Dwijendranath Tagore

**Dwijendranath Tagore** (11 March 1840 – 19 January 1926) was an Indian poet, musician, philosopher, mathematician, and painter. He was one of the first people to use shorthand and music notation in the Bengali script. He was the oldest son of Debendranath Tagore. He was also the oldest brother of Rabindranath Tagore.

## Early life

Dwijendranath Tagore was born on 11 March 1840. He was the grandson of Dwarkanath Tagore from the Jorasanko branch of the Tagore family. He was the oldest son of Debendranath Tagore and Sarada Devi. He mostly learned from a private teacher at home as a child. However, he also studied for a short time at St. Paul's School and Hindu College in Calcutta (now Presidency University). Dwijendranath was very close to his younger brother Satyendranath Tagore, even though the two brothers were different. Dwijendranath believed in following the old customs of society very strictly. But Satyendranath wanted to break these old rules and make a new modern society. Dwijendranath liked a simple life. He loved poetry, knowledge, and trying new things. His wife was Sarbasundari Devi. She died in 1878. Dwijendranath did not marry again. He spent the rest of his life as a widower.

Dwijendranath had nine children. Two of them died soon after they were born. The five sons who lived were Dwipendranath, Arunendranath, Nitindranath, Sudhindranath, and Kripendranath. His two daughters were Saroja and Usha.

## As a poet

Dwijendranath's first work in Bengali literature was a translation. He translated Kalidasa's Meghaduta Kavya into Bengali. The original book was in classical Sanskrit. He published this book in 1860. This was exactly one year before his younger brother Rabindranath Tagore was born. Rabindranath later won the Nobel Prize. Dwijendranath was only twenty years old when he published the book. This was the first time anyone had translated Meghdoot into Bengali. Dwijendranath used two different rhyming styles in this book.

He published his second important book of poetry in 1875. It was called _Swapnaprayan_. Rabindranath was only a teenager at that time. This poem tells the story of a young man's travels. The writing shows that Dwijendranath could use many different rhythms very well. This book helps people understand the Bengali poetry of that time. Because of this, it has great historical value.

When Dwijendranath started writing poetry, Michael Madhusudan Dutt was very famous. Madhusudan had returned to Calcutta from Madras (now Chennai) in 1857. He enriched Bengali literature with many poems and plays like _Tilottamasambhav Kavya_ (1859), _Padmavati_ (1860), _Meghnadabadh Kavya_ (1861), _Brajangana_ (1861), and _Birangana Kavya_ (1862). Later, Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay and Rabindranath Tagore made Bengali literature very glorious. Most poets in Bengal at that time followed Madhusudan's style. However, Dwijendranath did not follow him. In fact, Madhusudan praised Dwijendranath and called him the poet of the future.

Dwijendranath was a very talented poet, but he was not organized. Rabindranath wrote that Dwijendranath's poems were often on torn pieces of paper. These papers were scattered all over the Jorasanko Thakur Bari (Tagore house). If someone had collected and published them, it would have been a valuable book.

## As a philosopher

Dwijendranath Tagore was a true philosopher. He helped start and run two philosophy groups. They were called the National Society and the Vidvajjan Samagam. He was also very interested in the philosophy of the Gita.

His main philosophy book is _Tattwabidya_. It has three volumes and was published between 1866 and 1868. This was a new kind of book in the history of Bengali philosophy. No one had published a book like this in Bengali before. He wrote two other philosophy books. They are _Advaita Mater Samalochana_ (1896) and _Aryadharma O Boudhadharmer Ghat-Protighat_ (1899).

## As a mathematician

Dwijendranath Tagore did a lot of work in mathematics. He wrote some books in English. He wrote a book about ontology (1871) and one about geometry. He also wrote a book on "boxometry" (_Baksamiti_) in 1913. This book is about the structure of boxes.

He started many new and important things. He invented a form of shorthand for the Bengali language. He even wrote a manual about it in verse (poetry form). He wrote a book on Geometry where he replaced the 12th Axiom with new ones. Scholars of mathematics really like his writings on Boxometry, which is the science of folding paper.

## Other prominent activities with composing music

He was the editor of the Tattwabodhini Patrika for 25 years, starting in 1884. He also started the _Hitavadi Patrika_. Dwijendranath wanted to keep publishing the _Tattvabodhini Patrika_. However, his brother Jyotirindranath Tagore suggested starting a new magazine called _Bharati_. Dwijendranath was the editor, but Jyotirindranath mostly ran the paper.

People elected him President of the Bangiya Sahitya Parishad from 1897 to 1900 because of his great work in Bengali literature. He was the priest at the Bengal Literary Conference session in 1914.

In 1873, there was a rebellion in Pabna. The income from his land (zamindari) went down. He told his people to take strict actions against the farmers to "restore peace".

Dwijendranath liked to do experiments. He was one of the first people to create Bengali shorthand. He also created a sign script using poems. He played a big role in using notation for Bengali songs. Before him, only Kshetramohan Goswami had done this. Goswami was an assistant to King Saurindra Mohan Tagore. In 1913, Dwijendranath wrote _Baksamiti_, a book about making boxes. His hobby was folding paper into different shapes.

From 1866 to 1871, he was the Acharya (teacher/leader) of the Adi Brahmo Samaj. He went to Dhaka with his father Debendranath. They went there to open the Dhaka Brahmo Samaj under the care of Braja Sundar Mitra.

Dwijendranath worked closely with the Hindu Mela. He wrote patriotic songs for the Mela. Writing songs was a habit for him. He wrote the Brahma Sangeet, _Karo Tar Nam Gaan, Jatadin Rahe Deha Pran_. People used this song as a prayer on the 7th of Pous for many years. People in the Brahmo Samaj often sing his songs during general prayers. One of his popular patriotic songs for the Hindu Mela was _Malin Mukhchandrama Bharat Tomari_.

## Shantiniketan days

Dwijendranath spent the last twenty years of his life in Santiniketan. He lived close to nature and spent his time learning and writing. He used to write funny short poems (quatrains) with the people of the Ashram. They published these rhymes in _Santiniketan_. Everyone there talked about his sense of humor. His friendship with birds, squirrels, and crows in Santiniketan was very famous. He learned many things, but he loved philosophy the most. He organized meetings (majlis) with other scholars, including Rabindranath. He would recite his writings in these meetings. If he did not understand something, he would ask Bidhusekhar, Shastri, or Kshitimohan Sen for help.

Rabindranath called him "Barodada" (Eldest Brother). When Mahatma Gandhi and Charles Freer Andrews came back from South Africa, they visited Santiniketan. They met Dwijendranath and also called him Barodada. Mahatma Gandhi once wanted to publish a letter from Dwijendranath in a newspaper. Gandhi wrote an introduction saying, "You know Dwijendranath. He was the eldest brother of Sri Rabindranath Tagore and he lived life of a monk practically like his father Debendranath Tagore".

Dwijendranath Tagore died in Shantiniketan on 19 January 1926.

## Successors

Dwijendranath had five sons: Dipendranath, Arunendranath, Nitindranath, Sudhindranath, and Kripendranath. Sudhindranath Tagore (1869-1929) became a famous writer. He wrote several poems, novels, and short stories. In 1891, he published a magazine called _Sadhana_. He was the editor of this magazine. Later, Rabindranath took over the job of editing it. Eventually, the paper merged with _Bharati_.

Dipendranath's son was Dinendranath Tagore (1882-1935). He was Dwijendranath's grandson. Dinendranath was a famous musician. He could learn a song just by hearing it once. Rabindranath wrote songs, but he often had trouble remembering them or writing down the notes. Dinendranath did this for him. He was one of the main people who preserved Rabindra Sangeet. Rabindranath used to call him the "Kandari of all songs" (the captain/guide of all songs).

Soumendranath Tagore (1910-1984) was another grandson. He was the son of Sudhindranath. He was a famous speaker. His name was well-known in the cultural world during the 1960s and 1970s. In his early life, he was part of the communist movement. Krishna Rimbu (1927-2000) was the daughter of Anna Roy, who was Sudhindranath's daughter. She is famous internationally in the art world. Jean Rimbu was the head of the Schlumberger Company, one of the richest companies in the world. Madame Rimbu collected art, researched textiles, and was important in international politics and art.

Dwijendranath is also an ancestor of the film actress Sharmila Tagore. Latika was Dwijendranath's granddaughter. She was Sharmila Tagore's grandmother.

## Books

Bengali:
- Bengali translation of Kalidasa's Meghaduta Kavya (1860)
- _Bhratribhab_ (1863)
- _Tattwabidya_ (in three volumes, 1866–68)
- _Swapnaprayan_ (1875)
- _Sonar Kathi, Rupar Kathi_ (1885)
- _Sonay Sohaga_ (1885)
- _Arayami and Sahebiana_ (1890)
- _Samajik Roger Kabiraji Chikitsa_ (1891)
- _Adwaita Mater Samalochana_ (1896)
- _Aryadharma O Boudhadharmer Ghat-Protighat_ (1899)
- _Bhrahmagyan O Brahmasadhana_ (1900)
- _Bangaer Rangobhumi_ (1907)
- _Haramonir Anveshan_ (1906)
- _Rekhakshar-Barnamala_ (1912)
- _Gita Pather Bhumika_ (1915)
- _Pravandhamala_ (1920)
- _Kavyamala_ (1920)

English:
- A book on boxometry (_Baksamiti_) (1913). This book describes how to make many kinds of containers by folding paper using special rules and math.
- _Ontology_ (1871)
- _Geometry_

Magazines published many of his works. These magazines included _Jnanankur_, _Pratibimb_, _Tattvabodhini Patrika_, _Bharati_, _Sadhana_, _Nabaparya Bangadarshan_, _Mansi_, _Sahitya Parishad Patrika_, _Santiniketan_, _Budhabar_, _Shreyasi_, _Prabasi_, _Sabujpatra_ and _Suprabhat Patrika_.

## See also

- List of Bengalis
- List of Bengali language authors (chronological)

## External links

- Dwijendranath Tagore on Bengali wikisource

## Infobox (person)

- **name**: Dwijendranath Tagore
- **image**: File:Dwijendranath Tagore-দ্বিজেন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর.png
- **caption**: Dwijendranath Tagore c. 1890s-early 1900s
- **birth place**: Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, Company rule in India, British India (now Kolkata, India)
- **death place**: Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India
- **nationality**: British Indian
- **occupation**: Poet, Philosopher, Mathematician
- **spouse**: Sarba Sundari Devi
- **children**: 9
- **mother**: Sarada Sundari Devi
- **father**: Debendranath Tagore
- **relatives**: Indira Devi Chaudhurani (niece), Satyendranath Tagore, Satyendranath, Hemendranath Tagore, Hemendranath, Jyotirindranath Tagore, Jyotirindranath, Swarnakumari Tagore, Swarnakumari, Rabindranath Tagore (siblings) +9 others
- **family**: Tagore family