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Daughters of Jorasanko [Paperback] [Nov 07, 2016] Aruna Chakravarti
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- GenresIndiaHistorical Fiction
346 pages, Paperback
First published August 24, 2016
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November 9, 2016
"Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come."
----Rabindranath Tagore
Aruna Chakravarti, an award winning Indian writer, pens an enlightening story about the Tagore household's women in her new book, Daughters of Jorasanko which is the sequel to her bestselling novel, Jorasanko. This book, Daughters of Jorasanko is an intimate tale about the Tagore household portraying the women who are all bound together by the threads of marriage at a very tender age, where some are engulfed by the widowhood at a very early age whereas some are simply carrying the seeds from one generation to another and through these women's lives the readers will come to know a different side of our noble laureate Rabindranath Tagore.
Synopsis:
The Tagore household is falling apart. Rabindranath cannot shake off the disquiet in his heart after the death of his wife Mrinalini. Happiness and well-being elude him. His daughters and daughter-in-law struggle hard to cope with incompatible marriages, ill health and the stigma of childlessness. The extended family of Jorasanko is steeped in debt and there is talk of mortgaging one of the houses. Even as Rabindranath deals with his own financial problems and strives hard to keep his dream of Santiniketan alive, news reaches him that he has been awarded the Nobel Prize for literature. Will this be a turning point for the man, his family and their much-celebrated home?
Daughters of Jorasanko sequel to the bestselling novel Jorasanko explores Rabindranath Tagore’s engagement with the freedom movement and his vision for holistic education, brings alive his latter-day muses Ranu Adhikari and Victoria Ocampo and maps the histories of the Tagore women, even as it describes the twilight years in the life of one of the greatest luminaries of our times and the end of an epoch in the history of Bengal.
Jorasanko, the author's bestselling previous novel, unravels and traces the early life of the Nobel Laureate, Rabindranath Tagore through the lives of the women, Jnanadanandini, Kadambari and Mrinalini, who helped and shaped him in a way through which he can bring out his inner talents of poetry and literature and also helped him to become established. But Jorasanko ends with the tragic climax where the author's wife, Mrinalini dies thereby leaving the poet's heart agape with immense pain.
Daughters of Jorasanko immediately picks up where the previous novel ended and through this new book, the readers will come to know that even though Mrinalini is projected as an "unworthy spouse" yet the great poet of India never ever recovered from the death of his dear wife, who helped him to bring his dreams of Santiniketan alive. This tale revolves around Tagore's daughters and daughters-in-laws, and how they too impacted and contributed in Tagore's life not only as a pet but also a family man.
This book projects the life story of Tagore during the early days of Bengal's Renaissance period especially the times when the citizens are gradually rediscovering the norms and the cultural barriers as primitive and are coming forward to adapt the Westernized ideas into their lives. During this era, the women have not got much benefit out of it, especially from the stigmas like child marriage, gender indifferences, widowhood and other strict traditional norms. Although the approach and the outlook of the general humans changed drastically yet somehow they could not battle those traditional rules passed down from their ancestors.
The author's writing style is exquisite and very coherent as the readers will be able to comprehend easily with the flow of the story. Right from the very first page itself, the author's lyrical prose will beg its readers to stay glued till the very end and even though the readers are aware about the death of the bard, yet somehow the suspenseful as well as evocative narrative will keep the readers guessing till the very last page. The pacing is moderate, as the story is told from many layers that are unraveled gradually with the progress of the story. And not to mention, each and every scene is penned with utmost clarity that the readers will feel themselves witnessing the story right before their own eyes.
The author has meticulously researched for the characters who played a major role in the bard's later life and she took over three years to pen this sequel, as this novel features the stories of those women who are not much known to the world and so their contribution in the poet's life. The poet single handedly brought up his three daughters and two sons after the death of his wife at a very tender age. Even though the poet was modern in many of this literary approaches, but his mentality remained feudal and in sync with the traditions of then Bengal, as he marries off his three daughters before the age of 15. Renuka, Madhurilata and Meera, the three daughters of Tagore suffered a lot, although Renu died at a tender age because of a disease, the other two faced the wrath of marital fractures that existed in that era. And for his daughter's sufferings, the poet forever regretted his decisions and how he could not be a good father to his daughters and that left a gaping hole in his heart till his very end.
The two notable women, or rather say muses, after Kadambari, are Ranu Adhikari, a very young girl of the age of 12 and another Argentinian woman of 35 years of age, Victoria Ocampo, who yet once again inspired the poet to write some remarkable verses and poems which are thoroughly romantic. And the author strikingly brings out the personalities of these two lesser known women in to this book with lots of compassion in their demeanor. Even the other women characters are depicted with distinction in their myriad personalities, some are featured with haughtiness, some are authoritative, some are meek and gentle, some are shy, some are scheming, some are clever while some are bold. However each one of them plays a role in the pet's inner and outer development.
Ina nutshell, this journey into Tagore's life is no doubt painful and poignant, but mostly its informative, encouraging and extremely enchanting to read about the time when the author is awarded the Nobel Prize in literature earning him the knighthood title, and also the readers will learn a lot about the poet's unsuccessful approaches when it came to handling the household and ancestral finances and inheritances.
Verdict: A must read for all the worshipers of Rabindranath Tagore as the author projects him under a new light.
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Harper Collins India for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
----Rabindranath Tagore
Aruna Chakravarti, an award winning Indian writer, pens an enlightening story about the Tagore household's women in her new book, Daughters of Jorasanko which is the sequel to her bestselling novel, Jorasanko. This book, Daughters of Jorasanko is an intimate tale about the Tagore household portraying the women who are all bound together by the threads of marriage at a very tender age, where some are engulfed by the widowhood at a very early age whereas some are simply carrying the seeds from one generation to another and through these women's lives the readers will come to know a different side of our noble laureate Rabindranath Tagore.
Synopsis:
The Tagore household is falling apart. Rabindranath cannot shake off the disquiet in his heart after the death of his wife Mrinalini. Happiness and well-being elude him. His daughters and daughter-in-law struggle hard to cope with incompatible marriages, ill health and the stigma of childlessness. The extended family of Jorasanko is steeped in debt and there is talk of mortgaging one of the houses. Even as Rabindranath deals with his own financial problems and strives hard to keep his dream of Santiniketan alive, news reaches him that he has been awarded the Nobel Prize for literature. Will this be a turning point for the man, his family and their much-celebrated home?
Daughters of Jorasanko sequel to the bestselling novel Jorasanko explores Rabindranath Tagore’s engagement with the freedom movement and his vision for holistic education, brings alive his latter-day muses Ranu Adhikari and Victoria Ocampo and maps the histories of the Tagore women, even as it describes the twilight years in the life of one of the greatest luminaries of our times and the end of an epoch in the history of Bengal.
Jorasanko, the author's bestselling previous novel, unravels and traces the early life of the Nobel Laureate, Rabindranath Tagore through the lives of the women, Jnanadanandini, Kadambari and Mrinalini, who helped and shaped him in a way through which he can bring out his inner talents of poetry and literature and also helped him to become established. But Jorasanko ends with the tragic climax where the author's wife, Mrinalini dies thereby leaving the poet's heart agape with immense pain.
Daughters of Jorasanko immediately picks up where the previous novel ended and through this new book, the readers will come to know that even though Mrinalini is projected as an "unworthy spouse" yet the great poet of India never ever recovered from the death of his dear wife, who helped him to bring his dreams of Santiniketan alive. This tale revolves around Tagore's daughters and daughters-in-laws, and how they too impacted and contributed in Tagore's life not only as a pet but also a family man.
This book projects the life story of Tagore during the early days of Bengal's Renaissance period especially the times when the citizens are gradually rediscovering the norms and the cultural barriers as primitive and are coming forward to adapt the Westernized ideas into their lives. During this era, the women have not got much benefit out of it, especially from the stigmas like child marriage, gender indifferences, widowhood and other strict traditional norms. Although the approach and the outlook of the general humans changed drastically yet somehow they could not battle those traditional rules passed down from their ancestors.
The author's writing style is exquisite and very coherent as the readers will be able to comprehend easily with the flow of the story. Right from the very first page itself, the author's lyrical prose will beg its readers to stay glued till the very end and even though the readers are aware about the death of the bard, yet somehow the suspenseful as well as evocative narrative will keep the readers guessing till the very last page. The pacing is moderate, as the story is told from many layers that are unraveled gradually with the progress of the story. And not to mention, each and every scene is penned with utmost clarity that the readers will feel themselves witnessing the story right before their own eyes.
The author has meticulously researched for the characters who played a major role in the bard's later life and she took over three years to pen this sequel, as this novel features the stories of those women who are not much known to the world and so their contribution in the poet's life. The poet single handedly brought up his three daughters and two sons after the death of his wife at a very tender age. Even though the poet was modern in many of this literary approaches, but his mentality remained feudal and in sync with the traditions of then Bengal, as he marries off his three daughters before the age of 15. Renuka, Madhurilata and Meera, the three daughters of Tagore suffered a lot, although Renu died at a tender age because of a disease, the other two faced the wrath of marital fractures that existed in that era. And for his daughter's sufferings, the poet forever regretted his decisions and how he could not be a good father to his daughters and that left a gaping hole in his heart till his very end.
The two notable women, or rather say muses, after Kadambari, are Ranu Adhikari, a very young girl of the age of 12 and another Argentinian woman of 35 years of age, Victoria Ocampo, who yet once again inspired the poet to write some remarkable verses and poems which are thoroughly romantic. And the author strikingly brings out the personalities of these two lesser known women in to this book with lots of compassion in their demeanor. Even the other women characters are depicted with distinction in their myriad personalities, some are featured with haughtiness, some are authoritative, some are meek and gentle, some are shy, some are scheming, some are clever while some are bold. However each one of them plays a role in the pet's inner and outer development.
Ina nutshell, this journey into Tagore's life is no doubt painful and poignant, but mostly its informative, encouraging and extremely enchanting to read about the time when the author is awarded the Nobel Prize in literature earning him the knighthood title, and also the readers will learn a lot about the poet's unsuccessful approaches when it came to handling the household and ancestral finances and inheritances.
Verdict: A must read for all the worshipers of Rabindranath Tagore as the author projects him under a new light.
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Harper Collins India for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
December 10, 2025
Daughters of Jorasanko by Aruna Chakravarti is a richly layered historical novel that chronicles the later years of Rabindranath Tagore’s life and the lives of the many women around him, his daughters, nieces, muses, and daughters-in-law, as they navigate personal tragedies, shifting social norms, family collapse and the fading glory of an era.
This book moved me in a quiet, heavy-hearted way. Instead of glamour, the narrative offers a subtle melancholy as we witness the decline of the once-grand household, the strain of ill-matched marriages, premature deaths, social expectations and the burden of tradition. The women in the story, daughters like Madhurilata (Beli) and Atashilata (Meera), nieces, daughters-in-law, and muses are given voices, however limited, by the author. Their hopes, disappointments, small rebellions and longings felt painfully real and sometimes heartbreaking. Through them, we see how even away from the public acclaim of a Nobel laureate, tragedy and social constraints can inflict deep wounds.
What stayed with me most was the author’s gentle but unflinching portrayal of Rabindranath Tagore as a man torn between his ideals and his limitations, a visionary poet, yet a father often distant, a liberal thinker constrained by social mores, sometimes indecisive when his daughters needed him most. This nuance makes the novel more than a biography; it becomes a meditation on legacy and loss, on how genius and greatness exist alongside frailty, grief and regret. Through the domestic and intimate struggles of the Tagore women, the book reflects broader tensions of a changing Bengal: tradition versus modernity, patriarchal weight versus the stirrings of emancipation.
I give Daughters of Jorasanko 4 out of 5 stars. It touched me deeply with its empathy, historical depth and emotional honesty. At moments the sorrow felt heavy and some character arcs, especially of the women left me wanting more agency or fuller exploration. Still, it remains a haunting, bittersweet, and valuable portrait of a family, a time, and the human frailties behind legendary names.
This book moved me in a quiet, heavy-hearted way. Instead of glamour, the narrative offers a subtle melancholy as we witness the decline of the once-grand household, the strain of ill-matched marriages, premature deaths, social expectations and the burden of tradition. The women in the story, daughters like Madhurilata (Beli) and Atashilata (Meera), nieces, daughters-in-law, and muses are given voices, however limited, by the author. Their hopes, disappointments, small rebellions and longings felt painfully real and sometimes heartbreaking. Through them, we see how even away from the public acclaim of a Nobel laureate, tragedy and social constraints can inflict deep wounds.
What stayed with me most was the author’s gentle but unflinching portrayal of Rabindranath Tagore as a man torn between his ideals and his limitations, a visionary poet, yet a father often distant, a liberal thinker constrained by social mores, sometimes indecisive when his daughters needed him most. This nuance makes the novel more than a biography; it becomes a meditation on legacy and loss, on how genius and greatness exist alongside frailty, grief and regret. Through the domestic and intimate struggles of the Tagore women, the book reflects broader tensions of a changing Bengal: tradition versus modernity, patriarchal weight versus the stirrings of emancipation.
I give Daughters of Jorasanko 4 out of 5 stars. It touched me deeply with its empathy, historical depth and emotional honesty. At moments the sorrow felt heavy and some character arcs, especially of the women left me wanting more agency or fuller exploration. Still, it remains a haunting, bittersweet, and valuable portrait of a family, a time, and the human frailties behind legendary names.
January 29, 2025
One day I shall conjure the words to describe what this book means to me.
February 11, 2023
I could understand some of the things of our history which I couldn't remember as an important change in our history during the school time.
*Formation of brahmo samaj and how closely it was intertwined with the tagore family
* A women married at the age of 7 when given a chance to go out of purdah system change the way every women draped sari in the Bengal, i.e. janandani Devi.
*Apart from being a poet, rabindranath tagore as and father, a son and a husband and his human fragility.
*Formation of brahmo samaj and how closely it was intertwined with the tagore family
* A women married at the age of 7 when given a chance to go out of purdah system change the way every women draped sari in the Bengal, i.e. janandani Devi.
*Apart from being a poet, rabindranath tagore as and father, a son and a husband and his human fragility.
May 9, 2022
This is one of those books where I feel that even 5 stars wasn't enough. It deserves 10 if that was possible. Easily the best book I have read in 2022, and it's completion happily coincides with Rabindra Jayanti.
Makes the viswa kavi and all around him human, and puts a beautiful back story to his eternal songs.
Makes the viswa kavi and all around him human, and puts a beautiful back story to his eternal songs.
July 13, 2017
This is the first book I have read about Rabindranath Tagore! I didn't read the first book, Jorasanko, but will read it soon. This is a good book, all about Rabindranath and the women he faced throughout his life, but also quite depressing as we constantly learn the struggles they faced throughout, and how the family went from rich to poor in the end! He was a simple man in spite of all the fandom and greatness that surrounded him. The male characters are confusing because of their names. Happy to know that Radindranath's works and words are still alive today!
September 5, 2017
Another beautifully written book on the Tagore's of Jorasanko. Deeply moving. Every single character has left a lasting impression on me. Unlike when I read the first book, Jorasanko, I was unaware of most of these stories of Rabindranath's next generation. I learnt a lot and I applaud the author once again for a well researched writing. I recommend this book very strongly and am eagerly waiting for more books by the author. Delightful read!
June 15, 2025
For a book titled Daughters of Jorasanko, it’s surprising how much of the spotlight stays fixed on him — Rabindranath Tagore. The women exist, yes — they speak, they struggle, they support, they even rebel at times — but far too often, they feel like narrative satellites orbiting the gravitational pull of his genius, his moods, his highs and lows.
That said, the book does a commendable job of painting a layered picture of Tagore — not the saintly bard of textbooks, but the conflicted man of his time. He’s not glorified blindly, nor is he needlessly criticized. There’s a quiet honesty in how his contradictions are laid bare — his artistic brilliance and emotional evasiveness, his progressive ideals and personal blind spots. It’s this nuance that kept me turning the pages.
What I would’ve liked more of is exactly what the title promises — the daughters. Their interior lives, their disappointments, their fire. Instead, we often meet them only as reflections in his mirror — their stories shaped by his actions, but not deeply explored in their own right.
Still, the writing is elegant, the research meticulous, and the tone restrained — never sensationalist, never dry. As a portrait of Tagore’s world, it’s immersive. As a novel about the women of Jorasanko, it left me wanting more.
That said, the book does a commendable job of painting a layered picture of Tagore — not the saintly bard of textbooks, but the conflicted man of his time. He’s not glorified blindly, nor is he needlessly criticized. There’s a quiet honesty in how his contradictions are laid bare — his artistic brilliance and emotional evasiveness, his progressive ideals and personal blind spots. It’s this nuance that kept me turning the pages.
What I would’ve liked more of is exactly what the title promises — the daughters. Their interior lives, their disappointments, their fire. Instead, we often meet them only as reflections in his mirror — their stories shaped by his actions, but not deeply explored in their own right.
Still, the writing is elegant, the research meticulous, and the tone restrained — never sensationalist, never dry. As a portrait of Tagore’s world, it’s immersive. As a novel about the women of Jorasanko, it left me wanting more.
November 3, 2025
This novel is a sequel to Jorasanko by the same author, which I didn’t know when I began reading it. On its own, too, it reads as a complete work in itself.
Having recently visited Shantiniketan and Jorasanko Bari, this was an extremely rewarding read. It brings Rabindranath Tagore to life—not as a distant icon, but with all his limitations as a family man who loves his children (cares for and provides for them even when they don’t come up to his expectations), and other members of the extended family. It describes his relationship with the two women who became his muse quite late in his life, his longing for them, his irritation when things do not go as he desires, most candidly. How he faces all these disappointments and financial struggles with tenacity and a complete faith in Parameshwar, God, is portrayed with honesty and nuance.
This is historical fiction at its finest. The language, setting, and characters all work together to recreate the time, and the narrative flows with ease. Given how well-preserved Tagore’s letters, writings, and personal effects are, the author had access to unlimited resource material, but writing about someone so revered and beloved would nevertheless have been a daunting task.
Prior to this, I read Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay’s Life of Tagore—a translation of a much larger four-volume work in Bengali. While informative, it felt more like a chronological account of major life events, especially Tagore’s travels, and lacked the emotional depth that makes a life story resonate.
This novel deepened my admiration for Tagore. He faltered, he struggled, and despite his extraordinary artistic gifts and progressive worldview, he remained profoundly human.
Having recently visited Shantiniketan and Jorasanko Bari, this was an extremely rewarding read. It brings Rabindranath Tagore to life—not as a distant icon, but with all his limitations as a family man who loves his children (cares for and provides for them even when they don’t come up to his expectations), and other members of the extended family. It describes his relationship with the two women who became his muse quite late in his life, his longing for them, his irritation when things do not go as he desires, most candidly. How he faces all these disappointments and financial struggles with tenacity and a complete faith in Parameshwar, God, is portrayed with honesty and nuance.
This is historical fiction at its finest. The language, setting, and characters all work together to recreate the time, and the narrative flows with ease. Given how well-preserved Tagore’s letters, writings, and personal effects are, the author had access to unlimited resource material, but writing about someone so revered and beloved would nevertheless have been a daunting task.
Prior to this, I read Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay’s Life of Tagore—a translation of a much larger four-volume work in Bengali. While informative, it felt more like a chronological account of major life events, especially Tagore’s travels, and lacked the emotional depth that makes a life story resonate.
This novel deepened my admiration for Tagore. He faltered, he struggled, and despite his extraordinary artistic gifts and progressive worldview, he remained profoundly human.
February 5, 2017
Daughters of Jorasanko by Aruna Chakravarti is based on Rabindranath Tagore and his extended family, especially focusing on female members of the clan. But that's just not what makes this book interesting. The constant tug of war that Rabindranath faced between fighting against evils of society and tackling same evils lurking around his family, that's what makes this book one of my favorite ones.
Very few books have the ability to share a unique story with right facts and strong research. Daughters of Jorasanko is one of those. The book is a sequel to Jorasanko published by the author in 2013.
In Joransako, we explored early life of Rabindranath Tagore through the lives of the women Jnanadanandini, Kadambari, and Mrinalini, who helped him and shaped him to achieve what he is known today. But Jorasanko ends with a tragic climax, where Rabindranath's wife, Mrinalini dies a tragic death.
Daughters of Jorasanko is based from 1859 to 1902 and begins when Rabindranath is gripped with the loss of his wife. Though known to many as an unworthy spouse, Daughters of Jorasanko clears the air about how much Rabindranath missed and yearned for Mrinalini and her constant support and loyalty. It is a story depicting the time when Tagore household was falling apart. Rabindranath, who was making waves in Kolkata as a poet and a writer, on the other hand, was struggling to keep his family together, especially his daughters.
Jorasanko, a small town in North of Kolkata has been linked to Tagore clan forever. With a feminine poise, the book shares the story of Digambari, Prince Dwarkanath's wife who banished her husband from their home because he hosted receptions where meat and liquor were served. And that's where you get the first glimpse of Daughters of Jorasanko. This strong act of Rabindranath's grandmother establishes a concrete base for the existence of women with a voice in the Tagore household.
The time period covered shows the transition of India from a derogatory mindset to a free one, and in between the transition is Rabindranath Tagore and his daughters. A father, whose sister in law Jnanadanandini pushed him harder every day to be the greatest poet of all times, a beacon of new Bengal was torn between the evils of society, some of them created by himself within his household.
The sons and daughters of Rabindranath had a cruel fate. The poet single-handedly brought up his three daughters and two sons. Even though a modern writer who used to share his views on upliftment of society from bad practices, his mentality was still shackled with old age traditions. One of them that he religiously followed was getting his daughters married at the tender age of 15. Renuka dies young because of a disease, Madhurilata and Meera face the wrath of torturous marriages along with husbands who were unworthy of their soul. Even though Rabindranath could sense his wrong doings, he kept on ignoring them until one day, his daughters left a gaping hole in his heart.
Daughters of Jorasanko for me was a journey back in time to meet Rabindranath Tagore. Not the poet and celebrated author that we know today but the Rabindranath who was living with a lot of pain. Managing a huge empire with a little amount of money, keeping the daughters, sons, and son in laws together and taking care of the extended clan took a toll on him. Through Daughters of Jorasanko, you also get to meet some really interesting women who had a deep influence on Rabindranath. Ranu Adhikari, a young girl of the age of 12 with the energy of an atom bomb. She brought sparkle in Rabindranath's life, and when she went away, the spark also died bit by bit. It was ignited again by yet another intriguing Argentinian woman, Victoria Ocampo. 35 years old, she became his muse for many of his remarkable verses and poems which are thoroughly romantic.
Chakravarti's writing style is simply amazing. A biographical fiction, Daughters of Jorasanko has been written with such an exquisite style which makes the story easy to comprehend from the very first page. Each of the characters and plots is written with utmost clarity and with such a lyrical writing style that the reader feels everything unfolding right in front of his eyes. The amount of research done by Chakravarti is brilliant and shows the hard work of three years she took to write Daughters of Jorasanko.
There is nothing that I disliked in this book, as simple as that. And another simple fact, Daughters of Jorasanko is a must read. Not just for people who love Tagore, but also for those who are looking for a brilliant autobiographical fiction.
Very few books have the ability to share a unique story with right facts and strong research. Daughters of Jorasanko is one of those. The book is a sequel to Jorasanko published by the author in 2013.
In Joransako, we explored early life of Rabindranath Tagore through the lives of the women Jnanadanandini, Kadambari, and Mrinalini, who helped him and shaped him to achieve what he is known today. But Jorasanko ends with a tragic climax, where Rabindranath's wife, Mrinalini dies a tragic death.
Daughters of Jorasanko is based from 1859 to 1902 and begins when Rabindranath is gripped with the loss of his wife. Though known to many as an unworthy spouse, Daughters of Jorasanko clears the air about how much Rabindranath missed and yearned for Mrinalini and her constant support and loyalty. It is a story depicting the time when Tagore household was falling apart. Rabindranath, who was making waves in Kolkata as a poet and a writer, on the other hand, was struggling to keep his family together, especially his daughters.
Jorasanko, a small town in North of Kolkata has been linked to Tagore clan forever. With a feminine poise, the book shares the story of Digambari, Prince Dwarkanath's wife who banished her husband from their home because he hosted receptions where meat and liquor were served. And that's where you get the first glimpse of Daughters of Jorasanko. This strong act of Rabindranath's grandmother establishes a concrete base for the existence of women with a voice in the Tagore household.
The time period covered shows the transition of India from a derogatory mindset to a free one, and in between the transition is Rabindranath Tagore and his daughters. A father, whose sister in law Jnanadanandini pushed him harder every day to be the greatest poet of all times, a beacon of new Bengal was torn between the evils of society, some of them created by himself within his household.
The sons and daughters of Rabindranath had a cruel fate. The poet single-handedly brought up his three daughters and two sons. Even though a modern writer who used to share his views on upliftment of society from bad practices, his mentality was still shackled with old age traditions. One of them that he religiously followed was getting his daughters married at the tender age of 15. Renuka dies young because of a disease, Madhurilata and Meera face the wrath of torturous marriages along with husbands who were unworthy of their soul. Even though Rabindranath could sense his wrong doings, he kept on ignoring them until one day, his daughters left a gaping hole in his heart.
Daughters of Jorasanko for me was a journey back in time to meet Rabindranath Tagore. Not the poet and celebrated author that we know today but the Rabindranath who was living with a lot of pain. Managing a huge empire with a little amount of money, keeping the daughters, sons, and son in laws together and taking care of the extended clan took a toll on him. Through Daughters of Jorasanko, you also get to meet some really interesting women who had a deep influence on Rabindranath. Ranu Adhikari, a young girl of the age of 12 with the energy of an atom bomb. She brought sparkle in Rabindranath's life, and when she went away, the spark also died bit by bit. It was ignited again by yet another intriguing Argentinian woman, Victoria Ocampo. 35 years old, she became his muse for many of his remarkable verses and poems which are thoroughly romantic.
Chakravarti's writing style is simply amazing. A biographical fiction, Daughters of Jorasanko has been written with such an exquisite style which makes the story easy to comprehend from the very first page. Each of the characters and plots is written with utmost clarity and with such a lyrical writing style that the reader feels everything unfolding right in front of his eyes. The amount of research done by Chakravarti is brilliant and shows the hard work of three years she took to write Daughters of Jorasanko.
There is nothing that I disliked in this book, as simple as that. And another simple fact, Daughters of Jorasanko is a must read. Not just for people who love Tagore, but also for those who are looking for a brilliant autobiographical fiction.
July 3, 2022
Daughers of Jorasanko took up where Jorasanko left off. And in this sequel Aruna Chakrabarti has once again proved that, not just as a translator, she can also wield her pen as an original novelist with considerable finesse.
From 1902, when Mrinalini Devi died, to 1941, when the Poet passed away, the novel traces the later, more eventful, part of Rabindranath's life.
Unlike the first novel, in the sequel the Poet is the central character. Everything revolves around him. As seen through the eyes of the women who played such important roles in his creative and domestic life.
His daughters, Madhurilata (Beli) and Atashilata (Meera). His daughter-in-law Protima. His nieces, Indira (Bibi) and Sarala. Ranu Adhikari (later Lady Ranu Mookherjee). Victoria Ocampo. Moitrayee Debi.
Smt Chakrabarti has portrayed all these ladies with great deal of empathy and sensitivity making them come to life in vivid colours.
And the portrayal of the moments when some of the immortal songs were born is truly inspiring.
Like when the Poet decides to compose a song for his students on his last birthday.
হে নূতন,
দেখা দিক আর-বার জন্মের প্রথম শুভক্ষণ।।
তোমার প্রকাশ হোক কুহেলিকা করি উদঘাটন
সূর্যের মতন।
রিক্ততার বক্ষ ভেদি আপনারে করো উন্মোচন।
Oh ever new!
Let my eyes behold once more
the first blessed moment of birth.
Reveal yourself like the sun
melting the mists that shroud it.
Reveal yourself
tearing in two the arid empty breast
Proclaim the victory of life.
Or when, before going in for surgery, he dictates the last poem of his life to his granddaughter, Nandita.
প্রথম দিনের সূর্য
প্রশ্ন করেছিল
সত্তার নূতন আবির্ভাবে -
কে তুমি,
মেলেনি উত্তর।
বৎসর বৎসর চলে গেল,
দিবসের শেষ সূর্য
শেষ প্রশ্ন উচ্চারিল পশ্চিম-সাগরতীরে,
নিস্তব্ধ সন্ধ্যায় -
কে তুমি,
পেল না উত্তর।
The first day's sun;
When existence had newly kindled into life
had asked the question:
Who are you?
There was no answer.
The years rolled by.
The last day's sun
in the quite dusk, from the shore of the western sea,
asked the same question:
Who are you?
There was no answer.
Daughters of Jorasanko is an excellent introduction to the world of Tagore.
From 1902, when Mrinalini Devi died, to 1941, when the Poet passed away, the novel traces the later, more eventful, part of Rabindranath's life.
Unlike the first novel, in the sequel the Poet is the central character. Everything revolves around him. As seen through the eyes of the women who played such important roles in his creative and domestic life.
His daughters, Madhurilata (Beli) and Atashilata (Meera). His daughter-in-law Protima. His nieces, Indira (Bibi) and Sarala. Ranu Adhikari (later Lady Ranu Mookherjee). Victoria Ocampo. Moitrayee Debi.
Smt Chakrabarti has portrayed all these ladies with great deal of empathy and sensitivity making them come to life in vivid colours.
And the portrayal of the moments when some of the immortal songs were born is truly inspiring.
Like when the Poet decides to compose a song for his students on his last birthday.
হে নূতন,
দেখা দিক আর-বার জন্মের প্রথম শুভক্ষণ।।
তোমার প্রকাশ হোক কুহেলিকা করি উদঘাটন
সূর্যের মতন।
রিক্ততার বক্ষ ভেদি আপনারে করো উন্মোচন।
Oh ever new!
Let my eyes behold once more
the first blessed moment of birth.
Reveal yourself like the sun
melting the mists that shroud it.
Reveal yourself
tearing in two the arid empty breast
Proclaim the victory of life.
Or when, before going in for surgery, he dictates the last poem of his life to his granddaughter, Nandita.
প্রথম দিনের সূর্য
প্রশ্ন করেছিল
সত্তার নূতন আবির্ভাবে -
কে তুমি,
মেলেনি উত্তর।
বৎসর বৎসর চলে গেল,
দিবসের শেষ সূর্য
শেষ প্রশ্ন উচ্চারিল পশ্চিম-সাগরতীরে,
নিস্তব্ধ সন্ধ্যায় -
কে তুমি,
পেল না উত্তর।
The first day's sun;
When existence had newly kindled into life
had asked the question:
Who are you?
There was no answer.
The years rolled by.
The last day's sun
in the quite dusk, from the shore of the western sea,
asked the same question:
Who are you?
There was no answer.
Daughters of Jorasanko is an excellent introduction to the world of Tagore.
December 14, 2021
This is a sequel to Jorasanko and mainly talks about the life and times of women who influenced Tagore. Both are part-fictional accounts of life and times of Tagore and the many women who influenced him in the ancestral mansion. As painted by the author, the novel is largely set between the years 1859 and 1902 when a feudal mindset was slowly, reluctantly giving way to a liberal, westernized one.
Tagore, though a Nobel prize winner, is no different from a common man struggling to cope when it comes to dealing with his family. His skill to write world class poems with ease, fills us with admiration, while his struggle to handle simple household matters makes us feel nothing but pity for the poor soul.
My heart bled for Kadambari, one of Robi's sister in law, whose life turns out to be a pathetic curse. Many characters in the book make a big impact in reader's minds. But my personal favourite is Jnanadanandhini, eldest sister in law of the household, the dynamo wife of Maharshi Debendranath's second son Satyendranath Tagore.
Jnanadanandini has been dignified with the title of the "first modern woman" of Bengal when modernism was still in its infancy. She is perhaps one of the strongest influences on Rabindranath.
Read the book in one sitting if you can -- the age comes alive and grabs you leaving a lasting impact.
Tagore, though a Nobel prize winner, is no different from a common man struggling to cope when it comes to dealing with his family. His skill to write world class poems with ease, fills us with admiration, while his struggle to handle simple household matters makes us feel nothing but pity for the poor soul.
My heart bled for Kadambari, one of Robi's sister in law, whose life turns out to be a pathetic curse. Many characters in the book make a big impact in reader's minds. But my personal favourite is Jnanadanandhini, eldest sister in law of the household, the dynamo wife of Maharshi Debendranath's second son Satyendranath Tagore.
Jnanadanandini has been dignified with the title of the "first modern woman" of Bengal when modernism was still in its infancy. She is perhaps one of the strongest influences on Rabindranath.
Read the book in one sitting if you can -- the age comes alive and grabs you leaving a lasting impact.
July 22, 2023
After reading Aruna Chakravarti's translations of Sunil Gangopadhyay's books ( Those days/shei sansar and First light) I was fascinated by 2 things - the stories of the Tagore family set in Bengal during the early 1900s and - the writing style. Wanting to uncover the original writing style of the translator herself, I reached out for her original work - Daughters of Jorasanko. This quenched my thirst on both the accounts.
I discovered the lives (especially women) of and around Rabindranath Tagore, up close n personal. Like the author's work of translation, This book is also very well written. However the way Mr Sunil Gangopadhyay brings in little elements of surprise while introducing his characters is truly his own and remains missing in Ms Aruna's works.
The language is simple, fluid and vivid in descriptions of time, place and imagery. She uses native bengali words in between that adds to the flavor.
She is also impartial in portraying the stalwart with all his deficiency as a husband and father while shining light on his humility and simplicity.
A must read. A splendid way of exploring the lives and condition of elite bengali women during the revolutionary days leading to Indian independence.
I discovered the lives (especially women) of and around Rabindranath Tagore, up close n personal. Like the author's work of translation, This book is also very well written. However the way Mr Sunil Gangopadhyay brings in little elements of surprise while introducing his characters is truly his own and remains missing in Ms Aruna's works.
The language is simple, fluid and vivid in descriptions of time, place and imagery. She uses native bengali words in between that adds to the flavor.
She is also impartial in portraying the stalwart with all his deficiency as a husband and father while shining light on his humility and simplicity.
A must read. A splendid way of exploring the lives and condition of elite bengali women during the revolutionary days leading to Indian independence.
April 3, 2021
The sequel to Jorasanko. For me it was a form of joining the dots as I understood where some of the songs mentioned in the book had their origins. The plays that were written.
It brought out the pain the family went through with each demise. The perils of having wayward and wastrel son-in-laws. The sadness of being a parent and dealing with your misjudged ideas for your own daughters for whom obedience was the only word.
I enjoyed the connection he had with Victoria who he called Bijoya in South America. I love the song he wrote for her - ami chini go chini
The nriya natya or the dance drama - Chitrangada is another favorite of mine.There are manu more such touchpoints that kept be glued to the book post lunch today.
To be in denial kept the writer in him alive. I wasn't aware of so many incidents till I read the book. Am a happy soul now. Shade more enlightened
It brought out the pain the family went through with each demise. The perils of having wayward and wastrel son-in-laws. The sadness of being a parent and dealing with your misjudged ideas for your own daughters for whom obedience was the only word.
I enjoyed the connection he had with Victoria who he called Bijoya in South America. I love the song he wrote for her - ami chini go chini
The nriya natya or the dance drama - Chitrangada is another favorite of mine.There are manu more such touchpoints that kept be glued to the book post lunch today.
To be in denial kept the writer in him alive. I wasn't aware of so many incidents till I read the book. Am a happy soul now. Shade more enlightened
June 17, 2025
Who influenced the genius that is Rabindranath Tagore ?
For anyone who read his books could not help, but be touched by his empathy - one that soaks through his poetry, prose. He saw, understood deeply.
Be it Nature, the many women - be it daughters, proteges, admirers - who loved his understanding of them as souls. Complicated relationships - penned with the restraint and dignity by the author. He isn't deified - there is an acknowledgment of his mistakes - he is after all, human!
A must read for those who wish to understand the inspiration behind his work and his multi-layered life.
But do read "Jorasanko" by the same author first to understand the pre-Rabindranath period - including the rise of the Brahmo movement and the rift caused due to this in the Tagore generation- which reverberates into this book as well !
For anyone who read his books could not help, but be touched by his empathy - one that soaks through his poetry, prose. He saw, understood deeply.
Be it Nature, the many women - be it daughters, proteges, admirers - who loved his understanding of them as souls. Complicated relationships - penned with the restraint and dignity by the author. He isn't deified - there is an acknowledgment of his mistakes - he is after all, human!
A must read for those who wish to understand the inspiration behind his work and his multi-layered life.
But do read "Jorasanko" by the same author first to understand the pre-Rabindranath period - including the rise of the Brahmo movement and the rift caused due to this in the Tagore generation- which reverberates into this book as well !
August 3, 2020
Daughters of Jorasanko carries off from its prequel Jorasanko. While it details out the narratives of the next generation of Rabindranath, there is something missing that does not generate the same kind of empathy and wistfulness as its prequel did. Maybe because what individual identities like Kadambari and Jnanada and Mrinalini brought to the table, Rabindranath's daughters did not. One can't but help feeling sorry for them because for all the female empowerment that the Brahmo Samaj brought forth and what Rabindranath propagated, he stunted the lives of his daughters through bad marriages. Knowingly. Three times over. At the end what remains is death, decay and decadence. But what's amazing about this book is as the previous book, it draws into its world in that century.
February 7, 2020
Beautiful language that transports the reader to another place another time however the title is a bit misleading as Rabindranath remains the focal point of the book and the "daughters" ...mainly women of the Tagore household circling him. Takes away a bit from the very strong protagonists they could otherwise have been highlighted as. Which they were. Torchbearers and trailblazers in so many ways. Well read, accomplished women with minds of their own.
Jorasankho was a better read.
Nonetheless,historically relevant and full of insights
Jorasankho was a better read.
Nonetheless,historically relevant and full of insights
May 2, 2020
Though the title is misleading
This book is more about the son of jorasanko and the women in his life, how their presence or absence has shaped the poet's life.
It was amazing.
As soon as the lockdown is over I am returning home to Kolkata and visiting the famous jorasanko Thakur bari or the lal bari mentioned here. Eager to my next visit to Shantiniketan and khowai er haat. This time not to buy handloom sarees but to see the land that mesmerized the poet.
This book is more about the son of jorasanko and the women in his life, how their presence or absence has shaped the poet's life.
It was amazing.
As soon as the lockdown is over I am returning home to Kolkata and visiting the famous jorasanko Thakur bari or the lal bari mentioned here. Eager to my next visit to Shantiniketan and khowai er haat. This time not to buy handloom sarees but to see the land that mesmerized the poet.
January 7, 2022
After reading its prequel, I took on this book without a though. It gave insights of the different shades of the women folk in Tagore household, some of whom could stand their ground despite being overshadowed by the men in their house. The characters are almost life-like although some of their lives could have been shed a little more light on.
December 22, 2018
Not as good as the first book. However if you have read the first one then this completes the story.
This book meanders a bit. And the end doesn't do justice to the events that did unfold at that point in history.
This book meanders a bit. And the end doesn't do justice to the events that did unfold at that point in history.
April 12, 2018
Lucid writing and recreation of an era
February 21, 2020
A skillful and interesting blend among real characters, true incidents and fictional narratives
March 13, 2017
Aruna Chakravarti is one of the finest authors in Bengal right now. Her translations have always mesmerised me and so did this book. All Tagore lovers need to read this. And even if you are not too acquainted with Tagore's writings and life, you can pick it up just for the sheer beauty of the writing style and the immensely strong feministic narration.
December 26, 2016
Ok, this is a monumental book in the sense that it gives us a peek into the inner life of the female residents of Jorasanko, both the houses - no 5 and 6. Another interesting aspect - it shows Rabindranath Tagore as a human being, far removed from the exalted altar where he so rightfully belongs.
This is an interesting read, though I wish the flow was much more easier. Would have loved to read it in Bengali, though its also a good idea to present this in English - more and more people need to know about the bard and his life!
Would have given it a 2.5!
This is an interesting read, though I wish the flow was much more easier. Would have loved to read it in Bengali, though its also a good idea to present this in English - more and more people need to know about the bard and his life!
Would have given it a 2.5!
April 26, 2020
Another fascinating read of the times & life of this incredible polymath.
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