Tagore's Kachharibari

Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

The once-vibrant Kachharibari of Rabindranath Tagore still stands at the heart of Shahjadpur Bazaar in Sirajganj. Between the years of 1890 to 1897, a young Rabindranath would frequently come here and stay for short periods to supervise his family estate.

This place still carries those memories associated with Tagore, as he would often take boat rides during the rainy season. The lush greeneries of the surroundings and the beauty of the nearby river influenced Tagore.

During his stay here, he created many literary masterpieces including “Sonar Tori”, “Chitra” and “Chaitali” (poetry); “Bishorjon” (drama), “Chhinnapatra” and short stories including, “Postmaster”, “Somapti”, “Chhuti”, “Otithi” and more.

Now inside the compound of his Kachharibari, stands a renovated two-storied building built following the Indo-European architecture, inside which there are memorabilia including Tagore's shoes, wooden sandals, a bedstead, couch, spectacles, palanquin, sofa, piano, harmonium and metallic objects.

The place now serves as a heritage site for local people and tourists alike who come here to spend a few hours in tranquility – some knowing Tagore's emotional connection with this place, and others without adequate knowledge.