Jaladhar Sen writes to Manindranath at Surendranath’s death, c. Nov-Dec 1929
February 23, 2009 — drsubrotoroy
In the days before radio, Bengali society had literature and the arts to keep itself company (besides politics). Writing and reading poetry was a common hobby. Three principal literary journals were Bharatvarsha, Probasi and Bichitra. The long-standing editor of Bharatvarsha was Jaladhar Sen, and it was he who had introduced Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyaya to Manindranath when Sarat had returned (in impecunious circumstances) to Bengal from Burma, probably with a request that Sarat be supported and sponsored.
This was a letter received by Manindranath from Jaladhar Sen expressing condolences at the passing of his father, Surendranath, who died on November 11, 1929. (Surendranath likely died from his injury sustained along with Ardeshir Dalal from Bhagat Singh’s bomb on 8 April 1929. https://independentindian.com/2008/06/17/surendranath-roy-1860-1929/)
“Brother Manindra,
I have just returned to Kolkata and cannot express how heart-rending is the news of your father’s demise. You know what a genuine well-wisher he had been for me. God alone knows how shocked I am to lose such a friend who stood by me though thick and thin. May you be strong at such an hour and may the departed noble soul be blessed. An article by the late Surendranath had been printed already in ‘Bharatvarsha’ before he passed away. But that edition has not been published yet. It is going to be published next month. So please send me a photograph of him before that. I shall be visiting you soon. Your well-wisher, Jaladhar Sen.” (Translation by KM.)
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January 1, 2011 at 8:57 pm
Wonderfull. I would like to know more about Jaladhar Sen. jollyguharoy@gmail.com
June 13, 2022 at 6:41 am
Veery thoughtful blog