{"id":966,"date":"2024-05-08T06:14:03","date_gmt":"2024-05-08T06:14:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brainwareuniversity.ac.in\/celebrating-tagore\/?p=966"},"modified":"2024-06-03T11:50:49","modified_gmt":"2024-06-03T11:50:49","slug":"tagores-culinary-heritage-thakurbarir-ranna","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brainwareuniversity.ac.in\/celebrating-tagore\/tagores-culinary-heritage-thakurbarir-ranna\/","title":{"rendered":"Tagore\u2019s Culinary Heritage: Thakurbarir Ranna"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thakurbarir ranna \u2014 the culinary legacy of the Tagore household, is well-established. On the first day of Bengali New Year, a lavish feast was held in the verandah of Thakurbari on the second floor. The spacious verandah, adorned with carpets, featured an array of delectable dishes served on banana leaves and in clay pots, including hilsa curry, moong dal using chital fish and chalta, coconut prawn curry, fish pulao, and fish with mango, among others.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of Tagore\u2019s earliest poetic endeavours was dedicated to food. As mentioned in <\/span>Jibonsmriti<\/span><\/i> (1912), perhaps at the age of ten, he wrote:\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cAamshotto dudhey pheli (Mix dried pads of mango in milk)<\/span><\/p>\n

Tahatey kodoli doli (Add bananas into it)<\/span><\/p>\n

Shondesh makhia dia tatey (Flavour it then with Sandesh)<\/span><\/p>\n

Hapush-hupush shobdo, charidik nistobdho (Slurrp, Slurrp and nothing else can be heard)<\/span><\/p>\n

Pipilika kandia jae paate (Even the ants are left crying)\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagore particularly loved fish and sweets, which propelled his wife, Mrinalini Devi, to create varied dishes. From unconventional green jackfruit kofta pilaf (\u098f\u0981\u099a\u09cb\u09dc \u0995\u09cb\u09ab\u09a4\u09be \u09aa\u09cb\u09b2\u09be\u0993), mutton bangla (\u09aa\u09be\u0981\u09a0\u09be\u09b0 \u09ac\u09be\u0982\u09b2\u09be), prawn raita (\u099a\u09bf\u0982\u09dc\u09bf \u09b0\u09be\u09df\u09a4\u09be), to desserts like taro root jalebi (\u09ae\u09be\u09a8\u0995\u099a\u09c1\u09b0 \u099c\u09bf\u09b2\u09bf\u09aa\u09bf), dahi malpua (\u09a6\u0987\u09df\u09c7\u09b0 \u09ae\u09be\u09b2\u09aa\u09cb) and ripened mango sweets (\u09aa\u09be\u0995\u09be \u0986\u09ae\u09c7\u09b0 \u09ae\u09bf\u09a0\u09be\u0987), Mrinalini brought Tagore\u2019s eccentric culinary desires to life. She also developed a distinctive type of fried sweet, which was initially termed Elojhelo, which Rabindranath later named as Paribondho. The three-inch luchi (deep-fried flatbread) from Thakurbari was also her specialty.<\/span><\/p>\n

Likewise, Hemendranath Tagore\u2019s daughter, Pragyasundari Devi, had a keen interest in the culinary arts. Her specialities included pilaf of dates (\u0996\u09c7\u099c\u09c1\u09b0\u09c7\u09b0 \u09aa\u09cb\u09b2\u09be\u0993),<\/span> sauteed chilli leaves (\u09b2\u0999\u09cd\u0995\u09be \u09aa\u09be\u09a4\u09be\u09b0 \u099a\u09dc\u099a\u09dc\u09bf), beetroot hingi (\u09ac\u09bf\u099f\u09c7\u09b0 \u09b9\u09bf\u0999\u09cd\u0997\u09bf), a sour recipe with green tamarind (\u0995\u09be\u0981\u099a\u09be \u09a4\u09c7\u0981\u09a4\u09c1\u09b2\u09c7\u09b0 \u09b8\u09b0\u09b8\u09cd\u09ac\u09a4\u09c0\u0985\u09ae\u09cd\u09ac\u09b2),<\/span> a type of pilaf with onions (\u09aa\u09c7\u0981\u09df\u09be\u099c\u09c7\u09b0 \u09aa\u09b0\u09ae\u09be\u09a8\u09cd\u09a8) etc. There was also Rammohan Dolma Pulao (\u09b0\u09be\u09ae\u09ae\u09cb\u09b9\u09a8 \u09a6\u09cb\u09b2\u09cd\u09ae\u09be \u09aa\u09cb\u09b2\u09be\u0993) or Dwarkanath Phirni Pulao (\u09a6\u09cd\u09ac\u09be\u09b0\u0995\u09be\u09a8\u09be\u09a5 \u09ab\u09bf\u09b0\u09cd\u09a8\u09bf\u09aa\u09cb\u09b2\u09be\u0993). On May 7, 1911, she introduced the first ever Bengali menu card- Kromoni, on the occasion of Tagore\u2019s 50th birth anniversary. Her special preparation for the day was Kabi-Sambardhana Barfi, a dessert made with cauliflower.<\/span><\/p>\n

The importance of culinary traditions in the Thakurbari can be understood in the light of the following story. Nabanita Deb Sen fondly recalls a childhood feast at the Tagore household where the absence of pulao left her disappointed. In response to her dismay, Tagore promptly instructed his daughter-in-law, Pratima Devi, to prepare pulao, sharing a quick recipe that included white rice, oranges, and a blend of spices.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another interesting story came up during Gandhi\u2019s civil disobedience movement. In support of this campaign, Abanindranath Tagore took an initiative to produce salt at home, a process his grandson Mohan Lal described as \u201c\u09ac\u09be\u099f\u09bf\u09b0 \u09ae\u09a7\u09cd\u09af\u09c7 \u09b2\u09ac\u09a3 \u0986\u09a8\u09cd\u09a6\u09cb\u09b2\u09a8\u201d (Salt agitation within a bowl).<\/span><\/p>\n

Various cuisines of the Tagore family were preserved through the meticulous documentation by its women. In Pragyasundari Devi\u2019s book <\/span>Amish O Niramish Ahar<\/span><\/i>, the three sections not only contain recipes, but also start with lessons in hygiene and home science. Towards the end of the book, there are detailed definitions of kitchen terminology. In a similar vein, Indira Devi Chaudhurani, while not a chef herself, kept a recipe book which was later handed down to Purnima Thakur. Along with mother Nalini Devi\u2019s recipes, Purnima Thakur anthologises all these in <\/span>Thakurbarir Ranna<\/span><\/i>. This collection includes fusion dishes such as Madrasi Salad, Philipni Murgi Curry, Irish Stew etc. Renuka Devi Chaudhurani\u2019s books <\/span>Rakamari Amish Ranna<\/span><\/i> and <\/span>Rakamari Niramish Ranna<\/span><\/i> revealed unique culinary methods. These included 59 different types of fries, techniques like feeding curd rice to ducks before cooking them or preparing goats by feeding them chickpeas, grass, and rosewater.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tagore is also known to have collected menu cards from his sojourn across England, Spain and Turkey, among other places, and incorporated some of the dishes, like salmon in Hollandaise sauce, back home.<\/span><\/p>\n

From Rabindranath Tagore\u2019s culinary explorations to the skillful creations of the Tagore women, each dish carries a story of cultural heritage and gastronomic artistry. As we bid adieu to the culinary tales of Thakurbari, we\u2019re left with a mouthwatering legacy that\u2019s as rich and flavourful as the dishes themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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