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Jorasanko
High politics, romance, tragedy and the little things that make up a family life in Jorasanko, Kolkata - the family home of the Tagores. Jorasanko was right at the hub of the Bengal Renaissance, with the family at the forefront of the movement, and its women playing a pivotal role.
In a sprawling novel that spans a unique phase in the history of Bengal and India, Aruna Chakravarti provides a fascinating account of how the Tagore women influenced and were int urn influenced by their illustrious male counterparts, the times they lived in and the family they belonged to. She paints memorable portraits of women like Digambari, Dwarkanath's strong-willed wife who refuses to accept her husband's dalliance with alcohol and Western ways; Sarada Sundari, the obese, indolent but devoted wife of Debendranath, who is appalled to see the old world order slipping by; the indomitable Jogmaya, who takes on Debendranath and splits the Tagore family in two. There are also the young daughters and daughters-in-law. The tough, resourceful Jnanadanandini who gave the women of Bengal a new way of wearing the sari and initiated the concept of 'nuclear family'; Swarnakumari, universally acknowledged as a pioneer of women's writing in India; and Rabindranath's muse the gentle, melancholic Kadambari.
Jorasanko mirrors the hopes and fears, triumphs and defeats that the women of the Tagore household experienced in their intricate interpersonal relationships, as well as the adjustments they were continually called upon to makw as daughters and daughters-in-law of one of the most eminent families of the land.
In a sprawling novel that spans a unique phase in the history of Bengal and India, Aruna Chakravarti provides a fascinating account of how the Tagore women influenced and were int urn influenced by their illustrious male counterparts, the times they lived in and the family they belonged to. She paints memorable portraits of women like Digambari, Dwarkanath's strong-willed wife who refuses to accept her husband's dalliance with alcohol and Western ways; Sarada Sundari, the obese, indolent but devoted wife of Debendranath, who is appalled to see the old world order slipping by; the indomitable Jogmaya, who takes on Debendranath and splits the Tagore family in two. There are also the young daughters and daughters-in-law. The tough, resourceful Jnanadanandini who gave the women of Bengal a new way of wearing the sari and initiated the concept of 'nuclear family'; Swarnakumari, universally acknowledged as a pioneer of women's writing in India; and Rabindranath's muse the gentle, melancholic Kadambari.
Jorasanko mirrors the hopes and fears, triumphs and defeats that the women of the Tagore household experienced in their intricate interpersonal relationships, as well as the adjustments they were continually called upon to makw as daughters and daughters-in-law of one of the most eminent families of the land.
406 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
February 6, 2017
If I were to write a review in one sentence, I'd say 'Jorasanko' is kinda like Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "One thousand years of solitude", minus the magical realism, masterful poetic prose and of course, set in Bengal instead of Macondo. It's a story of three generations of Tagores, spanning half a century, during the Bengal Renaissance.
It's an engrossing read for the most part. When we see the family tree on the first page, it gets a bit intimidating with all the character names and relationships, but in due course of the narrative, the author eases us into the Jorasanko Tagore family and we end up becoming intimately familiar with the people and the setting.
Some of the characters are truly memorable, in their personality (Jnanadanandini) or the pathos they invoke in is (Kadambari, Sarada Sundari) or the expectation they raise in us, of achievements that we know happened (Rabindranath Tagore). Each character is given due importance and we come away feeling content and familiar.
That said, towards the end, it kinda got to me. By the time we reach the life stories of the third generation, it all feels a bit repetitive and stale, with hardly anything that grabs our attention. It becomes predictable. And I wish that wasn't the case. It almost made me give it a 3 star. But then the first 85% of the book was truly a masterpiece.
I'm not sure yet if I'm going to pick up the sequel. Maybe a break would do me good. It was just one too many Tagores to deal with in the first book!
It's an engrossing read for the most part. When we see the family tree on the first page, it gets a bit intimidating with all the character names and relationships, but in due course of the narrative, the author eases us into the Jorasanko Tagore family and we end up becoming intimately familiar with the people and the setting.
Some of the characters are truly memorable, in their personality (Jnanadanandini) or the pathos they invoke in is (Kadambari, Sarada Sundari) or the expectation they raise in us, of achievements that we know happened (Rabindranath Tagore). Each character is given due importance and we come away feeling content and familiar.
That said, towards the end, it kinda got to me. By the time we reach the life stories of the third generation, it all feels a bit repetitive and stale, with hardly anything that grabs our attention. It becomes predictable. And I wish that wasn't the case. It almost made me give it a 3 star. But then the first 85% of the book was truly a masterpiece.
I'm not sure yet if I'm going to pick up the sequel. Maybe a break would do me good. It was just one too many Tagores to deal with in the first book!
September 9, 2020
It was a magnificent book . I know of Tagore ( which indian doesn't ?), but I wasn't enamored of him or curious enough to read his books. Have read Gitanjali ..that's all
I bought this book for its peculiar title and at a discounted rate from Flipkart sales nearly 2 years ago.
Started for a paperback challenge I am undertaking this month . From the very first page I was captivated . Rabindranath Tagore makes an entry only around the middle , and I liked him and adored him till perhaps the end when he starts looking for grooms for his daughters.
I liked the women of the story much more than the men. They were more vibrant , more vulnerable, mostly from ordinary backgrounds married into aristocracy, yet carried themselves with aplomb. Wouldn't forget the self confident Jnanada or the morose Kadambari or the meek yet resilient Mrinalini for a long time
Eagerly waiting to read the next book, daughters of Jorasanko.
I bought this book for its peculiar title and at a discounted rate from Flipkart sales nearly 2 years ago.
Started for a paperback challenge I am undertaking this month . From the very first page I was captivated . Rabindranath Tagore makes an entry only around the middle , and I liked him and adored him till perhaps the end when he starts looking for grooms for his daughters.
I liked the women of the story much more than the men. They were more vibrant , more vulnerable, mostly from ordinary backgrounds married into aristocracy, yet carried themselves with aplomb. Wouldn't forget the self confident Jnanada or the morose Kadambari or the meek yet resilient Mrinalini for a long time
Eagerly waiting to read the next book, daughters of Jorasanko.
December 10, 2025
Jorasanko by Aruna Chakravarti is a sweeping, intimate portrait of the women of the Tagore family, their hopes, fears, conflicts, and quiet rebellions unfolding within the walls of their ancestral mansion (Jorasanko Thakurbari) during a time of immense social and cultural change in Bengal (roughly 1859 to 1902). The novel traces generations of women, from the child-bride Jnanadanandini Devi to the scholars, wives, widows and caretakers whose lives largely remained hidden behind the private quarters of a famous family.
From the moment I began reading I felt transported into a world of ornate halls, hushed quarters, and layered silences, a world where every glance, every whispered conversation, every piece of jewelry, carried unspoken weight. Chakravarti writes with a gentle precision that made me care deeply about women like Kadambari Devi, Digambari Devi, and the soft-spoken yet resilient matriarchs and daughters whose lives were shaped not just by love or ambition but by duty, longing, tradition, and transformation. I was moved by how the novel reveals the contradictions: these women inhabit privilege and prestige, yet they are bound by strict social codes; they witness art, reform and renaissance, yet they negotiate the narrow corridors of gender and expectation. Through their stories, the novel sheds light on the invisible scaffolding behind a celebrated legacy.
The pacing sometimes feels deliberate, the large cast of characters occasionally overwhelming, especially in the middle passages when multiple lifelines and relationships overlap but this complexity is also the book’s great strength. It allows us to see not just individual lives but a whole ecosystem of tradition, power and change. By the end I felt a bittersweet respect: admiration for the courage of these women, sorrow at the restraints they endured, and gratitude that their quiet rebellions small acts of agency, creativity, refusal are remembered.
I rate Jorasanko a 4 out of 5. It is a richly textured, emotionally resonant tribute to women often lost in the shadows of history. While its breadth can feel daunting, its compassion and insight make it a deeply rewarding read.
From the moment I began reading I felt transported into a world of ornate halls, hushed quarters, and layered silences, a world where every glance, every whispered conversation, every piece of jewelry, carried unspoken weight. Chakravarti writes with a gentle precision that made me care deeply about women like Kadambari Devi, Digambari Devi, and the soft-spoken yet resilient matriarchs and daughters whose lives were shaped not just by love or ambition but by duty, longing, tradition, and transformation. I was moved by how the novel reveals the contradictions: these women inhabit privilege and prestige, yet they are bound by strict social codes; they witness art, reform and renaissance, yet they negotiate the narrow corridors of gender and expectation. Through their stories, the novel sheds light on the invisible scaffolding behind a celebrated legacy.
The pacing sometimes feels deliberate, the large cast of characters occasionally overwhelming, especially in the middle passages when multiple lifelines and relationships overlap but this complexity is also the book’s great strength. It allows us to see not just individual lives but a whole ecosystem of tradition, power and change. By the end I felt a bittersweet respect: admiration for the courage of these women, sorrow at the restraints they endured, and gratitude that their quiet rebellions small acts of agency, creativity, refusal are remembered.
I rate Jorasanko a 4 out of 5. It is a richly textured, emotionally resonant tribute to women often lost in the shadows of history. While its breadth can feel daunting, its compassion and insight make it a deeply rewarding read.
June 26, 2013
Jorasanko is an absorbing read. It gives us a brilliant insight to the world of Bengal Renaissance. The characters are beautifully etched....the paradoxical Debendranath who, on one hand believed in educating the women of his household but preferred keeping them in purdah, Sarada Sundari, who reluctantly embraced progress, Jnanadanandini, who can be a role model for women today. And who can forget Kadambari! Her angst and pathos are wonderfully worded in this book. But, for me, the highlight of this book was the way the character of Mrinalini was portrayed. Never once did Kadambari overshadow Mrinalini. Both were given equal importance.
May 22, 2021
This book written by Aruna Chakravarti graciously chronicles the slices of Tagore household - 'Jorasanko'. With a cascading family tree at the beginning, branching out from Dwarakanath Tagore spanning down half a century long, this book provides an acute glimpse of the family.
The topic of Bengal renaissance reads unfinished without the mention of Tagores' intervention. This book deftly covers advent of Brahmo faith into the family by Debendranath Tagore ( father of Rabindranath Tagore) & how the faith strived its existence; its initial opposition & resultant fissure of family into two forever.
The major thrust was on the women of the Thakurbari. I admired how those innocent daughters-in-law all along the hirarchy stepping onto the threshold as a young bride at a tender age moulded themselves with wit & will. Sarada Devi's dominance; Jnanadanandini's persistence; Kadamabari's innocence & Mrinalini's subservience as such comprises variant hues from the palette of Jorasanko.
Aruna Chakravarti's writing is lucid, picturesque, & irrodiscent with the ceaseless flow throughout the text. This piece of work evidently showcases her painstaking research into the happenings without disrupting or deviating from the reality. Taking the leverage of imagination as a writer, she has fanticised a few events at her disposal which seemed nothing less than adding an extra shimmer atop the extant glint. I loved the way the author has dealt the relationship between Kadamabari & Rabindranath without tainiting their bond. She has astutely resurfaced how Kadamabari smouldered the sparks of amateur poet in Robi. The complete episode of Kadambari & her endurance was hauntingly written.
The mansionary house had witnessed an effulgent mixture of occasions - ululation of marriages, cheerful toy weddings ; plays & screams of children, literary summits & musical concerts. Besides it had beholded many bereaved partings, withstood gloomed overcast deceased & diseased and it had stealthily sustained silent sobs of poverty.
I hitherto await what more Jorasanko would offer narrating the story of its 'daughters'.
The topic of Bengal renaissance reads unfinished without the mention of Tagores' intervention. This book deftly covers advent of Brahmo faith into the family by Debendranath Tagore ( father of Rabindranath Tagore) & how the faith strived its existence; its initial opposition & resultant fissure of family into two forever.
The major thrust was on the women of the Thakurbari. I admired how those innocent daughters-in-law all along the hirarchy stepping onto the threshold as a young bride at a tender age moulded themselves with wit & will. Sarada Devi's dominance; Jnanadanandini's persistence; Kadamabari's innocence & Mrinalini's subservience as such comprises variant hues from the palette of Jorasanko.
Aruna Chakravarti's writing is lucid, picturesque, & irrodiscent with the ceaseless flow throughout the text. This piece of work evidently showcases her painstaking research into the happenings without disrupting or deviating from the reality. Taking the leverage of imagination as a writer, she has fanticised a few events at her disposal which seemed nothing less than adding an extra shimmer atop the extant glint. I loved the way the author has dealt the relationship between Kadamabari & Rabindranath without tainiting their bond. She has astutely resurfaced how Kadamabari smouldered the sparks of amateur poet in Robi. The complete episode of Kadambari & her endurance was hauntingly written.
The mansionary house had witnessed an effulgent mixture of occasions - ululation of marriages, cheerful toy weddings ; plays & screams of children, literary summits & musical concerts. Besides it had beholded many bereaved partings, withstood gloomed overcast deceased & diseased and it had stealthily sustained silent sobs of poverty.
I hitherto await what more Jorasanko would offer narrating the story of its 'daughters'.
February 3, 2021
I was skeptical about this book. However, as soon as I started reading it, all my doubts dissipated.
If you want an insight into a wealthy Bengali family full of rich traditions and lifestyle during the British Raj, this is a book for you. To find out what made Rabindranath Tagore the poet and philosopher that the world remembers, this book is for you.
Love how the book is written and how easily it moves from one character to another. Quite a few times it felt as though I’m reading about a family so closely that it felt as though I’m intruding into their personal matters! And that the author and I were gossiping about the Tagores of Jorasanko.
I would definitely recommend this book to find out about how the Tagore family changes and grows over the years and how the young girls who become 6 year old wives to the teenage boys, handle the household duties of the Jorasanko Thakur Bari.
If you want an insight into a wealthy Bengali family full of rich traditions and lifestyle during the British Raj, this is a book for you. To find out what made Rabindranath Tagore the poet and philosopher that the world remembers, this book is for you.
Love how the book is written and how easily it moves from one character to another. Quite a few times it felt as though I’m reading about a family so closely that it felt as though I’m intruding into their personal matters! And that the author and I were gossiping about the Tagores of Jorasanko.
I would definitely recommend this book to find out about how the Tagore family changes and grows over the years and how the young girls who become 6 year old wives to the teenage boys, handle the household duties of the Jorasanko Thakur Bari.
April 11, 2019
Jorasankho is a book that will pull you into the three generations of the Tagore family and give us a sneak peek into the lives and times of one of the first and most influential families of Bengal. While most of us know all there is to know about Rabindranath Tagore, it is intriguing to read the role the women of the house played in shaping each of the male characters in the family. Whether it is Sarada Sundari, Jnanada, Kadambari or Mrinalini, Chakravarti has done an immense amount of research to flesh out each of the women, and also most of the men. The book will make you go through a gamut of emotions, you will want to laugh at the young bride Genu who suffers because she is not able to find a rathole in her new house, empathise with Sarada Sundari who has patriarchy so ingrained in herself that she wrongs a lot of the women in the house or cry at the fate of Kadambari, the one who loved and lost. The book shares so many intimate conversations that would have happened between the inmates of the house. For Bengalis who are taught to revere Rabindranath Tagore almost as soon as they are born, this book brings him down from the pedestal and we witness his life from a different perspective, he is a normal man, albeit with loads of talent and charm. But we do see the man's faults. I would recommend this book to everyone who is interested in the Tagore family, it gives an extraordinary view into the family. It will definitely leave you wanting to go back to that time, to witness all of it yourself. The only thing that saddens me is nothing to do with the writing but the fact that so many of the women, both daughters-in-laws and daughters were amazingly talented and could have done a lot had they not been restricted to the abarodh. I wish it was a world that was less conservative. Maybe more members from the family could have become as famous as Rabindranath Tagore.
February 9, 2021
A beautifully written, wonderfully descriptive account of the life of elite Bengalis in the late 19th century. It is a story of the women of Rabindranath Tagore’s family, many of whom were pioneers in their own right. Even the ones that weren’t path-breakers in the traditional sense, are known for their distinctive personalities.
Chakravarti writes lucidly and with a fast pace. She draws her characters so well, that you feel a part of their lives and they a part of yours.
I only wish that some of the stories had been dispensed with completely. In my opinion, there were too many which caused clutter and confusion.
Overall though, I highly recommend this book!
Chakravarti writes lucidly and with a fast pace. She draws her characters so well, that you feel a part of their lives and they a part of yours.
I only wish that some of the stories had been dispensed with completely. In my opinion, there were too many which caused clutter and confusion.
Overall though, I highly recommend this book!
March 29, 2017
Jorasanko was an absolutely riveting read. This book brought to light how extremely gifted and strong-willed each and every woman of the Tagore family was. It provided an insight into the lives of lesser known members of the family. The author has researched extensively for this book and it's truly a gem. The way she's crafted the independent minded, courageous Jnadanandini and the simple, loving Mrinalini is a feat to behold. But the one character who struck every chord within me is the Kadambari. Her story kept me up at night pondering over the tragedy that befell her. Overall, this is a very well written book and I would recommend it to one and all.
July 21, 2017
You'd think that you wouldn't have to think "Uff. Men" about some of the most awe-inspiring men in history. You'd be wrong :P
May 21, 2021
This is about the lives of women of the Tagores of Jorasanko. As Bengalis popularly say "Thakur barir meye." It's a big deal to hail from this family, which has remained in the center of attention of the entire Bengal since the inception of colonization. If westernisation brought change to the lives of women in India, then it were the Tagore women who were among the first ones to get influenced by this change. And then they decided how the rest of India was going to be influenced by this newly conceived feminity. They were the trendsetters. They took ideas from the British and cleverly moulded it to create facets of quintessential Indian feminine. They weren't perfect. They were privileged and survived in an atmosphere of suspicion and politics. They were the experts in manoeuvering through the power dynamics of a filthy rich joint family.
They loved and hated each other, they supported and abandoned each other, they fought for justice one day and then became hypocrites the next day. The stories of these women give an exceptionally dynamic read and the best part of the book is its accuracy.
Rating 5/5
Other interesting themes in the book include shifts in the Bramho ideology, the lavishness of Tagores, food, the ordinariness of the perceptibly extraordinary Robi, and the story of a family suffering from recurring maladies induced by semi-consanguine marriages.
As usual, I loved the portrayal of the relationship between Robi and Kadambari (I am always a sucker for this story no matter how many times I have listened to it). For the first time, I read such a poignant portrayal of the relationship between Robi and his wife and I loved it.
Other mini interesting details: How the creative women of Jorasanko developed their own style statement and dyed and embroidered their own sarees. They had grown tired of wearing jackets stitched by the tailor who wasn't allowed to take their measurements. How Kadambari introduced Odia delicacies of Pakhala with chinguri to the Tagore children. I don't know how far this info is correct but it's description brought a smile on my face.
They loved and hated each other, they supported and abandoned each other, they fought for justice one day and then became hypocrites the next day. The stories of these women give an exceptionally dynamic read and the best part of the book is its accuracy.
Rating 5/5
Other interesting themes in the book include shifts in the Bramho ideology, the lavishness of Tagores, food, the ordinariness of the perceptibly extraordinary Robi, and the story of a family suffering from recurring maladies induced by semi-consanguine marriages.
As usual, I loved the portrayal of the relationship between Robi and Kadambari (I am always a sucker for this story no matter how many times I have listened to it). For the first time, I read such a poignant portrayal of the relationship between Robi and his wife and I loved it.
Other mini interesting details: How the creative women of Jorasanko developed their own style statement and dyed and embroidered their own sarees. They had grown tired of wearing jackets stitched by the tailor who wasn't allowed to take their measurements. How Kadambari introduced Odia delicacies of Pakhala with chinguri to the Tagore children. I don't know how far this info is correct but it's description brought a smile on my face.
January 4, 2025
Jorasanko is more than a book to me—it’s where my love for reading began, and where my understanding of the world shifted forever. I was very young when I first picked it up, far too young to grasp its full depth, but it still managed to leave an imprint on me so profound that I carry it to this day. Even now, as I am in my late teens, no other novel has come close to the way this one moved me.
It was through Jorasanko that I first saw the layers of society laid bare—the quiet sacrifices, the invisible struggles, and the strength of women navigating a world determined to constrain them. Reading it shaped my values and sharpened my voice. It radicalized me into becoming an opinionated feminist long before I even knew what the word meant.
The story isn’t just about the Tagore family—it’s a reflection of an era, full of contradictions and beauty, all woven together with writing that feels alive. It taught me to look deeper, to question, and to empathize, and for that, I will always be grateful.
I recommend this book to almost everyone I meet, not just because I love it with all my heart, but because I believe it has the power to change lives. For me, it wasn’t just a story—it was a spark, a beginning.
It was through Jorasanko that I first saw the layers of society laid bare—the quiet sacrifices, the invisible struggles, and the strength of women navigating a world determined to constrain them. Reading it shaped my values and sharpened my voice. It radicalized me into becoming an opinionated feminist long before I even knew what the word meant.
The story isn’t just about the Tagore family—it’s a reflection of an era, full of contradictions and beauty, all woven together with writing that feels alive. It taught me to look deeper, to question, and to empathize, and for that, I will always be grateful.
I recommend this book to almost everyone I meet, not just because I love it with all my heart, but because I believe it has the power to change lives. For me, it wasn’t just a story—it was a spark, a beginning.
June 29, 2019
Story revolves around Brahmo Tagores of Jorasanko. Storytelling was involving. Based in 19th Century Bengal, covers it's ethnicity, education, child marriage, hindu culture and caste system. It is a story of Tagores who brought various civic changes in their society and fought against the existing norms. Jorasanko gives us a detailed and dark description of girls who were married in their childhood and how they grew up in their in-laws house. The second half of book introduces us to Rabindranath Tagore (Robi) and his quest to become a successful poet
August 27, 2018
Beautiful book 😍 lovely descriptive writing. Absolutely love Chakravarti 😍
December 30, 2022
The book transports the reader to the Bengali renaissance, painting a detailed picture of one of the most prominent families of that period. The fiction and fact were interwoven to create a delectably rich tapestry.
July 26, 2020
There are few books that transport you to its world and draw you in conversation with its characters - this is one such. A deep history of the Tagores of Jorasanko. What amazed me that we know much of Rabindranath but very less of the women who loved him, inspired him and nurtured his poetic soul. Desolate Kadambari, the pure soul Mrinalini, sophisticated Bibi and the fierce Jnanada. And these were all before he became famous. Aruna Chakravarti has written a tale that speaks to you, takes you inside Jorasanko where you can hear the cacophony and the women who deal with the glass house of aristocracy. Lovely book.
February 24, 2019
A dear friend left this book in the yoga studio and called to give it a try. I could not keep the book down and when I had to for domestic reasons, I was very annoyed to do so. And why not, for eons women had to leave everything they like in the name of duty.
Anyway, the book is fantastic and the author must have spent a lot of time researching about the Tagore clan of Kolkata. I love Bengal, I love Bangla, I love Robi Thakur, and I used to love his Shanti Niketan (until I visited the place). Most of the introduction to Bangla was done by Marathi author P.L.Deshpande and his book Vangachitre. But what Ms Chakravarti has painted with her unbiased words is just a masterpiece of many portraits together. Though she has described the women of one of the first families of Bengal, she in a process has opened the tapestry of Indian womanhood and the mindset behind it.
There are so many characters in the story and without the family tree in the beginning, it would have been a Herculean task to remember the relations, or that’s what I thought initially. As the story unfolds Ms Chakravarti has kept the characters in such tight knit threads that after a while you don’t have to turn the pages to the beginning at all. The characters have entered your mind and made a permanent position there.
The Tagore women are introduced one by one in the book. The various facets of their personality and existence unfold so beautifully that the reader stays amazed at their development from a small girl to a mature woman. Reader cannot just try to categorize them in villain or protagonist parts. They are always right in their own ways. I am amazed by the strong willed Dnanadanandini. I am awed by the strength of Digambari. I like the way swarnakumari pursues her interests. Kadambari hits me strong by her unaltered hope and I can’t comprehend the strength of frail and simple Mrinalini. All these and other Tagore women have one thing in common, even though they were a part of system, each one found a way to defy it somehow. Isn’t that awesome?
Where it hurts is the attitude and philosophy of the men of Tagore clan in general. Satyendrababu still commands respect for he let Dnyanadanandini follow her own way, he treated his sons and daughter same, he didn’t marry her off early. But in contrast Ravindranath Tagore was a complete disappointment. When it came to education, marriage of his daughters or remarriage of a young daughter in law in the family.
What struck the chord in this book too was this sentence:
“Why is it that men always pull together, and women never?” ( Tripura sundari’s thoughts when she was offered a pension to let go her right over the property)
“A woman is nothing in her husband’s home but a glorified servant!”
How much has changed about this over the last 2 centuries? Hardly anything!
Overall very intriguing book.
Anyway, the book is fantastic and the author must have spent a lot of time researching about the Tagore clan of Kolkata. I love Bengal, I love Bangla, I love Robi Thakur, and I used to love his Shanti Niketan (until I visited the place). Most of the introduction to Bangla was done by Marathi author P.L.Deshpande and his book Vangachitre. But what Ms Chakravarti has painted with her unbiased words is just a masterpiece of many portraits together. Though she has described the women of one of the first families of Bengal, she in a process has opened the tapestry of Indian womanhood and the mindset behind it.
There are so many characters in the story and without the family tree in the beginning, it would have been a Herculean task to remember the relations, or that’s what I thought initially. As the story unfolds Ms Chakravarti has kept the characters in such tight knit threads that after a while you don’t have to turn the pages to the beginning at all. The characters have entered your mind and made a permanent position there.
The Tagore women are introduced one by one in the book. The various facets of their personality and existence unfold so beautifully that the reader stays amazed at their development from a small girl to a mature woman. Reader cannot just try to categorize them in villain or protagonist parts. They are always right in their own ways. I am amazed by the strong willed Dnanadanandini. I am awed by the strength of Digambari. I like the way swarnakumari pursues her interests. Kadambari hits me strong by her unaltered hope and I can’t comprehend the strength of frail and simple Mrinalini. All these and other Tagore women have one thing in common, even though they were a part of system, each one found a way to defy it somehow. Isn’t that awesome?
Where it hurts is the attitude and philosophy of the men of Tagore clan in general. Satyendrababu still commands respect for he let Dnyanadanandini follow her own way, he treated his sons and daughter same, he didn’t marry her off early. But in contrast Ravindranath Tagore was a complete disappointment. When it came to education, marriage of his daughters or remarriage of a young daughter in law in the family.
What struck the chord in this book too was this sentence:
“Why is it that men always pull together, and women never?” ( Tripura sundari’s thoughts when she was offered a pension to let go her right over the property)
“A woman is nothing in her husband’s home but a glorified servant!”
How much has changed about this over the last 2 centuries? Hardly anything!
Overall very intriguing book.
May 23, 2014
Set against the backdrop of the Bengali Renaissance, Jorasanko is an insightful behind-the-scenes look at the lives of the women in the illustrious Tagore family. I found it charming and very evocative of the times. I can see it translating into a lovely period film.
The author has done a good job of fleshing out each of the key personalities and I finished the book with a pretty clear picture of these ladies in my head. The size of the household and the family was quite mind-blogging and I am grateful for the family tree that the author has thoughtfully provided at the beginning, otherwise I would have got lost in the maze of characters that abound in the book! The most interesting characters were Jnananandidni, Kadambari (Rabindranath's sister-in-law and muse) and Mrinalini (his wife). In fact, when it comes to these three, I was left wanting for more!
It showed how rapidly social mores towards woman changed within the space of a generation. These girls came into the Tagore family as child brides but towards the end of the book, many of their daughters enjoyed freedom and education that they themselves could never even have dreamed of.
I have never read much Tagore myself, but I think this book would be good fun for readers familiar with his work, containing as it does many back stories on what inspired some of his more famous verse. I also wonder what kind of research the author did for the book, where the fact ended and the fiction began and how much of the more controversial stories were based on gossip or hearsay.
This was a book club pick and again, we were quite divided in our views on the book. Some felt that the book was 'time-pass' but nothing special and did not reflect enough of the happenings in the world outside the household and the family. Others, and I am firmly in this camp, felt that the point of this book was to look at the world from the perspective of the Tagore women, who (with the exception of Jnananandini) lived and breathed the life within the four walls of the family mansion. And it has done that well. Looking at broader social and economic themes would have been out of the scope of this book and would have felt forced, had the author felt compelled to include them. Also, I think we tend to undervalue books that tell women's stories. Just because a story focuses on domestic relationships and issues does not make it a lesser book. I think these are important stories to tell as well.
The author has done a good job of fleshing out each of the key personalities and I finished the book with a pretty clear picture of these ladies in my head. The size of the household and the family was quite mind-blogging and I am grateful for the family tree that the author has thoughtfully provided at the beginning, otherwise I would have got lost in the maze of characters that abound in the book! The most interesting characters were Jnananandidni, Kadambari (Rabindranath's sister-in-law and muse) and Mrinalini (his wife). In fact, when it comes to these three, I was left wanting for more!
It showed how rapidly social mores towards woman changed within the space of a generation. These girls came into the Tagore family as child brides but towards the end of the book, many of their daughters enjoyed freedom and education that they themselves could never even have dreamed of.
I have never read much Tagore myself, but I think this book would be good fun for readers familiar with his work, containing as it does many back stories on what inspired some of his more famous verse. I also wonder what kind of research the author did for the book, where the fact ended and the fiction began and how much of the more controversial stories were based on gossip or hearsay.
This was a book club pick and again, we were quite divided in our views on the book. Some felt that the book was 'time-pass' but nothing special and did not reflect enough of the happenings in the world outside the household and the family. Others, and I am firmly in this camp, felt that the point of this book was to look at the world from the perspective of the Tagore women, who (with the exception of Jnananandini) lived and breathed the life within the four walls of the family mansion. And it has done that well. Looking at broader social and economic themes would have been out of the scope of this book and would have felt forced, had the author felt compelled to include them. Also, I think we tend to undervalue books that tell women's stories. Just because a story focuses on domestic relationships and issues does not make it a lesser book. I think these are important stories to tell as well.
October 18, 2022
Aruna Chakrabarti came into prominence with her acclaimed translation of the first part of Sunil Gangopadhyay's Time Trilogy, Sei Samoy (Those Days, 1997). It was followed by the translation of the second book of the trilogy, Pratham Alo (First Light, 2001) [More about them some other time.]
Jorasanko is a testimony that Smt Chakrabarti is not just a translator, but she is an accomplished author in her own right.
It is a novel about the most famous family of Kolkata that was the pioneer of the famed Bengal Renaissance - the Tagores of Jorasanko.
Curiously, Rabindranath plays a small part in this novel. It is the House of the Tagores that is the central character of the story. And the people that inhabit the house, especially the women.
Debendranath, Rabindranath's father, the patriarch, has a presence throughout the novel like a backdrop.
But it is the women of the household that steal the show. Sarada Sundari, Robi's mother, Jogmaya and Tripura Sundari, her combative sisters-in-law. Robi's three sisters - Soudamini, Sukumari and Swarnakumari. And, of course, the daughters-in-law of the house. The ambitious, resourceful and unorthodox Jnanadanandini, the beautiful, sensitive and lonely Kadambari, the devoted but neglected Mrinalini.
Smt Chakrabarti's sensitive portrayal of the women characters is indeed fascinating. Their joys and sorrows, hopes and frustrations and heartbreaks.
Suicide of Kadambari and death of Mrinalini leave a lasting impact on the reader's mind.
The menfolk, on the other hand, do not come off in a particularly flattering light. Neither the domineering Debendranath, nor the successful but self-centered Satyendranath, the first Indian ICS officer, nor the sensitive but irresolute Jyotirindranath. And, in spite of his ever-widening circle of fame and brilliance, Robi comes off as an inadequate husband.
In an English that exudes the scent of the earth, Smt Chakrabarti brings to life a slice of the nineteenth century Bengal in vivid colours.
Jorasanko is an enjoyable read.
I look forward to reading the sequel, Daughters of Jorasanko.
Jorasanko is a testimony that Smt Chakrabarti is not just a translator, but she is an accomplished author in her own right.
It is a novel about the most famous family of Kolkata that was the pioneer of the famed Bengal Renaissance - the Tagores of Jorasanko.
Curiously, Rabindranath plays a small part in this novel. It is the House of the Tagores that is the central character of the story. And the people that inhabit the house, especially the women.
Debendranath, Rabindranath's father, the patriarch, has a presence throughout the novel like a backdrop.
But it is the women of the household that steal the show. Sarada Sundari, Robi's mother, Jogmaya and Tripura Sundari, her combative sisters-in-law. Robi's three sisters - Soudamini, Sukumari and Swarnakumari. And, of course, the daughters-in-law of the house. The ambitious, resourceful and unorthodox Jnanadanandini, the beautiful, sensitive and lonely Kadambari, the devoted but neglected Mrinalini.
Smt Chakrabarti's sensitive portrayal of the women characters is indeed fascinating. Their joys and sorrows, hopes and frustrations and heartbreaks.
Suicide of Kadambari and death of Mrinalini leave a lasting impact on the reader's mind.
The menfolk, on the other hand, do not come off in a particularly flattering light. Neither the domineering Debendranath, nor the successful but self-centered Satyendranath, the first Indian ICS officer, nor the sensitive but irresolute Jyotirindranath. And, in spite of his ever-widening circle of fame and brilliance, Robi comes off as an inadequate husband.
In an English that exudes the scent of the earth, Smt Chakrabarti brings to life a slice of the nineteenth century Bengal in vivid colours.
Jorasanko is an enjoyable read.
I look forward to reading the sequel, Daughters of Jorasanko.
October 31, 2021
“Why did people live in houses like these? Big houses only made your feet ache.”
Thus thought Jnananandini, the seven year old bride as she was welcomed into Jorasanko, the house of Tagores. Little could she have imagined that she would be the first woman in the family to leave abarodh (the women’s section of the house), the first to do away with ghumta (the veil Hindu women started covering themselves in when Mughals came to power) and the first to cross the Black Water and live in England. And yet, not every woman in the Tagore household had the same fate.
Aruna Chakravarti’s creative reconstruction of the lives of the Tagores before Rabindranath Tagore became Gurudev is so evocative that I felt like a fly on the wall of Jorasanko Thakurbari, observing the births and deaths and everything in between that constitutes life - the patriarch of the family controlling everyone, the sensitive boys turning into neglectful husbands and the women doing what they do best, surviving and making the most of the little freedoms afforded to them. Within the family, there is religious, generational, gender and legal conflict as well as double standards when it comes to the women. Rabindranath’s wife was already a mother of 2 by the age of 16 and he got his 13 and 10 year old daughters married while his nieces in their twenties were still unmarried working women, so while change was coming into the family, it wasn’t pioneered by the most famous Tagore. (Some would say the most famous Tagore was Sharmila and to them I say, incorrect, she is just the most beautiful.)
With whatever lens you choose to judge the history of Tagores, Chakravarti’s writing is simply exquisite. I honestly thought this would be a nice, cosy, slow read but I couldn’t stop reading. And Kandambari, who died in the most tragic way, waiting.. will continue to haunt me, as I know she does the four walls of Jorasanko.
Thus thought Jnananandini, the seven year old bride as she was welcomed into Jorasanko, the house of Tagores. Little could she have imagined that she would be the first woman in the family to leave abarodh (the women’s section of the house), the first to do away with ghumta (the veil Hindu women started covering themselves in when Mughals came to power) and the first to cross the Black Water and live in England. And yet, not every woman in the Tagore household had the same fate.
Aruna Chakravarti’s creative reconstruction of the lives of the Tagores before Rabindranath Tagore became Gurudev is so evocative that I felt like a fly on the wall of Jorasanko Thakurbari, observing the births and deaths and everything in between that constitutes life - the patriarch of the family controlling everyone, the sensitive boys turning into neglectful husbands and the women doing what they do best, surviving and making the most of the little freedoms afforded to them. Within the family, there is religious, generational, gender and legal conflict as well as double standards when it comes to the women. Rabindranath’s wife was already a mother of 2 by the age of 16 and he got his 13 and 10 year old daughters married while his nieces in their twenties were still unmarried working women, so while change was coming into the family, it wasn’t pioneered by the most famous Tagore. (Some would say the most famous Tagore was Sharmila and to them I say, incorrect, she is just the most beautiful.)
With whatever lens you choose to judge the history of Tagores, Chakravarti’s writing is simply exquisite. I honestly thought this would be a nice, cosy, slow read but I couldn’t stop reading. And Kandambari, who died in the most tragic way, waiting.. will continue to haunt me, as I know she does the four walls of Jorasanko.
March 8, 2014
I have visited the large palatial residence of the Tagore family in the Jorosanko district of Calcutta twice. Between those 2 visits I bought a copy of "Jorosanko". On my second visit to the Tagore residence, which is a 'must-see' place in Calcutta, I met the deputy director and asked her what she thought about Ms Chakravarti's novel. She said that it was fairly sound from the factual point of view. With that approbation, I decided to read "Jorosanko".
This lengthy novel - or is it really a history - deals with the lives of the women in the branch of the Tagore family that lived in the residence at Jorosanko. It describes the complexities of living in a large joint family, especially one as illustrious as the Tagores. Moving in places, informative in others, this book makes for a pleasant read - a well-written family saga. Luckily, a family tree is given at the beginning of the book. I had to refer to this constantly, so large was the Tagore family. I marvelled at the way that the author managed to handle so much information about the lives of so many branches of the family, but kept wondering how much was fact and how much was fiction. And, this disturbed me. I could not make up my mind whether the author was writing fiction or biography even though she does point out at the beginning that hers was a work of fiction, but some things relating to important historical figures were not. It upset me that I did not know which parts were history and which parts were not.
The book has further stoked my interest in the Tagore family, but now I feel that I wish to read a properly annotated biography.
This lengthy novel - or is it really a history - deals with the lives of the women in the branch of the Tagore family that lived in the residence at Jorosanko. It describes the complexities of living in a large joint family, especially one as illustrious as the Tagores. Moving in places, informative in others, this book makes for a pleasant read - a well-written family saga. Luckily, a family tree is given at the beginning of the book. I had to refer to this constantly, so large was the Tagore family. I marvelled at the way that the author managed to handle so much information about the lives of so many branches of the family, but kept wondering how much was fact and how much was fiction. And, this disturbed me. I could not make up my mind whether the author was writing fiction or biography even though she does point out at the beginning that hers was a work of fiction, but some things relating to important historical figures were not. It upset me that I did not know which parts were history and which parts were not.
The book has further stoked my interest in the Tagore family, but now I feel that I wish to read a properly annotated biography.
March 9, 2017
I will describe this book as a wonderful fictional work treading well along the lines of reality. Ms. Chakravarti successfully evokes interest and vibrancy in the book by resurrecting each and every character and maintaining an overall balanced glance into the life of the individual Tagores and the women surrounding them. This book also speaks volume of women's misery and the cultural evils spelled on them. Moving through an era, it also delves into the societal struggle to overcome the patriarchal stigmas. Not only women, it also tells us about the boundaries and helplessness faced by men and their vital roles in evolving feminism. It conveys a very strong message to all women (and also men) out there who are now living in a modern world brimming with opportunities. I appreciate the author's subtle nature of dictating the fallacies given the fact that the Tagores are not merely a family but hold tremendous pride and glory for the Bengali community.
September 1, 2017
Reading Jorasanko was a different experience all together. The blend of several generations of the Tagore family and the author's ability to pack so much into just one book has left a lasting impression on my mind. Each and every character from the head of the household to the servant stands out. This book was a welcome change from the unending book series that have become so popular today. The fact that you can tell such detailed stories about almost four generations of Tagores in just one book is a wonder in itself. I found myself deeply immersed in the lives of the inhabitants of Jorasanko, especially the women. I cannot help but appreciate how far we have come as a society in terms of how women now lead their lives. I would strongly recommend this book to everyone regardless of whether they have read many of these stories in Bengali already. Overall, this book is a real masterpiece, well researched and gripping. Looking forward to the next one, Daughters of Jorasanko.
July 4, 2015
Its refreshing in its honesty about one of the most illustrious families of Bengal. It not only strips away the "Bhodro" from the "Bhodro Lok" but in a way tries to give prominence to the women of that period. All of us who have grown up with an over dose of Rabindranath might be able to connect many incidents and fact with some of the fiction penned by him.
A family which has become synonymous with Bengali renaissance is portrayed for what it was - autocratic, fake, insensitive and heartless to a certain extent. For once history not being written by the victor has been put forth in all its glorious crude reality of petty politics, infidelity, and meanness.
A family which has become synonymous with Bengali renaissance is portrayed for what it was - autocratic, fake, insensitive and heartless to a certain extent. For once history not being written by the victor has been put forth in all its glorious crude reality of petty politics, infidelity, and meanness.
October 15, 2017
Jorasanko takes you into the Bengal Renaissance time. It takes you into the world of the Tagores.. Their history.. You get ingrossed into their lives.. The superstitions, the royal grandeur, and interesting to know about their past the Pirelli Brahmin stain in their ancestory.
It tells you how Bengal lived in those days.. Women were always given a lower status.. It was always the Men that won. It also tells you, even though a modern family, even if it is Rabindra Nath 's daughters, how they believed in child marriages, and how the daughters and wives were all barely nine or ten when they got married. However sone women stood out in the family.. Tripura Sundari, Jnanadandini, Kadambari, Mrinalaini, Sarala .. This is the take of the Tagores Women.. Who willed themselves to be strong in spite of not much help at their Jorasanko Men.
The part where Kadambari loses her life is poignant and we feel was it all in waste? That part remains hauntingly with us, after you have read it.
Also a tad dissapointed with Robi 's role.. In his personal life, as a family man, as a father to his children.. You seem to be let down.
He seems to grow and be the poet you imagined when he is with Kadambari.. And maybe his poetry and his songs and stories have that as a background. His intense romanticism is not there in his personal life. Only in his writings.
The last part of the book is a let down.. I think the author has gone too quickly over each and every part of the last generation. .. Maybe her second part of the book Daughters of Jorasanko will open the characters more.
But overall a gripping and enthralling book of the Bengali psyche.. And if you are a Bengali, you will relate much more
It tells you how Bengal lived in those days.. Women were always given a lower status.. It was always the Men that won. It also tells you, even though a modern family, even if it is Rabindra Nath 's daughters, how they believed in child marriages, and how the daughters and wives were all barely nine or ten when they got married. However sone women stood out in the family.. Tripura Sundari, Jnanadandini, Kadambari, Mrinalaini, Sarala .. This is the take of the Tagores Women.. Who willed themselves to be strong in spite of not much help at their Jorasanko Men.
The part where Kadambari loses her life is poignant and we feel was it all in waste? That part remains hauntingly with us, after you have read it.
Also a tad dissapointed with Robi 's role.. In his personal life, as a family man, as a father to his children.. You seem to be let down.
He seems to grow and be the poet you imagined when he is with Kadambari.. And maybe his poetry and his songs and stories have that as a background. His intense romanticism is not there in his personal life. Only in his writings.
The last part of the book is a let down.. I think the author has gone too quickly over each and every part of the last generation. .. Maybe her second part of the book Daughters of Jorasanko will open the characters more.
But overall a gripping and enthralling book of the Bengali psyche.. And if you are a Bengali, you will relate much more
October 4, 2018
This book was recommended by a friend. And though I had picked it up a while back I was unable to read it till now.
After finishing the exhausting Catch 22 I wanted to dip my mind into something which was brimming with emotions. My fingers automatically touched the spine of this book.
Jorasanko is the home of the famous Tagore Family of Kolkata. The book is a look into the lives of the women of the family spanning three generations. The women who brought change standing up in the face of accepted patriarchy and the ones who faded into the folds of history without causing any ripples.
The author has researched her characters with love. Every aspect of their personalities has been outlined without bias. Hence there is no villain except maybe their own decisions and circumstances that keep getting in their way.
Budding writers should read this book just to understand the art of building and etching characters that a reader can relate to and invest in.
This reader enjoyed their complicated relationships and their fight for survival in a world so tragically tipped against a girl child.
The texture of the rich Bengali culture, the food, the clothes, the men, the way of life, the dichotomy of educating girls and yet wanting to keep them away from their rights, holding on to the custom of child brides even by so called enlightened women and many such social issues are beautifully presented.
It could have been 50 pages short as there is a sequel and the end could have been used as a dramatic beginning for the next one but that is just me. It rushes in the end when one wants to continue with the languid pace of the book, I wanted more not less, in that bit.
Enough said, highly recommended. I am getting the sequel for sure.
After finishing the exhausting Catch 22 I wanted to dip my mind into something which was brimming with emotions. My fingers automatically touched the spine of this book.
Jorasanko is the home of the famous Tagore Family of Kolkata. The book is a look into the lives of the women of the family spanning three generations. The women who brought change standing up in the face of accepted patriarchy and the ones who faded into the folds of history without causing any ripples.
The author has researched her characters with love. Every aspect of their personalities has been outlined without bias. Hence there is no villain except maybe their own decisions and circumstances that keep getting in their way.
Budding writers should read this book just to understand the art of building and etching characters that a reader can relate to and invest in.
This reader enjoyed their complicated relationships and their fight for survival in a world so tragically tipped against a girl child.
The texture of the rich Bengali culture, the food, the clothes, the men, the way of life, the dichotomy of educating girls and yet wanting to keep them away from their rights, holding on to the custom of child brides even by so called enlightened women and many such social issues are beautifully presented.
It could have been 50 pages short as there is a sequel and the end could have been used as a dramatic beginning for the next one but that is just me. It rushes in the end when one wants to continue with the languid pace of the book, I wanted more not less, in that bit.
Enough said, highly recommended. I am getting the sequel for sure.
December 10, 2018
Jorasanko - I dwelt in the Tagore's era. These 400 pages breathed a life into me. Life of poems, of velvety green patches of land, of mansions in the Tagore's era,of red sindoor and alta, of ululations, of exotic food, of age -old traditions, of match making, of early child marriages, of celebration of death, of joint families,of paan-clad lips,of jute plantations, of Bengal Renaissance, of Brahmo Samaj Movement. I engrossed in some pages and at times, and with some I felt as if I should put the book down and take up another. But then a parental feeling crept up in me , its just one more page and I can listen to its platters.At times, I shut my kindle and saw the ‘faces made of rubber that registered the sweep of emotions at one time’. I heard the cadence as the poems written by Tagore's family were sung.Gratitude filled the lives of the young girls that were married into Tagore's family and they fumed all their energy, patience and commitment to the large family.
Families rose and ebbed, and the Tagore’s struggled for dowries and fill the hollow cultures. Books, Poems and Music danced throughout. I found a resemblance of this book with "Snow flower and Secret fan".I smiled at the lines and if you are reading my review I am sure you will too
"Why is it that men always pull together ...and women never?" .
It was followed by another set of lines
"Women unburden themselves so easily ... she would understand and sympathize, for bonding between sois was total and unconditional. If we could whisper in a corner Legs stretched out at ease...now staring at the eaves".
Some day I am going to visit the Shilahidaha Kuthibara - Tagore's residence and relive the pages of Jorasanko.
Families rose and ebbed, and the Tagore’s struggled for dowries and fill the hollow cultures. Books, Poems and Music danced throughout. I found a resemblance of this book with "Snow flower and Secret fan".I smiled at the lines and if you are reading my review I am sure you will too
"Why is it that men always pull together ...and women never?" .
It was followed by another set of lines
"Women unburden themselves so easily ... she would understand and sympathize, for bonding between sois was total and unconditional. If we could whisper in a corner Legs stretched out at ease...now staring at the eaves".
Some day I am going to visit the Shilahidaha Kuthibara - Tagore's residence and relive the pages of Jorasanko.
July 27, 2020
This is a book that read in small bursts, snitching time in between chores and reading a few pages on the Kindle App on my phone. For months I made small progress but the tale was engrossing and I kept telling myself that nothing less than a hardcopy will do justice to this panoramic novel. I ended up buying a Kindle and reading the second half of the book in a breeze.
My tryst with devices aside, Jorasanko is a well told story encompassing the generations of the iconic Tagore clan. The story begins with the royal escapades of Prince Dwarkanath and ends just short of the formal institution of Viswabharati, the unique amalgation of cultural and education world at Shantiniketan by the most illustrious Tagore - Nobel Laureate Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore.
The story unfolds in layers and reveals the entrenchment of patriarchy in the lives of even the most educated and privileged sections of society. The child marriage, caste and class discrimination, plight of women in the form of aborodh (pudah), hypcriscy of religious emancipation run parallel to the steady and stoic voice of dissent, the strong and stubborn stance of women of letter.
The novel is panoramic and carries parallel stories of many characters. At tines it becomes onerous to connect the dots given the rows and columns of family lines entwined in each other. One feels the constant need to refer to the family tree to be sure who is from which part of the family!
The book though mentions social reforms like Sati Abolition and Widow Remarriage, it also shows how these reform fail to make any real difference. Even the most revered Rabindranath Tagore is guilty of child marriage, both as a groom and as father to his daughters whom he married off (unsuitably) at the age 12 and 10 with dowry far beyond his reach. The plight of women, always seen to be child bearing machines is palpably described. And among these there are some who raise their head and get their way- Jnannandani for example.
The family insisted on education for the girls but stopped short of letting them go beyond the novels and poems of oriental and western greats. Some women wrote and raised their stature by coming out despite the orthodoxy. But they were far outnumbered by the docile subservient ones, regaling in the yore of jewellery-decked bride and childbearing wife.
The book is a magnificent read but as a reader I would have loved to see and understand the socio political landscape of Bengal. The Bengal Renaissance could have been delved a bit more and Tagores shown in the context of the social revolution unfolding right at their gates.
I would highly recommend this book for its detailed, well researched and beautifully told tale of Tagores of Jorasanko.
My tryst with devices aside, Jorasanko is a well told story encompassing the generations of the iconic Tagore clan. The story begins with the royal escapades of Prince Dwarkanath and ends just short of the formal institution of Viswabharati, the unique amalgation of cultural and education world at Shantiniketan by the most illustrious Tagore - Nobel Laureate Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore.
The story unfolds in layers and reveals the entrenchment of patriarchy in the lives of even the most educated and privileged sections of society. The child marriage, caste and class discrimination, plight of women in the form of aborodh (pudah), hypcriscy of religious emancipation run parallel to the steady and stoic voice of dissent, the strong and stubborn stance of women of letter.
The novel is panoramic and carries parallel stories of many characters. At tines it becomes onerous to connect the dots given the rows and columns of family lines entwined in each other. One feels the constant need to refer to the family tree to be sure who is from which part of the family!
The book though mentions social reforms like Sati Abolition and Widow Remarriage, it also shows how these reform fail to make any real difference. Even the most revered Rabindranath Tagore is guilty of child marriage, both as a groom and as father to his daughters whom he married off (unsuitably) at the age 12 and 10 with dowry far beyond his reach. The plight of women, always seen to be child bearing machines is palpably described. And among these there are some who raise their head and get their way- Jnannandani for example.
The family insisted on education for the girls but stopped short of letting them go beyond the novels and poems of oriental and western greats. Some women wrote and raised their stature by coming out despite the orthodoxy. But they were far outnumbered by the docile subservient ones, regaling in the yore of jewellery-decked bride and childbearing wife.
The book is a magnificent read but as a reader I would have loved to see and understand the socio political landscape of Bengal. The Bengal Renaissance could have been delved a bit more and Tagores shown in the context of the social revolution unfolding right at their gates.
I would highly recommend this book for its detailed, well researched and beautifully told tale of Tagores of Jorasanko.
April 3, 2021
The book gave me insights as to how the Tagore family came about. Being from Calcutta, Jorasanko holds a special place for me. Be it the music I was exposed to as part of growing up, courtesy All India Radio and my mother's faint attempts at bringing up her daughter with a balanced view on both music and literature of East and West. Literature by Tagore formed part of the curriculum. There were certain cultural events which the nuns ensured we celebrated with due diligence every year.
The book takes one back in time to the Pirali brahmins. Breaking away from Hinduism and the creation of the Brahmo Samaj. Life of women and the role they were expected to play without being seen. Little girls married at a young age if 7 or 8 to husbands more than a decade elder to them. Of being educated in sanskrit and Bengali and a bit of numbers. Of blindly and unquestioningly follow the rules of their new home.
The master of the house was the eldest son like everywhere else and he took all the decisions. They had their share of life's ups and down. There was family politics, favoritism, negligence in bringing up children in order to pursue one's own needs as in being a writer. The tradition of son-in- laws stating at the wifes house and not the reverse. To be educated in England and bring a bit of it back home by making their wife's independent and educated. Wearing the saree the way we do today.Failing in businesses repeatedly didn't quench the thirst fot experimentation. Deaths of children. Inability to gauge mental instability. Yet through all this, the Maharshi allowed all his children to follow their own careers lead Tagore to eventually create a new style of education at Shantiniketan far ahead of its time.
The book takes one back in time to the Pirali brahmins. Breaking away from Hinduism and the creation of the Brahmo Samaj. Life of women and the role they were expected to play without being seen. Little girls married at a young age if 7 or 8 to husbands more than a decade elder to them. Of being educated in sanskrit and Bengali and a bit of numbers. Of blindly and unquestioningly follow the rules of their new home.
The master of the house was the eldest son like everywhere else and he took all the decisions. They had their share of life's ups and down. There was family politics, favoritism, negligence in bringing up children in order to pursue one's own needs as in being a writer. The tradition of son-in- laws stating at the wifes house and not the reverse. To be educated in England and bring a bit of it back home by making their wife's independent and educated. Wearing the saree the way we do today.Failing in businesses repeatedly didn't quench the thirst fot experimentation. Deaths of children. Inability to gauge mental instability. Yet through all this, the Maharshi allowed all his children to follow their own careers lead Tagore to eventually create a new style of education at Shantiniketan far ahead of its time.
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