Jalpaiguri- Unique Place of Unity

Bungalow- Jalpaiguri

Jalpaiguri is famous for its dense forest, daydream grassland and also unique natural beauty.
Raj Bangshis are very ancient inhabitants of Jalpaiguri. How they came here, there has a very old history; earlier Mongolians were often come over this place for their trade and other purpose. They had their own culture and identity. Thereafter, time was passed, they were gradually settled at this place and mixed with the ancient tribes; and thus a new class was born, called Raj Bangshis. Other than Raj Bangshi,Lepchas, Limbus, Ravas, Mech and many other tribes are also inhabitants of this place. They are also same important of this place.

Thereafter, British East India Company won this country.  They had also extended their hand at this place. Bengalis were also reached here from East Bengal (Now Bangladesh) to be settled permanently.

British company had come here to extend their business and their main aim was huge profit. Most of the Indian places they had captured and converted into profit. As we all know that British people were very much fond of tea. It is undoubtedly can say that all Indian started to drink tea following British, before that we don’t have idea about tea.

Tea was not cultivated in our country before the British. Their tea habit had opened one new era in India and that was tea business. Earlier, before cultivation of tea in India, tea would come from far England; but that was very expensive. So, alternative way had to think by the British who were lived in India.  But very pointing thing was that tea plantation is not possible in any place, a very special climate is required for tea plantation. Land type is also required something different; sloping land where water will not stored at the root of tea trees. Climate will be cold most of the time, etc. after Darjeeling; this place was right place for tea cultivation.

British businessmen were collect tribal groups for this tea cultivation works from Chhota Nagpur. Thus tribal groups were permanently inhabitants surrounding tea gardens with their traditional god and goddess and also their belief.

Thus the place Jalpaiguri became colorful with all such people. Various arts, cultures, customs, festivals were mixed up with the nature of this place. Not only Jalpaiguri, in all place of India we can see this type of mixing of diversity with their co-existence.

Generally, traditional dance, songs, and also other cultures are generally based on folks. There are so many different groups of people with their so many different folk cultures. One’s festivals attend by other groups and even also take part actively. This is the soul of India.

Amazing Calcutta: Eminent Personalities of Bengal-Part-1

Statue of Rabindra Nath Tagore

Calcutta is a place where so many eminent personalities were born and became famous in their respective fields.

Rabindranath Tagore:  who doesn’t know about Rabindranath Tagore in this world? Though he was Bengali and from India; but, he was famous for his poems, Novels, lyrics and good composing of his songs and even also good painter in this world.

 I went to Rabindranath Tagore’s house at Jorasanko of North Calcutta and that is called “Thakurbadi”. This house is now state property; Indian Government has converted this house as a museum of Rabindranath. Here each and every room is telling his story. All usable items of Rabindranath are kept very carefully and neatly.

There is a guide who will help tourists by telling Rabindranath’s life history by showing all items that he would use at his time.

In childhood, Rabindranath was called”Rabi”. The journey to become Rabi to Kabiguru was not easy tusk. In 19th century he was born as 13th child of Maharshi Debendranath Tegor and his mother Sarada Devi. He didn’t go to school at his childhood as he was very much afraid of teachers’ stick. His father arranged his education at home.

Rabindranath was actually Pirali Bramin and they came from Burdwan district. Their actual surname was “Banerjee” and their estate was at Selaidaha of East Bengal, now Bangladesh. At Selaidaha and also in Calcutta, common people would call them “Thakur” and this word was converted gradually as “Tagore”.  Later on, his father changed his religion when he came to touch of Raja Ram Mohan Roy and became “Brahma”. Thus “Maharshi” was added before his name.
Rabindranath Tagore’s father was come to Calcutta to change his luck and then he started his salt business and thus he rapidly became rich.

In the year 1913, he won Noble Prize in Literature for his famous book of poems” Gitanjali”. All poems of this book were translated by Rabindranath himself. At that time he was the first Indian and also Non-English personality who won such prestigious and world famous prize. He was the founder of Viswa Bharati at Santiniketan of Bolepur. Viswa Bharati was his dream and he would think that students from every corner of this world  will come here at take  lesson of Indian Arts and Cultures and spread of these within all.

Painting of Rabindra Nath Tagore-1

Painting of Rabindra Nath Tagore-2

Rabindranath himself is a university and lots of thinks of him were to research like his life style, his poems, his novels, his paintings, his songs, etc. Once Rabindranath told that he will be survived thousands of years within his songs. This is true, generation after generation Rabindra songs have been still practicing by various singers not only of India but also from other countries. It is also noticed that, the singers of Rabindra Sangeet don’t like to sing any other form of songs.