SHILLONG: Tagore lovers in the city have renewed their demand for declaration of Brookside Mansion, where the Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore stayed during his first visit in 1919, as Rabindra Bhawan.
The president of India, Pranab Mukherjee paid floral tributes to the statue of Tagore at the frontal of this mansion during his visit here on Monday, as Tagore lovers from the city, which the poet visited thrice, pinned their hopes on the president to realize this long cherished dream. The mansion, in which Tagore stayed, was given a last hour fillip recently by the state government in view of the president’s visit.
It may be mentioned that former educationist and renowned dancer, who passed away recently, Sandhya Lahiri had underscored the need to preserve this mansion in memory of Tagore for which its original owner KC Dey had donated it. “Shillong had a special mention in the life and works of Tagore then why not a complete Bhawan in the poet’s name,” she had said months before her demise.
Uma Purkayastha, retired principal, Govt. Girls’ HS School, said that Tagore visited Tripura seven times and also Assam where such Bhawans exist. She emphasized that in 1961, All India Centenary Celebration Committee, was formed to commemorate the birth centenary celebration of Tagore by the Union Government under the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, where it was decided to install plaques and Rabindra Bhawans in all places across the country where the poet had visited during his lifetime. “When all other states have got one then why is Shillong lagging behind,” she asked.
It may be mentioned that the President had recently sought an action taken report from the state government about the state of affairs of this mansion. N Munish Singh, regional officer, Indian Council for Cultural Relations housed in Brookside Mansion admitted the building needs to be properly preserved. “But the matter has to be handled by the state government,” he said.
In February last, the Union Government engaged Raja Ram Mohun Roy Library Foundation, Kolkata director KK Banerjee, who visited the mansion to prepare a detailed report on this historic site and others that were associated with Tagore, which has since been submitted to the Union Ministry of Culture, but nothing has been heard since then, said Tagore followers.