Rabindranath Tagore’s House in Kolkata | Jorasanko Thakurbari Museum

Step into the legacy of Jorasanko Thakurbari, Rabindranath Tagore’s house in Kolkata, where art, literature, and culture come alive. This historic residence offers a rare glimpse into the life of India’s Nobel laureate and the Tagore family’s influence on Bengal’s renaissance.

Nestled in North Kolkata, Jorasanko blends heritage architecture with inspiring stories, making it a must-visit destination for travellers, history buffs, and fans of Tagore’s timeless works.

 যা পেয়েছি প্রথম দিনে সেই যেন পাই শেষে,

দু হাত দিয়ে বিশ্বের ছুঁই শিশুর মতো হেসে !!

যাবার বেলা সহজেরে যাই যেন মোর প্রণাম সেরে,

সকল পন্থা যেথায় মেলে সেথা দাঁড়াই এসে !!

The Rabindranath Tagore house in Kolkata

The Rabindranath Tagore house in Kolkata is in the heart of central Kolkata, a little away from the intersection of Chitpur Road and Vivekananda Road. It is a two-minute walk from Marble Palace.

Read কবিগুরু রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর এর সংক্ষিপ্ত জীবনী ও সৃষ্টিকর্ম

Jorasanko Thakurbari Location and Address

267, Rabindra Sarani, Jorasanko, Ganesh Talkies, Kolkata- 700007. The nearest metro station is Girish Park or Mahatma Gandhi Road. The main entrance is on the Ganesh-talkies side.

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Jorasanko Thakurbari History

Jorasanko Thakurbari, or Rabindranath Tagore’s house in Kolkata, is the pride of West Bengal. The front section of the Thakurbari Rabindra Bharati University has been established.

Prince Dwarkanath built this house in the eighteenth century, in 1785 AD, on the land given by the ‘Sathparibar’ of Barabazar. The area is approximately 3500 square meters.

They have transformed the house’s foundation into the Tagore House Museum. Photography is prohibited inside the house. However, we can take photos from outside for 50 rupees.

The entire house’s atmosphere is preserved with extraordinary devotion and affection. The picture explains the moments of Rabindranath’s life. The memories and grace of loyal personalities of Bengali culture surround this house. Many souvenirs and memories of the Tagore family exist. The room where the poet wrote the famous novel Ghare Baire still exists.

The government also preserved the basement where Rabindranath operated his paranoia. They are also preserved in Thakur Bari’s Sutika house, along with a bathroom where Rabindranath and Debendranath were born. There is also Mrinalini Devi’s kitchen and many more.

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Jorasanko Thakurbari Museum

Today, the house has become the headquarters of India’s first cultural university, Rabindra Bharati University. It was founded on the first birth centenary of Rabindranath on 8 May 1961. After Rabindranath’s death, the Government declared Jorasanko Thakurbari a national heritage monument.

In recognition of Rabindranath’s contribution, the building has been turned into a museum named “Rabindra Bharati Museum,” inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru on 8th May 1961.

Jorasako Thakur Bari Museum is dedicated to Rabindranath Tagore, his family members, and the Bengal Renaissance. Museum galleries provide close family photographs, life-size portraits, and Tagore’s life cycle evolution, how he became the great poet or ‘Kavi guru.’ Kavi means “Poet,” and guru means “the guide(master).”

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The Rabindra Bharati Museum has three galleries

The museum has three galleries.

• Gallery 1

Covers the life and activities of Rabindranath Tagore.

• Gallery 2

It covers the distinguished members of this family, such as Dwarkanath, Maharshi Debendranath, Abanindranath, and Tagore’s brothers and sisters.

• Gallery 3

Covers the story of the renaissance of nineteenth-century Bengal and the part played by distinguished pioneers in different fields.

The Jorasanko Thakurbari Museum has 2071 books, 770 journals, 3297 photographs, 16 paintings, 27 crafts and sculptures, 208 personal items, and 53 furniture collections.

Rabindranath Tagore photographs

The West Bengal Government collects  40 original paintings of Rabindranath from Rabindranath’s son. The government also collects many photographs from the national library in Kolkata, which are stored in the museum. Now, the museum is a learning centre for Oriental and foreign education. In addition, the museum has a section that preserves two centuries-old musical records.

It also contains other great personalities of the 19th and 20th centuries associated with Bengali and English literature. The museum also preserved other famous family members of the Tagore family: Abanindranath, Maharshi Debendranath Tagore, Jyotirindranath, and Dinendranath Tagore.

The galleries also preserved Rabindranath Tagore’s clippings and a large number of pictures and paintings of him and his entire family. In the Rabindra Bharati Museum, visitors can see the gifts Rabindranath received on different occasions.

The museum displays 700 paintings, manuscripts, books, and other ancient items that attract visitors. The Painting Brush of Abanindranath Tagore, used for her paintings, is preserved in the museum. Several paintings of Tagore are also exhibited throughout the building. Visitors can also visit the kitchen where Tagore’s wife, Mrinalini Devi, cooks.

• The Rabindra Bharati Museum of Kolkata celebrates the birth anniversary, called Rabindra Jayanti, of Rabindranath Tagore on the 25th of Boishakh, and the death anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore on ’22se Sraban,’ and they also celebrate other famous poets’ birthdays and death anniversaries.
•  The best time to visit the museum is when they celebrate the birthdays of various poets so that you can be part of the grand celebration.

Jorasanko Thakurbari Kolkata Opening Timings

• Tuesday to Sunday – 10.30 am to 5.00 pm.
• Last ticket issued–4.30 pm.
• Monday closed.

The Light and Sound show has been produced detailing the Bengal Renaissance in the 19th century and the history of the Tagore family. Mr Kumar Roy prepared the script and lighting designed by Mr Kanishka Sen.

Light and Sound Show Timings

• November to January, 6:00 pm – 6:40 pm (Bengali), 7:00 pm – 7:40 pm (English)
• February to June, 7:00 pm – 7:40 pm (Bengali), 8:00 pm – 8:40 pm (English)
• Monday closed

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Jorasanko Thakur Bari Kolkata Entry Fees

• 10 rupees per person for Adults
• 5 rupees per person for Students
• 50 rupees per person for Foreign Tourists
• 10 rupees per person for the Light & Sound show
• 50 rupees per camera for taking photographs only outside of the house

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Jorasanko Thakurbari Basanta Utsav

In Jorasanko Thakurbari, Basanta Utsav, or the Holi festival, is celebrated by Rabindra Bharati University students. The festival is celebrated yearly on the full moon day (দোল পূর্ণিমা) and marks the beginning of spring. The Holi 2021 date is 29 March.

“Basanta Utsab” is celebrated as Holi at Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata. On the occasion of Jorasanko Basanta Utsav, university students perform various cultural programs, including dance and song (Rabindra Sangeet and Rabindra Nritya). It is an exceptional event for all Tagore lovers.

Rabindra Sangeet and basanta Utsav

Last year in Jorasanko Thakurbari, the program starts in the afternoon around 3 pm with the song “ওরে গৃহবাসী, খোল দ্বার খোল লাগলো যে দোল” (Ore Grthobashi, khol dwar khol lagloje Dol). Rabindranath composed songs for spring, and with those songs, the colourful program continues. It ends with “রাঙিয়ে দিয়ে যাও, যাও গো এবার যাবার আগে …” (Rangziye diye jaao, jaao go ebarjaabar aage… ).

The students and visitors mixed in groups, and the party continued with more music. Groups sang and danced, combined with the beautiful background of Jorasanko Thakurbari. It’s a treat for Tagore lovers, music lovers, and, yes, also for photographers.

Rabindra Sangeet, the performances, and the entire Boshonto Utshob were like a dream combination for everyone. They also perform Indian classical Raaga and pure Indian classical instrumentals, playing Dotara, Khol, Matka, and Tabla with Sarod. Lots of children are taking part in this occasion.

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Basanta Utsav songs

The student dancers gathered in a queue and dancing all around the fields where the singer was already sitting and singing. One after another, the music and dance performances followed. “নীল দিগন্তে, ও ফুলের আগুন লাগলো”, “ওরে ভাই ফাগুন লেগেছে বনে বনে”, “আজি দক্ষিণও দুয়ার খোলা”, “ঝরো ঝরো ঝরো ঝরো ঝরে রঙের ঝর্ণা”, “ওরা  অকারণে  এ চঞ্চল..” (Nil Digante, oi phooler aagun laaglo”, “One bhai, phaagun legeche bon’e bon’e”, “Aaji Dokhin duwar khola”, “Jhoro jhoro jhoro jhoro jhore ronger jhorna”, “Ura okaron’e e chonchol).

They also play Indian classical music, with pure instrumental performances of Dotara, Khol, matka, flute, and Tabla with Sarod, Nazrul geeti, and one Shruti Natok. It ended with “আজ খেলা ভাঙ্গার খেলা” (Aaj Khela bhangra khela), and the delightful crowd exploded in celebrating each other’s greeting with colourful aabir (আবির).

Students play with colour powders on each other in the Jorasanko Thakurbari garden premises. On this occasion, many students and outsiders are gathered together.

You can also visit Jorasanko Rajbari from here. Both are different.

Please note—Rabindra Bharati University has decided not to celebrate Basanta Utsav or the Holi festival at the Jorasanko Thakurbari garden premises because of the immense crowd. Instead, they arranged the cultural program in their BT Road Rabindra Bharati University campus.

Rabindranath Tagore Achievements

Rabindranath Tagore was a pioneer Bengali poet, novelist, music creator, playwright, painter, short story writer, essayist, actor, vocalist, and philosopher. He was regarded as the most significant literary figure of the Bengali language.

Rabindranath was awarded the Kaviguru, Gurudev, and Biswakavi. He wrote 52 books, 38 plays, 13 novels, 36 essays, and other prose compositions, published in his lifetime and after his death. The “Galpo Guchoo” and “Gitobitan” Rabindranath collections include 95 short stories and 1915 songs.

Rabindranath’s unpublished writings were published in the name of “Rabindra Rachanyabali” in 32 volumes. All the letters of Rabindranath are published in the name of “Chithipotro” in 19 volumes, and other writings were published in 4 other books. He also painted approximately two thousand pictures. Rabindranath’s writing has been translated into various languages around the world. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913 for the English translation of “Gitanjali.”