‘Bhāskarodayam’: A Peerless Tribute tothe sublime life of Rabindranath Tagore, the first Southeast Asian Noble Laureate

Abstract

Biographies enrich the world literature in the form of drama. Notable writings on the life narratives of renowned personalities have important significance from a dramatic standpoint in Modern Sanskrit Literature. Rabindranath Tagore is a great poet, litterateur, humanist, social reformer, educationist, religious teacher and music composer. Dr. Jatindra Bimal Chaudhuri wrote the ‘Bhāskarodayam’ māhānāṭaka with 15 acts and published it from Prācyāvāṇī, Calcutta in 1961. This play was successfully staged in Mahājāti Sadana, Kolkata first time on 14.04.1961. ‘Bhāskarasya Udayam’ means ‘The Rising Sun’. Different parts of the sublime life of Tagore like the manifestation of poetic features in childhood, pioneering efforts for female emancipation by Tagore’s family members, admiration towards Sanskrit recitations, patriotism, soulful connection with nature, improvement and promotion of Bengali language and literature, studentship in London, participatory activities to revive dramaturgy, initiation of literary life, the realization of spiritual truth, universally recognition etc. are elaborated in this drama. How the aesthetic success through an unconventional track is concerned throughout the play will be the core matter of this research paper. It will also highlight the combination of historical facts with literary art descriptions and dialogues; and the innovative characteristics and credibility of modern Sanskrit drama.