Debendranath Tagore

Tagore household became a trendsetter in fashion.  
Maharshi Debendranath Tagore was invited at a function at the Shovabazar Rajbari. All the rich and the famous of Calcutta were invited in the party. But at that time Maharshi was running through a financial crunch as he had to pay off his father’s debts, and this news had spread through the city like wild fire and every one was curious to know the way Maharshi would dress himself. This rumor reached the Thakurbari too and when Maharshi came to know about it he promptly ordered for a pair of Muslin shoe studded with pearls. What happened next was inevitable. Everyone in the party was waiting anxiously for the

Maharshi. When Maharshi finally entered the banquet, people were enthralled to see him. There was nothing gaudy about his dress. He was wearing a milk white turban and a gown but his glittering shoes attracted the attention of all. At the sight of this, the “raja” of the Shovabazar Rajbari, who was also a good friend of Maharshi, called everyone and said that one should learn aristocracy from Maharshi, what every body wore round their neck and their head dresses, he nonchalantly kept that to his feet. Apart from Maharshi, his brother Nagendranath was also a very aesthetically inclined person.

Another member of the Tagore family Jyotindranath Tagore also took a resolution to change the overall fashion trend of the Bengalis. For this he brought a fusion in the sponge wood cap with the turban and the pajama with the “Dhoti” and in the process formed a peculiar dress. He attached a pleated piece of cloth in front of the pajama simulating the “Kocha” of

the “Dhoti” and mixed the sponge wood cap and the turban in such a way, which never seemed like a convincing head dress.Although Jyotindranath himself used to wear this peculiar dress, no body in the society dared to follow him.Thus the “dhoti” remained the “Dhoti” and the pajama the pajama. The trend of wearing the “dhoti” was challenged after the independence. The Bengalis saw that while going about their daily work, “Dhoti” was unsuitable. Thus they resorted to the coats, trousers and the shirt. The saree was replaced with the “Salwar-Kurta” and the “Orna”. This was

readily accepted by the mass. This trend is prevalent now-a-days while new fashions are born every day. But the saree and the “Dhoti” are not done with. The Bengalis have a special respect for these garments and adorn them on occasions and ceremonies to relive their golden era of the yester years.