Even IF I take all these information as authentic, I think it only reflected the mentality of Elite Hindus. Before 1971, there was 1947. The things happened during that time had some histories behind it and it was popular among people of both communities for reasons relevant to that time.
I mean if anyone simply examine Bengali literature of 1870-1950, he/she will see that, Muslims are hardly talked about. Most of the time only as servants or peasants. Which was the reality of that time. To educated elite Hindus status of average Muslims were somewhere near low caste Hindus. Communal ism was pretty common and accepted among majority of Hindu society. Rabindranath was son of a well known land lord and his eventual transformation to a less communal mindset was documented in a recent article I read. Click here to read it.
রবীন্দ্রনাথের রান্নাঘরে ব্রাহ্মণবাড়িয়ার পাচক
As history helps us to understand and appreciate sacrifices made by our forefathers to give us a better life, we should move forward and stay away from making "Mistakes" for our collective future.
Regardless of what Rabindranath did about Dhaka University, we should read his works. He was a great poet and writer of our language. But he was not man-god. Need to appreciate him and even criticize (Constructively) him when situation calls for it. He was a mortal human being and we are going to be disappointed in him, if we expect perfection for him in everything.
We have similar "Issues" with our political leaders (Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Ziaur Rahman are good example of it). We drown them with love and emotion but become very unforgiving for human error from them.
Learn about them and love them if you want. But learn to move on with the lesson you learn.
Shalom!
From: Shah Deeldar <shahdeeldar@yahoo.com>
To: mukto-mona <mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com>
Cc: wohid <wohid@qia.qa>
Sent: Thu, May 24, 2012 7:24 am
Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Re: [ALOCHONA] Re: Some Historic Photos of Legendary Bangla Poet Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Thhakur
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Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Re: [ALOCHONA] Re: Some Historic Photos of Legendary Bangla Poet Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Thhakur
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Subject: [mukto-mona] Re: [ALOCHONA] Re: Some Historic Photos of Legendary Bangla Poet Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Thhakur
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To: Muhammad Wohidul Islam <wohid@qia.qa>
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Subject: [ALOCHONA] Re: Some Historic Photos of Legendary Bangla Poet Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Thhakur
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Subject: Some Historic Photos of Legendary Bangla Poet Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Thhakur
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Friday, May 25, 2012
Fwd: [mukto-mona] Re: [ALOCHONA] Re: Some Historic Photos of Legendary Bangla Poet Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Thhakur
We had a discussion on the topic of Tagore's alleged anti-Muslim biases, specifically about his stand against establishing Dhaka university in Alochona forum. Some of the fellow members produced related information about Tagore's anti Dhaka University position.
Muslims often did not feel safe revealing their religion to Hindus. So it was a different time. We should be aware of history but it would be foolish to live in history for ever. History helps us to understand why Muslims wanted to establish Pakistan and why couple of decades later they broke out of it.
-----Original Message-----
Great points! The trouble is when these ill-informed people keep chanting the same message again and again, it may get into some people' bones.
-SD
"All great truths begin as blasphemies." GBS
Things to remember while reading Ibne Samad article:
It seems like Monayeem Khan is back from the grave. We have been through such propaganda against Tagore in the '60s by Muslim-Leaguers and Islamists. Now, they are back again.
First of all, I do not think we have a concrete proof from one article, written by a man (probably a communalist), that Tagore imposed a ban on Muslims from entering into the BiswaBharati University. Considering the socio-psychological conditions of Muslim people at that time, it is highly likely that Muslims themselves did not want to get such non-Islamic education (songs, dance, etc.) from that University, until King Nizam encouraged them through his support and contribution to that University.
Next point, Tagore did not support Dhaka University. I still need to know Tagore's rationale for that, if it's true at all. This article did not cite any.
Next point, Tagore did not do anything good with his Zamindari-business for his subjects. I do not think his mind was in the Zamindari-business at all.
None of these vacuous claims has anything to do with Tagore's creations and contributions to the Bengali literature and culture.
This is what I think – all these are made up propaganda by communalists/Islamists, who have been trying to defame Tagore from the very beginning of the birth of Pakistan. Even if these allegations are correct, Bangalees cannot reject Tagore because he spoke their minds. His creations are heavenly. Monayeem Khan tried to erase Tagore's influence from the Bangalee culture in the East Pakistan, and the result was quite the opposite; the Bangalee got even more attracted to Tagore. Monayeem Khani-pollution is spreading again in Bangladesh, and the ultimate result will not be any different from what happened then. Communalists will keep trying to spread the poison forever since they don't have any other quality; they cannot create anything remotely close to compete with Tagore; so they try to spread communal poison on him.
Three great things about the great poet Tagore.
1. Didn't allow muslim students to attend Biswa Bharoti University till he got a hefty donation from Nizam of Hyadrabad.
2. Opposed establishing University in Dhaka.
3. Did nothing for the people who were his subjects in his Zamindery. Even the most brutal Zaminders established educational institutions for their subjects.
From: Shah Deeldar <shahdeeldar@yahoo.com>
Excellent! Thank you Sir for some great historical photos. Tagore and Nazrul were the bests that any country could ever have!!
Tagore sitting position with Neheru is revealing? Isn't it?
"All great truths begin as blasphemies." GBS
From: Muhammad Wohidul Islam <wohid@qia.qa>
Rabindranath Thhakur and Jawaharlal Nehru, engaged in deep conversation on November 4, 1936 at the Sylvan retreat of the poet at Bolpur.
Mahatma Gandhi's promise of meeting Rabindranath Thhakur annually is honored when he visited him at Shantiniketan in this February 20, 1940 picture. Here Thhakur is in rapt attention to what Mahathma Gandhi is saying.
Poet Rabindranath Thhakur reclining in his bed in a railway compartment at Howrah station when he left for Shantiniketan after recovery from his illness. This photo was published on November 22, 1940.
A remarkable portrait of Rabindranath Thhakur taken during his last visit to Poona. This photograph is taken by S.P. Bhide who entered it in a Weekly Photographic Competition. This photo was published on December 25, 1932.
Sir Maurice Gwyer, Rabindranath Thhakur, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan come out from Sinha Sadan, Shantiniketan after the Oxford University Convocation on August 7, 1940.
Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba at a reception given by Rabindranath Thhakur at Shantiniketan in this February 20, 1940 picture.
Thhakur during his tour of the West in 1921.
In this rare photograph from The Hindu's archives, Helen Keller, the blind American author and labor rights activist, greets Rabindranath Thhakur at a meeting in New York in 1930. Tuesday, May 8, 2012, marked the culmination of the year-long 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Gurudev.
Rabindranath Thhakur, when in Berlin, paid a visit to Professor Albert Einstein in his cottage at Caputh near Berlin, where the two world famous men had an enjoyable time in this August 24, 1930 picture.
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Muhammad Wohidul Islam
(LLM, Harvard Law School)
Legal Counsel
Qatar Investment Authority (QIA)
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