Rabindranath understood that agriculture is the true foundation – GetBengal story
In 1922, Rabindranath wrote: "Phire chol matir tane / je mati añcal pete cheye achhe mukher pane" (Return by the call of the soil / The soil that spreads its lap, waiting to face you). Through this song, Tagore repeatedly wanted to express the innermost stirrings of life—the bursting forth of vitality and the blossoming of flowers. In that same year, 1922, he also established Sriniketan, near Santiniketan, to foster the improvement of rural life and agriculture.
The rural reconstruction project started in the vicinity of Surul's Kuthibari. Rabindranath even sent his son, Rathindranath, to England to study modern agricultural methods and scientific farming techniques. In addition, initiatives to promote agricultural practices were started.
The year was 1928. At Sriniketan, the Halakarshan Utsav (Ploughing Festival) was introduced to encourage people in agricultural work. The Poet himself took up the plough with his own hands, while Kshitimohan Sen recited the invocations.
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Also read : Tagore, the Naturalist
The festival was once celebrated on any day during the monsoon season, but after Rabindranath’s death, the festival has been observed every year on the 23rd of Shravan—that is, the day following his death.
This year, due to the critical situation, the festival cannot be held as a public gathering. However, people are remembering the day in their own way, honouring and remembering every farming brother and sister of Bengal.
Note : Translated by Debamita Ghosh Sarkar
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