Swarnakumari Devi
| Swarnakumari Devi | |
|---|---|
Swarnakumari Devi
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| Born |
August 28, 1855 Calcutta, Bengal, British India |
| Died | July 3, 1932 (aged 76) Calcutta, Bengal, British India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Poet, novelist, musician, social worker |
| Spouse(s) | Janakinath Ghosal |
| Children | Hiranmoyee Devi, Sarala Devi Chaudhurani |
Swarnakumari Devi (Bengali: স্বর্ণকুমারী দেবী) (28 August 1855 – 3 July 1932) was an Indian poet, novelist, musician and social worker. She was the first among the women writers in Bengali to gain prominence.
She was the fourth amongst the daughters of Debendranath Tagore and was a granddaughter of Dwarkanath Tagore. Three of her sisters, Soudamini, Sukumari and Saratkumari, were older than she was. Barnakumari was the youngest sister. Soudamini was one of the earliest students of Bethune School. Others in the Tagore family had followed her, but it seems that Swarnakumari had her education primarily at home. She was five years older than Rabindranath Tagore.
There was an environment of education in the Jorasanko Thakur Bari, particularly with Hemendranath, Debendranath’s third son, being enthusiastic about it. In his memoirs Rabindranath wrote, “We learnt much more at home than we had to at school.” Swarnakumari has recalled how in her early days the governess would write something on a slate which the girls then had to copy. When Debendranath discovered this, he at once stopped such a mindless and mechanical method and brought in a better teacher, Ajodhyanath Pakrashi – a male outsider in the women’s quarters…
Swarnakumari had a great capability of picking up friendship with other girls from an early age. As per the custom of the day, each pair of friends had a common name, which they used to call each other. Swarnakumari had many friends – Mistihasi, Milan, Bihangini and so on.
She was married in 1868, to Janakinath Ghosal, a well-educated and strong-willed young man belonging to a zamindar (landlord) family of Nadia district. Janakinath Ghosal was disowned by his family for adopting Brahmoism and marrying under controversial anusthanic Brahmo rites whose validity was then disputed and consequently deprived of all inheritance. However, with his capabilities and determination he succeeded in business and developed his own zamindari. He was endowed with the title of Raja. He was a theosophist and was actively associated with the Indian National Congress from its earliest days. According to his daughter, Hironmoyee Devi, he nurtured the young organisation as a gardener nurtures a sapling. Janakinath Ghosal was one of the founders of Indian National Congress.
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