--- In mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com, "Mainul Ahsan" wrote:

> You said:
> >> Ranbindranath did not want her women to work outside. He expressed
> it quite clearly. He was just fascinated by their beauty, compassion
> and love.
>

> Actually that is not quite true. This myth is contradicted by an
> account presented in HA's book of Tagore's visit to Burma where he
> was impressed by seeing the Burmese women working outside their
> homes, doing all kind of hard work that men are supposed to do....


Well I don't know how much room is left for 'women liberty' while Tagore quite
openly said :

[1] Jemon korei bolo Prokriti bole dicchey Meyera bairer kaaj korte parbe na...

[2] Prokriti-i romoni ke bishesh karjyobhar o todonorup probritti diya
grihobashini koriyachen...

[3] Naree- Naree boliyai shreshtho.. Tini purusher kaarjye hostokkhep korile je
shreshthotomo hoiben taha nohe..

[3] Probhu bhokti ke jodi dhormo mone koro taaile bhritter mone monushottyer
haanee hoy na... etc.

I really don't think one needs to go to Burma to praise a 'working women'. In
fact in Bengal our lower class poor women had been struggling for their
livelihood for long. Tagore probably did not notice their struggle and lives for
his class constrains.


>
> Therefore, you see, HA had a deep-rooted prejudice about Tagore. If
> Tagore said X, he found some fault;


It's not quite true that HA was prejudiced about Tagore. As far I know, HA was a
life-long great admirer of Tagore's work. He published several books and
articles agreeing with Tagore [Rabindraprabandha/Rastra O Shamajchinta,
Rabindranath er Pradhan Kabita, etc.]. Mr. Shahadat has already mentioned
something more which i haven't read. HA, to be frank, only disagreed with
Tagore's traditional view about women. Frankly speaking, I did not find much
criticism about Tagore (socio-political aspects inluded) in any of HA's writing
except his book Naree. To do a feminist analysis of Tagore in Naree, HA quoted
Tagore from most authentic sources, i.e, Rabindra Rachanabali. As everything is
in Bangla (not in Arabic/Hebrew), there should not be any issue of
'misinterpretation'. I am sorry - calling feminist members 'ugro-nareebadi' for
disagreeing with Tagore's view eventually proves that it touched your own nerve.
To me, neither Tagore nor HA is the ultimate litmus paper of Nareebad/Naree
mukti. For me, I will go whatever way the data leads me. So far, the data lead
me to the conclusion that Rabindra Rachanabali has some content which is
disgraceful towards womankind.


If you sincerely
> believe that Tagore's work is a real impediment to women's
> liberation, please follow your mind and do everything possible to
> shun his influence in your life and in the lives of others you care
> about.

ok. Let's see if Ms. Shila agrees with it or not

Cheers,

Raisul Huq