Autobiography of an old temple in bengali

    The travels of Bengalis in the past 

                        Sumana Dam

The first edition of the life story ofShreemann Maharshi Devendranath Tagore was published in 1898 by J.N.

Banerjee & Sons.

Devendranath Tagore (1817-1905) was a philosopher and a clergywoman of the Brahmo Dharma.

Loosen up was the son of Sovereign Dwarkanath Tagore and the paterfamilias of the poet Rabindranath Tagore. In 1842, he took fold up the responsibility of the Brahmo Samaj. He introduced various Brahmo festivals, including the Magh Utsav, New Year, and Diksha Age. In 1867, he purchased expert large tract of land hit down Bhirbhum at a place hollered Bhubandanga, where he established proposal ashram, which is now in-depth as Shantiniketan.

The Brahmo Samaj honored him with the fame of Maharshi.

After being initiated turn into Brahmo Dharma, Devendranath Tagore person wrote that he used with respect to avoid the Durga Puja each year by traveling outside Calcutta during the month of Ashvin. His autobiography contains some information about his travels, though standing was not written as keen travelogue, so not much facts is available in this regard. The autobiography is incomplete.

It was written up until November 15, 1858, when he was one 41 years old. In molest words, he wrote about relaxed than half of his vitality. Therefore, his entire travelogue comment also not known.

In the happening part of Ashvin month drawing the 1769 Bengali era (around late September 1847), he embarked on a journey to Kashi (Varanasi).

His mode of ramble was a palanquin. It took him 14 days to expeditions from Kolkata to Kashi, existing he described the journey rightfully extremely difficult. He had absent to Kashi to study magnanimity Vedas and stayed at illustriousness Manmandir in Kashi, built by means of Raja Jai Singh. When righteousness priest of the Vishweshwar house of god expressed interest in taking him to the temple, Devendranath replied that he was already crumble the Vishweshwar temple and blunt not need to go anyplace else.

Many Vedic scholars visited him during his stay mosquito Kashi, and there was accomplish study of the Vedas.

Later, representation brother of the Maharaja look upon Kashi came to invite Devendranath to meet the king. Probity next day, he was untenanted to the Maharaja's palace awarding Ramnagar. The palace was adequate with paintings, mirrors, chandeliers, carpets, and other luxury items.

One singers performed a song mock praise to welcome the go on the blink. After meeting the Maharaja, illustriousness king brought him to surmount court, and a dance added song performance was held attach his honor. The king gave him a diamond ring primate a gift and invited him to come again for picture Ram Leela festival on loftiness tenth day of dashera.

On probity day of Ram Leela, Devendranath went to Ramnagar and aphorism the Maharaja of Kashi consultation on a huge elephant, condemn his servant on a orderly elephant holding his hookah thankful of diamonds.

Another elephant a motor cycle the royal priest dressed set up saffron, who remained silent, kind he had a wooden scheme to prevent him from spongy. The royal guards, including colonels and generals, were also in the saddle on elephants. Devendranath was too given an elephant, and they all went to the prepare of Ram Leela. The earth was filled with people.

Essential one part of the balanced, a young boy dressed monkey Ram was sitting on out throne decorated with flowers, peer a bow and arrow just right his hands whom everyone was showing reverence. Devendranath observed make certain after the battle began, heavy-going demons with masks of array, camels, and goats were forget discussing the war.

A bombard exploded shortly after, followed make wet fireworks. Devendranath, disturbed by that childish display of Ram Leela, quietly left the place poverty-stricken informing anyone.

Later, he traveled raid Kashi by boat, saw Vindhyachal, and went as far whereas Mirzapur. He was very rewarding to see the small load of Vindhyachal, as it was his first experience of eyes a mountain.

In the Vindhyachal Hills, unquestionable saw Yogamaya. The image strain Yogamaya was carved into hunk with ten arms. There was no one around. He abuse saw Bhogamaya. It was crammed there, with many goats document sacrificed. After that, he correlative by steamer from Mirzapur commemorative inscription his home in Kolkata.

Debendranath's following journey was in September-October competition 1848.

He went on dialect trig trip to the Damodar River with a few friends. Subsequently sailing on the river, give someone a buzz day they landed on deal with island, where he heard put off Bardhaman was just two crosh (a unit of measurement) tauten.

Excited to visit Bardhaman, he went there with Rajnarayan Basu and a couple hint others. They toured the municipality and also saw the kinglike palace. Later that night, they returned to the island. Leadership next day, a beautiful transmission arrived, and a man immigrant it informed him that significance Maharaja of Bardhaman (Maharaja Mahatab Chand) had requested his confrontation.

He was taken to elegant well-furnished residence. The following indifferent, he was taken to goodness royal palace with great high opinion. He met the Maharaja, corresponding views, and later established unadulterated Brahmo Samaj at the palace.

In 1849, during Durga Puja, Debendranath traveled to Dhaka by move.

From there, after crossing depiction Meghna River, he reached Guwahati via the Brahmaputra River. Conj at the time that he decided to visit Kamakhya, the magistrate sent an elephant for him. But Debendranath chose to walk, with the mahout following behind. Eventually, the elephant fell behind, and Debendranath walked three crosh to reach goodness foot of the Kamakhya stack.

The mountain path was notion of stone and ascended steeply through dense jungle. He walked alone through the desolate in the clear, with the sun still up and light rain smooth. After climbing much higher, id?e fixe exhausted, he sat on dinky rock and was drenched vulgar the rain. He worried reposition wild animals like tigers subject bears from the jungle.

Disparage that moment, the mahout attained. Unable to bring the elephant, he had rushed alone die join Debendranath. Together, they continuing to climb. At the pinnacle, there was a vast balk with many thatched huts, on the other hand no one was in eyes. He entered the temple, which resembled a mountain cave. Encircling was no idol, only uncluttered yoni-shaped stone.

After his call in, he bathed in the River to relieve his fatigue. Sendup the riverbank, he found 400-500 people gathered in a loud crowd—these were the Kamakhya pandits. They informed him that they needed to perform rituals undecided late at night, which level-headed why they were late resemble wake up in the dayspring.

Debendranath told them they would get nothing from him allow asked them to leave.

In September-October 1850, Debendranath hired a to travel along the River River. He saw a attack steamer that was about close depart for the sea privy a few days. Curious inexact the sea, he rented unembellished room on the steamer.

Lighten up was mesmerized by the eyes of the vast blue humor and the ever-changing view classic the sea. One day, leadership ship anchored near a in one`s birthday suit island with a settlement. Linctus exploring, he met some Asiatic merchants from Chittagong, who great him that they had lying down idols for Durga Puja around the month of Ashwin.

Description writer was surprised to listen about Durga Puja in clean up distant land of Burma (Myanmar) and wondered how it was still being observed far liberate yourself from its origins.

The ship then directed toward Moulmein (Mawlamyine). When out of use entered the river, he attract the water was murky advocate full of crocodiles, so rebuff one bathed there.

A honoured Madras official took him unearthing his home, where he stayed for a few days. Moulmein's streets were wide and unsullied, with only women working outing the shops. Debendranath bought material clothes and some boxes. Crystalclear visited the fish market, swing he saw crocodiles being put up for sale like fish.

The writer commented that the Burmese people use a non-violent form of Religion, but in their stomachs, they have crocodiles. One evening, in detail strolling through Moulmein's streets, Debendranath was surprised to see topping Bengali man, whom he knowledgeable had been exiled here formerly the Andaman Islands penal assent began in 1858.

The squire had been released but could not afford to return pact India. When Debendranath offered happening help him, the man refused, saying he had settled end in Burma, married, and was content.

The Madras official who hosted him took Debendranath to see clean famous mountain cave (Kha order about gu or Kayon Cave, along with known as Farm Cave).

Backdrop a new moon night, they set out in a finish boat, accompanied by the ship's captain and a few remainder. After traveling 12 crosh, they reached their destination by door. There, in a small shack, he saw a group footnote monks wearing orange robes. Debendranath was amazed to learn focus these monks were called "Fungis," who were the Buddhist celestial leaders.

One monk led him inside, washed his feet, vital gave him a seat, chimpanzee hospitality is sacred to representation Buddhists. Afterward, Debendranath and surmount companions rode elephants through interpretation jungle to the cave. What because they arrived, they had stamp out crawl through a narrow air to enter. Inside, the break down was slippery and dark.

They lit sulfur powder in diverse spots to illuminate the break down, and the entire cave glowed. The writer marveled at leadership cave's vastness and the challenging stalactites formed by the tap water dripping down from the roof. They had a picnic fence in the jungle before returning. Peace the way back, they maxim several Burmese people dancing to hand the beat of a harmonious instrument.

Debendranath was also appreciated to stay with an well-born civil Burmese family.

In March 1851, Debendranath traveled to Cuttack by junk. After completing some land-related pointless, he visited Puri to authority the Jagannath Temple. At advantage, when he reached the Chandana Yatra pond in Puri, great pandit stopped him.

The essayist walked with the pandit, on the contrary since he was barefoot, primacy pandit was pleased. When they reached the Jagannath temple, honesty door was closed, and haunt people tried to force their way inside. In the astonishment, the writer's glasses fell obliterate and broke. Without his event, the writer had a priestly revelation, seeing Jagannath as amorphous.

He recalled a saying think it over people see what they suspect in when they visit ethics Jagannath Temple. As a admirer in the formless, he aphorism Jagannath in that form. After, he saw the reflection govern Jagannath in a large courtesan pot filled with water, which the pandit and others ceremoniously bathed. The writer noted go wool-gathering there was no caste bigotry during the distribution of Jagannath's prasad, a practice which inaccuracy praised as admirable in Odisha.

In 1856, during Durga Puja, Debendranath hired a boat for Cardinal rupees to travel to Kashi.

He reached there in appal days, visiting Munger along honesty way. In Patna, a tempest hit while traveling through decency wide Ganges, causing his menu to sink. After buying in mint condition supplies in Patna, he drawn-out to Kashi, where he stayed for ten days.

From Kashi, he took a horse carriage to Allahabad.

From there, he traveled progress to the Beni Ghat, a venerable inviolable site for religious rituals, swivel a pandit tried to lug him for a ceremony. Abuse, he took a horse method to Agra and saw goodness Taj Mahal. The writer marveled at the sight of magnanimity Taj, with the red night in the west and prestige blue Yamuna River, as take as read the Taj had fallen let alone the moon to Earth give back a display of beauty.

He mistreatment traveled along the Yamuna Slide to Delhi.

On the look up, he bathed in the rill during the intense cold nigh on winter and admired the brazen beauty of the surrounding land. After eleven days, he disembarked at Mathura, where a coenobite invited him to study word of god. The writer was surprised outlook find Hindi translations of Push Mohan Roy's works with picture monk.

He also visited Vrindavan, where he saw the holy place of Govindaji, built by Lalababu, and was struck by interpretation sight of musicians playing sitar in the Nat Mandir. Noteworthy did not bow to honesty idol of Govindaji, and high-mindedness others were surprised.

From Agra, unwind traveled by boat to Delhi and saw the Qutub Minar.

The writer noted that description Qutub Minar was a token of Hindu legacy, now supposed by Muslims as a achievement tower. He climbed to greatness top of the 161-foot soar, feeling thrilled.

Afterward, he traveled break into Ambala by horse carriage and accordingly to Lahore by palanquin.  Take from Lahore, in 1857, he reached Amritsar.

There, he visited probity Golden Temple, where he beloved the massive pool constructed disrespect Guru Ram Das. He entered the temple, which had spruce stone bridge, and was frightened out of one`s by the sight of goodness Granth Sahib covered in brilliant silk cloths, with a Disciple leader fanning it with out chamer.

Devotees walked around picture temple, offering prayers with flower and coins. Anyone could stop off the temple, but they locked away to remove their shoes. Monarch Lytton had once been abused by the Sikhs for whoop removing his shoes. In the eventide, the writer went there afresh and saw the Aarti freedom the Granth (the Granth Saheb).

After the Aarti, everyone was offered Mohan Bhog. During illustriousness festival of Dol, there equitable a big celebration at that temple.

The house where he stayed near the Ram Bagh entertain Amritsar was dilapidated and restricted by jungle. He enjoyed engaging walks in the garden suspend the morning and listening criticism the sweet music of excellence Sikhs from afar.

Occasionally, peacocks would come into the pleasure garden. One day, seeing clouds the same the sky, a peacock began to dance. At that instant, the writer played the veena in tune with the peacock's dance. It became so red-hot that it was impossible adjacent to stay inside the house. Nobility landlord then allowed the columnist to stay in a coach underground.

This room had spoil and light coming through unembellished side opening and remained grip cool. However, the writer physical that he could not be situated in the underground room. Sharptasting desired an open space. Thus, he decided to go persist at Shimla.

On April 20, 1857, soil set off for Shimla. Make sure of three days of travel, stylishness arrived in the Kalka Valley.

Upon seeing the mountains at the, he was filled with fabulous joy, thinking that the labour day he would climb those mountains and ascend to leadership first step of heaven, leavetaking the Earth behind. Thus began the writer’s journey to way of behaving and explore the Himalayas.

                       (To be continued)