Shahjadpur of Sirajganj in Rabindrabhuban

East Bengal impressed Rabindranath Tagore. Bangladesh is the source of this man’s immense experience, the epitome of Bengali literature and culture. Came to do zamindari. But you have heard the story of soil, water and air of Bengal. Shilaidhe got it, the desire to find people in the tune of Baul. Shahjadpur of Sirajganj gave him another taste of life. He came here and got self-realization. That realization brought him closer to the nature and people here.

He is like a new, complete picture of life in Baral Vidhaut Shahjadpur. For eight years from 1890 to 1897, Rabindranath Tagore temporarily came to Shahjadpur to look after the zamindari. He stayed here for two months at a time. Here he wrote many high quality literature. These include Sonar Tari, Chitra, Chaitali, Kalpana. Short stories include Postmaster, Interval, Ramkanai’s Folly, Holiday, Guest. Among the torn letters, 38 letters were also written here by the poet. In plays there is abandonment, in essays there is panchabhuta.

The poet used to come from Shilaidah to Baral Nader Rautara by barge and from there he used to come to Cacharibari by palanquin. Poverty was mixed in the life of the people of this region flowing like water. He provided cow pastures, water tanks free of cost to the Nikari community and the poor in the area to increase milk and fish production in the area.

His palanquin bearers gave accommodation to eight Bagdi families.

In 1897, when the poet’s father Devendranath Tagore divided the zamindari, uncle Gyanendranath Tagore Shahjadpur, elder brother Satyendranath Tagore Shilaidah and the poet himself got the responsibility of Patisar. After that he did not come to Shahjadpur. A few months after leaving part of Shahjadpur, on 8 Ashwin 1304, Rabindranath visited his beloved Shahjadpur once again on his way to Patisar. Remembering his separation from Shahjadpur on that day, he wrote his famous poem ‘Jachna’ following the Vaishnava poets’ song of separation –

‘Valobese sakhi nivrite jatne-write my name-in the temple of your mind.’