Kadambari Devi

A photograph of Kadambari Devi

Kadambari Devi was the wife of Jyotirindranath Tagore and daughter-in-law of Debendranath Tagore. She was nine years younger than her husband, whom she married on 5 July 1868, when she was 10. He arranged for her to be educated.^[1] She was nearly the same age as her brother-in-law Rabindranath Tagore (2 years elder).^[2]

She inspired young Rabindranath in composing many of his poems with her creative feedback and comments. She was also a good friend and playmate. She was one of the women who played a very important part in his life. Her relationship with Tagore was controversial and had elements of tragedy.

For reasons that are not known, she committed suicide on 21 April 1884,^[3] four months after Rabindranath Tagore married. The Tagore family always remained silent about her suicide. Rumors of family problems having led to her suicide have circulated. After Kadambari Devi's death, Rabindranath was completely broken. For long after her death, he wrote many songs and poems in memory of her.

In 2015 director Suman Ghosh released a film on the subject called Kadambari, starring Konkona Sen Sharma and Parambrata Chatterjee.^[4] Another film is Cherosakha He.

References

1. Dastider, Shipra. "Jyotirindranath Tagore". Banglapedia. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. Archived from the original on 2007-04-27. Retrieved 2013-06-14.
2. Mallika Sengupta, Kobir Bouthan & Tamal Ghosh, Kadambari, 432 pp., (A novel), Ujjwal Sahitya Mandir, College St. Kolkata
3. Tamal Ghosh. Kadambari. Ujjwal Sahitya Mandir. p. 432.
4. Times of India. Kadambari explores Tagore and his sis-in-law's relationship responsibly May 4, 2015.

External links

• The Telegraph. Spotlight on the women in Tagore’s life. May 7, 2004.