Rabisarani

Poet writes the poem Vijaini.

66th festival held at Maharshi Bhavan or Jorasanko Mansion. Rabindranath contributes two songs.

• Viswarajalaye viswabina bajichhe 24th January, 1896

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• Padaprante rakho sevake 24th January, 1896

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In a remarkable spell of intense creativity, Rabindranath writes Griha-satru.

Rabindranath writes the sonnet Marichika.

Poet's nephew Kshitindranath gets married.

Poet's nephew Balendranath gets married.

Rabindranath writes Utsav on the day of his nephew Balendranath's wedding.

Poet dedicates the book of verse Nadi to his nephew Balendranath as a wedding gift.

Nadi, the felicitous panoramic poem of 300 lines which Rabindranath dedicates to his nephew Balendranath on his wedding, is particularly suitable for children in terms of rhyme, rhythm and diction.

Rabindranath writes another sonnet Prastarmurti.

Poet writes a small piece Narir dan.

Rabindranath writes the famous and much-discussed Jivan-devata, surely a locus classicus.

Poet writes another innovative piece Rate o Prabhate.

Another masterpiece from Rabindranath, and a locus classicus of a different kind – 1400 saal.

Poet writes the poem Nirab Tantri.

Poet writes the poem Durakanksha.

Poet writes another sonnet Proura.

Prabhatkumar sends Rabindranath a manuscript titled Kahini, planned to be published for private circulation only.

Rabindranath writes another sonnet Dhuli with a complex rhyme scheme.

A review probably written by Ramananda Chatterjee, lauding the poem Dhuli, appears in the march issue of Dasi journal.

Nadi - the felicitous panoramic poem of 300 lines, is but a part of a larger project, it is in the curriculum of a house-school set up primarily at Rabindranath's initiative to educate the children of the family. Rathi and Bela are among the students. It's a precursor – a very small precursor of course – of the shape of things to come.

Poet writes Sindhupare – the last poem in the Chitra anthology.

Chitra, the book of poems, is published without delay on 11th March.

Rabindranath visits Shilaidaha in early March.

Contemporary correspondence between Dwijendralal Roy and Sureshchandra Samajpati, and Rabindranath shows that in the beginning both Dwijendralal and Sureshchandra who later turned into harsh critics were admiring friends.

Obviously making the most of a great creative phase which shows no signs of waning yet, he writes an astonishing number of poems in Chaitra (March-April) (later collected in Chaitali) in the highly stimulating environs of East Bengal -- the wonderful crucible from which much of what's enduring in Rabindranath's oeuvre sprang.

• Prabhat 23rd March, 1896

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• Utswarga 25th March, 1896

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• Geetahin 25th March, 1896

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• Swapna 26th March, 1896

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• Ashar Sima 26th March, 1896

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• Devatar Vidai 26th March, 1896

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• Punyer Hisab 26th March, 1896

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• Bairagya 26th March, 1896

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• Palligrame 28th March, 1896

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• Samanya lok 29th March, 1896

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• Durlav Janma 30th March, 1896

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• Kheya 30th March, 1896

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• Karma 30th March, 1896

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• Bane o Rajye 31st March, 1896

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• Sabhyatar Prati 31st March, 1896

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• Bana 31st March, 1896

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• Tapavana 31st March, 1896

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• Ritusamhar 1st April, 1896

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• Meghdoot 2nd April, 1896

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• Didi 2nd April, 1896

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• Parichaya 2nd April, 1896

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• Ananta Pathe 2nd April, 1896

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• Kshanamilan 3rd April, 1896

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• Prem 3rd April, 1896

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• Puntu 4th April, 1896

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• Sangi 4th April, 1896

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• Sati 5th April, 1896

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• Snehadrishya 5th April, 1896

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• Karuna 5th April, 1896

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• Padma 6th April, 1896

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• Snehagrash 6th April, 1896

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• Bangamata 7th April, 1896

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• Dui Upama 7th April, 1896

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• Abhiman 7th April, 1896

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• Parabesh 7th April, 1896

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• Samapti 8th April, 1896

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• Dharatal 8th April, 1896

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• Tattwa o Saundarjya 8th April, 1896

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• Tattwagyanhin 8th April, 1896

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• Manashi 9th April, 1896

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• Nari 9th April, 1896

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• Priya 9th April, 1896

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• Dhyan 9th April, 1896

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• Mauna 10th April, 1896

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• Asamaya 10th April, 1896

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• Gaan 10th April, 1896

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• Barshasesh 11th April, 1896

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• Shesh Katha 11th April, 1896

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• Abhaya 11th April, 1896

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Most probably poet is still in Sahajadpur, writing the poems later collected in the Chaitali.

Rabindranath writes three poems:

• Anabrishti 13th April, 1896

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• Agnyata Viswa 13th April, 1896

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• Bhayer Durasha 13th April, 1896

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Back in Calcutta (now Kolkata) in the middle of April.

Prabhatkumar Mukherjee writes a long review of Chitra in the Dasi (May issue).

Maharshi's Debendranath Tagore's 80th birthday celebrated by the members of all the Brahma societies and their families at the Park St. residence.

Prabhatkumar Mukherjee comes to Calcutta (now Kolkata), meets the poet at Jorasanko, discusses literary matters.

Poet, along with Satyaprasad, Balendranath and Surendranath attends the annual meeting of the Bhawanipore Brahmasamaj.

Partners of Tagore & Co – Rabindranath, Surendranath and Balendranath borrow four thousand rupees from Satyaprasad at 9% interest. It will be repaid only after Balendranath's death. They will borrow another six thousand rupees from him on 1st August.

Poet writes the sonnet Bhakter Prati to satisfy Prabhatkumar's demand.

Another surge of writing comes on with the poet writing the sonnet Prachin Bharat and Hridayadharma.

On his way to Shilaidaha, poet writes Nadijatra.

Rabindranath writes three more poems while at Shilaidaha.

• Mrityumadhuri July, 1896

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• Smriti July, 1896

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• Bilaya July, 1896

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Death is the principal theme of these poems, and naturally, because according to the poet, his niece Abhi's death drew the poem Mrityumadhuri from him.

Poet arrives in Sahajadpur and at once plunges in estate supervision.

The muses continue visiting Rabindranath – he writes 18 poems of varied nature between 24th — 29th July.

• Pratham Chumban 24th July, 1896

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• Sesh Chumban 24th July, 1896

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• Jatri 25th July, 1896

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• Trina 25th July, 1896

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• Swartha 25th July, 1896

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• Preyashi 25th July, 1896

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• Santimantra 25th July, 1896

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• Kalidaser Prati 25th July, 1896

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• Kabya 25th July, 1896

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• Oiswarya 28th July, 1896

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• Prarthana 28th July, 1896

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• Ichhamati Nadi 28th July, 1896

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• Susrusha 28th July, 1896

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• Asish Grahan 28th July, 1896

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• Bidai 28th July, 1896

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• Kumarsambhav Gan 29th July, 1896

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• Manaslok 29th July, 1896

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By the end of July 1896 poet is back in Calcutta (now Kolkata).

Debendranath confers Power of Attorney entirely on Rabindranath.

Rabindranath granted an additional allowance of Rs 200/- for managing both family and estate affairs.

Shibdhan Vidyarnab is engaged as a teacher of the family school. Later Rabindranath will take him to his school in Santiniketan.

Besides jute and sugarcane, the Tagore & Co tries to diversify into leather trade, buys up raw hides worth Rs 2700/-.

Though Rabindranath is now in overall charge of everything, he remains fully accountable to Maharshi who retains the ultimate authority and on the second and third days of every month he'd go to Maharshi's Park St. residence, submit a complete account of the expenses incurred in the preceding month and obtain his advice and approval.

The notable vocalist Radhikaprasad Goswami (1863-1924), an exponent of the Vishnupur school of classical music, is appointed as the singer and music teacher of the Adi Brahmasamaj at this time. It is a salaried job.

On the occasion of the 63rd anniversary of Rammohan's death, Rabindranath composes Ke jai Amritadhamajatri. At a large meeting held at City College, Mirzapur St. to observe the death anniversary, Rabindranath reads an essay on Rammohan. Hirendranath Dutta and others also speak.

The essay that Rabindranath read on the occasion of Raja Rammohan's 63rd death anniversary at a large meeting held at City College, Mirzapur St., is later printed under the title Rammohan Ray in the Oct-Nov issue of Bharati.

Kavya Granthavali or collected poetical works of Rabindranath published by Satyaprasad Gangopadhaya. It contains all his books of poems, songs and plays printed so far. The new things added are Chaitali and Malini. Rabindranath derives the story.

Poet goes to Darjeeling with Rathindranath and Dinendranath.

While Rabindranath goes to Karshiang along with Rathindranath and Dinendranath, most probably Maharaja Virchandra Manikya of Tripura then ailing there, requests his close friend Rabindranath to accompany him in Karsiang. Rabindranath spends almost a month in Karsiang.

During his stay at Karsiang (to accompany Maharaja of Tripura), poet pays a flying visit to Darjeeling to see Maharani Sunitidevi of Koochbihar.

Madhurilata – poet’s eldest daughter writes a letter to him. This letter is significant because in this letter and in another letter written by Madhurilata, Mrinalini writes a few lines to the poet. These are the only surviving specimens of her letters written to Rabindranath. Her lines in this letter read, "I have received your pictures. Yours has come out very well. Indeed, of all your pictures, this is the best. Khoka's picture hasn't come as well as yours, it is whitish."

Maharaja of Tripura Virchandra Manikya dies in December.

Poet returns to Calcutta (now Kolkata) from Karsiang.

Rabindranath and Mrinalini's last child Samindranath is born.

12th annual Congress session held in Calcuta (now Kolkata) at Beadon Square. At the inaugural function, Rabindranath sings the first two lines of Bankimchandra's Vande Mataram to his own tune. Rabindranath composes a special song for this occasion -- the well known Oi Bhubanamanamohini. Their enthusiasm for Congress sessions is no secret. Besides Rabindranath, Jyotirindranath, Gaganendranath, Abanindranath, Balendranath, Surendranath and others attend the session.

Theistic Conference is held at the prayer hall of the Sadharan Brahmasamaj. Justice Ranade presides.

As 12th annual Congress session held in Calcutta (now Kolkata) at Beadon Square, Congress delegates feted at a dinner at the India Club.