and
achievements.
Rabindranath Tagore died in
1941 at the family estate Jorasanko where he was born.
Rabindranath Tagore worked
towards emancipation of women and his work Choker Bali is oriented towards
widow remarriage. Tagore has witnessed
the renaissance period of Bengal in the early twentieth century.
In one of the advertisement featuring
Rabindranath Tagore says “I know of no foreign soaps better than Godrej’s Soap
and I will make a point to use Godrej’s soap”.
The ad is all the more relevant due to the writer’s linkage to Godrej
Soaps.
CHOKER BALI - The Passion
Play
Choker Bali
was titled as “The Passion Play” for the English audience.
SYNOPSIS -
Choker Bali
is the story of Binodini, who becomes a
widow after her husband’s death a year after their marriage. Later she becomes a part of an affluent
Bengali family. The son of the family
Mahendra (Prosenjit),was a would be
Doctor and a hedonist. A super brat from
a wealthy family who think he can get
away with anything with his influential family’s clout. Mahendra was married to Ashalata (Raima Sen)
a beautiful, shy, uneducated and innocent girl.
They have a visitor Behari (Tota Raychoudhuri) the childhood pal of
Mahendra, an another would be Doctor with arresting good looks. He is shown
throughout the film in and out of Mahendra’s family. The head of the family is Mahendra’s mother
Rajlakshmi (Lily Chakrabarti) who is over protective of her son and his
life. Mahendra initially engulfed in the
love of his wife soon discovers that their wedded life has run out of steam. He develop a passion towards Binodini (Aishwarya
Rai) who is a convent educated girl and speaks English. Mahendra
finds her more worthy in marriage and get sexually attracted towards
her. Binodini is assisting his mother
and do the household chorus. Mahendra’s advances towards Binodini ends up in consummate
of their passion. Both meets privately
and take chance to enjoy sex. Binodini
also befriends Ashalata and share the pet name Choker Bali with her. Binodini struggling to free herself from the
oppression of widowhood wanting to become the wife of bachelor friend Behari
and request him to marry her. Turned
down by Behari she writes a letter to him and leaves for a pilgrimage
destination Varanasi. The foursome reaches Varanasi. By the time Mahendra mends his ways and offer
to marry her but Binodini turns him down and make him to promise that he will
take her to his friend Behari with whom Binodini wanted to tie the nuptial
knot. The friend agrees to marry
Binodini but in that fateful day Binodini disappears leaving a note to Ashalata.
The
film depicts adultery, deception, deceit and desire.
Ancient
India had practiced “Sati” – a widow will jump into the funeral pyre of her
husband and kill herself pretentious of to preserve her purity. The Choker Bali
is a move towards to end widow oppression and encourage widow remarriage thus
giving her a joyful existence even after her husband’s death.
The
film is directed by Rituparno Ghosh whose Hindi film Raincoat also starring
Aishwarya Rai fascinated me as well. Choker Bali won the National Award for the
best Bengali film, best art direction and best costume design. The film also
won many other prestigious international film awards. Rituparno Gosh’s another
Hindi film Parineeta was a super duper hit.
Kashmakash, Hirer Angti, Unishe April, Dahan, Ashuk, Baariwali, Utsab,
Titli and Shubmuhurat are some of his other films.
Choker
Bali is visual delight. Rituparno Ghosh’s
fine storytelling, eye for detail and research transcends the bounds of a
period to make universal sentiments and create an aura for that time.
Rituparno’s
films are women oriented because he empathises with the gender. His forte is
his ability to read and portray the unwritten nuances of difficult relationships
and highlight the unique combination of strength and vulnerability the women
are. Choker Bali was a challenge even
for Rituparno Ghosh, the adventure of breathing life into a story written a
century ago and giving it a modern relevance.
The
Bengali’s contribution to the cinema, art and literature of Indian panorama is
priceless.
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