Horticultural knowledge in the novel of Rabindranath Tagore

Monanjali Bandyopadhyay and Dibyendu Bhattacharya

Department of Bengali, Vidyasagore University, Midnapore, West Bengal.

E-mail: monanjali.bandyopadhyay@mail.com and dipsfantacy1400@gmail.com

Abstract

The present study has been undertaken while travelling in the richness of the plant diversity in the novel
‘Malancha’ of Rabindranath Tagore written in the year 1934 following the modified method of content
analysis. The glittering milieu of the tale is a flower garden. The emotion and conflict of the characters;
their psyche and interrelationship in a triangular love and their stream of consciousness along the path of
flori-lore and flower-business are the focal theme of the story. The concept of the Jeebanbriksha (life-
tree) has attained a special dimension in this novel. With the advancement of the narrative; numerous
flowers, fruits, and ornamental plants have been mentioned in the dramatic panorama. The typical
horticultural items like fernery, orchid house, rosary, seed beds and lawn have been well described. The
horticultural practices like semi-hard wood cutting of rose, grafting between pummelo and mandarin
orange, seed propagation technique, live fencing, harvesting of cut flowers, plant introduction are
accurately adopted in necessity of the story. The precaution and the harmful effects of the obnoxious
weeds in relation to socio-cultural perspective make the tale lively. The novelist hints about the
biodiversity walk and the concept of total greening in the farm house withal. The study reveals that 38
taxa belonging to 35 genera occur in ‘Malancha’. Among these 12 are exotic taxa. The species richness in
the novel is exhibited by the family Rutaceae and Fabaceae having 5 species each followed by Arecaceae
and Asteraceae consisting of 3 species and Meliaceae and Orchidaceae having 2 species each.

Keywords: Gardening, Horticultural knowledge, ‘Malancha’ novel, Plant diversity, Rabindranath Tagore,

Introduction

It has been portrayed a cherished picture of the love of Rabindranath Tagore for flora in a number of
reminiscences. His intelligence was overjoyed with the sweet scent of the flowers. He was well au fait
with plant’s growth and development, nursery management, manure requirement, training of beautiful
climbers, landscape gardening and plant dominated architecture. His dearly loved creature Santiniketan
was the abode of a diversity of flora in a sustainable and eco-friendly mode. He perhaps placed his
wisdom while planting his choice trees and creepers in the premises of Santiniketan. He named of
avenues there signified with plants, made a sylvan related framed for its gardens and groves and
transformed it into an environment of natural foliage away from the hustle and bustle of metropolis
(Mukhopadhyay, 2010). He adopted several exotic flowers with their vernacular names, re-named a few
others in his peerless chic to tally into the Indian context (Table 1). Besides his work he suitably
mentioned all the plants of his mind-land in his perpetual works like lyrics, poems, short stories and
novels. The readers of those treasures get the unique nous of the author who enjoyed the aroma of flowers
and savored their beauty. Keeping these in mind it was worthwhile to undertake a study to travel in the
richness of the plant diversity in the novel ‘Malancha’ of Rabindranath written in the year 1934 following
content analysis method (Kaplan and Goldsem, 1949; Berelson, 1952) with some modifications as desired
for the novel unlike farm journals.

Many comprehensive studies have already been done by Samanta (1977), Mukhopadhyay (2009) and
many others. But excepting Bandyopadhyay (2008) and Chattapadhyay (2010) none of the authors have
dealt with the plants of the novels, essays and letter-literature of Tagore. No information relating to
Horticulture is available; no statement relating to new introduction of plant taxa is available. And for
these reasons the present study was undertaken. It fills in the gaps in our knowledge relating to Tagore’s
choice and knowledge on plant diversity.

Table 1: Plants and flowers named by Tagore

Name of Botanical name Tagore’s

the plant Nomenclature

Glorylily Gloriosa superba Agnishikha

Purple Petrea volubilis Neelmonilata

Wreath

Rangoon Quisqualis indica Madhumanjari

Creeper

Indian Millingtonia Himjhuri

Cork Tree hortensis

SweetPea Lathyrus odoratus Souravee

Golden Acacia Sonajhuri

Shower auriculiformis

White Euphorbia Phuljhuri

Poinsettia leucocephala

Bougainvill Bougainvillea spp Baganbilas

ea

Fallen Stars Clematis gouiana Tarajhara

Morning Ipomoea purpurea Peyalee

Glory

White Pavetta indica Banbakul

Paveta
Photo 1-4: Agnishikha; Neelmonilata; Madhumanjari; Himjhuri (flowers named by Tagore)

Material and methods

Horticulture has been defined as the production of specialist plant products by more complex and
expensive technologies than the general run of farm crops. This includes commercial horticulture (fruit
growing--Pomology, vegetable cultivation--Olericulture, flower production--Floriculture); the production
of plantation crops (now more commonly called industrial crops viz. Tea, Coffee, Cacao, Rubber,
Coconut); the cultivation of medicinal plants; the growing of spices and condiments; the technique of
creating, managing and exploiting forest stands; the post harvest handling practices and preserving of fruit
and vegetables; and all aspects of amenity horticulture (i.e. landscape gardening, public parks, recreation
facilities, botanical gardens, the landscaping of private grounds and trunk roads and many other aspects
that affect the general ‘quality of life’). Horticulture is not only concerned with the commercial
production of crops but also embraces home gardening (fruits, vegetables, flowers and lawns), floristry,
flower arranging and growing pot plants to adorn the home and office (Chakraborti, 1993). While
analyzing the content of the novel pertaining to horticultural knowledge, we have followed this definition.
Communication is an act by which knowledge, feelings, ideas, information etc. are shared by two or more
persons. According to Leagans, “It is the process by which two or more people exchange ideas, facts,
feelings or impressions in ways that each gains a common understandings of the messages” (Dahama and
Bhatnagar, 1988). It is process of social interaction of transmitting meaning between individuals. The
method of content analysis is used for analyzing the characteristics, causes and effects of content as
suggested by Berelson (1952). In the present study the characteristics of the content of horticultural
communication material in the novel ‘Malancha’ have been examined.

Kaplan and Goldsem (1949) stated that, “Content analysis aims at a quantitative classification of a given
body of knowledge in terms of a system of categories developed to yield data relevant to specific
hypothesis concerning the content.” While Berelson (1952) proposed the following definition, “Content
analysis is a research technique for the objective, systematic and quantitative description of the manifest
content of communication.” Content analysis is a method of making inferences by systematically and
objectively identifying specified characteristics of message (Holsti et. al., 1968).

Observations and Discussion

The Milieu

Following the content analysis of the novel it is revealed that the glittering milieu of the tale is a flower
garden. The emotion and conflict of the characters; their psyche and interrelationship in a triangular love
and their stream of consciousness along the path of flori-lore and business are the focal theme of the
story. The hero of the novel is a successful nursery man here. Ab initio creation of flower-beds by using
farmyard manure, separation of rhizome of orchids for propagation, flowering seasons of varieties of
plants made a family bond in between the hero, Aditya and his wife, Neeraja. The author’s narration is,
virtually, a tale of a psycho-analysis while he is compelling the dialogue pertaining to that garden on
psychopathic patient, Neeraja who is subsequently devoid of love and affection from her counterpart,
during the verge of her death. The fourth significant entity of the story is Ramen who is a friend,
philosopher and guide of this triad. Sarala, the heroine of the novel, is shaped as Banalakshmi or nature
ফুলের ব্যবসায়ে নাম করেছে তার
Goddess and she is worshiped by Ramen. The novelist wrote:
স্বামী আদিত্য। বিবাহের পরদিন থেকে নীরজার ভালোবাসা আর তার স্বামীর
ভালোবাসা নানা ধারায় এসে মিলেছে এই বাগানের নানা সেবায়, নানা কাজে।
এখানকার ফুলে পল্লবে দুজনের সম্মিলিত আনন্দ নব নব রূপ নিয়েছে নব নব
সৌন্দর্যে। বিশেষ বিশেষ ডাক আসবার দিনে বন্ধু দের কাছ থেকে প্রবাসী যেমন
অপেক্ষা করে চিঠির, ঋতু তে ঋতু তে তেমনি ওরা অপেক্ষা করেছে ভিন্ন ভিন্ন গাছের
পুঞ্জিত অভ্যর্থনার জন্যে।
Table 2: Novel ‘Malancha’ at a glance

Milieu A flower garden adjacent to New Market (Hog Market)

Story A triangular love. A tale of psycho-analysis.

Focal theme Emotion and conflict of the characters, their psyche and
stream of consciousness along the path of flori-lore.
 Dimension Concept of the Jeebanbriksha (Life-tree).

Characters

Aditya A successful nursery man. Horticulture made a family

bond between Aditya and Neeraja.

Neeraja Devoid of love and affection from her counterpart at the

verge of her death, a psychopathic patient.

Sarala Lover of Aditya, depicted as a flower of wild plant of the

Jeebanbriksha, Aditya. They are created indispensible.

Ramen A friend, philosopher and guide of this triad, to whom

Sarala was depicted as Banalakshmi (Nature Goddess).

Horticultural Knowledge

With the advancement of the narrative numerous flowers, fruits, and ornamental plants have been
mentioned in the dramatic panorama. Some direct horticultural information are seen in the novel. The
typical horticultural items like fernery, orchid house, rosary, seed beds and lawn have been well
described. The horticultural practices like semi-hard wood cutting of rose, grafting between pummelo and
mandarin orange, seed propagation technique, live fencing, harvesting of gut flowers, plant introduction
are accurately adopted in necessity of the story. The precaution and the harmful effects of the obnoxious
weeds in relation to socio-cultural perspective make the tale lively. The novelist hints about the
biodiversity walk and the concept of total greening in the farm house withal.

Mention may be made from the relevant quotations of the novel:

1. Propagation of Season’s Flower and manuring with Oilcake: শুকনো সীজন ফু লের গাছগুলো
ঁ র নীচের ঘরে সরষের খোলের বস্তা আছে। হলার
উপড়িয়ে ফেলে সেখানে জমি তৈরি করিয়ে নাও। আমার সিড়ি
কাছে আছে তার চাবি।

2. Garden Map and Garden Diary: বাগানের ম্যাপটা আমার কাছে দিয়ো। আর আমার বাগানের ডায়রিটা।
আমি ম্যাপে পেনসিলের দাগ দিয়ে সমস্ত ব্যবস্থা করে দেব।

3. Orchdarium with living shade by Clitoria: দেখা যায় নীচের বাগানে অর্কি ডের ঘর, ছিটে বেড়ায় তৈরি;
বেড়ার গায়ে গায় অপরাজিতার লতা।

4. Irrigation in the flower beds: অদূরে ঝিলের ধারে পাম্প চলছে, জল কুলকুল করে বয়ে যায় নালায় নালায়,
ফু ল গাছের কেয়ারির ধারে ধারে। গন্ধনিবিড় আমবাগানে কোকিল ডাকছে যেন মরিয়া হয়ে।

5. Separation of rhizomes in orchids: পুরোনো অর্কি ড চিরে ভাগ করে নতু ন অর্কি ড করবার জন্যে আদিতদা
আমাকে বলে গিয়েছিলেন।

6. Orchid as cut flower: সরলা ঢু কল ঘরে। তার হাতে একটি অর্কি ড। ফু লটি শুভ্র, পাপড়ির আগায় বেগনির
রেখা। যেন ডানা-মেলা মস্ত প্রজাপতি।
 7. Grafting between pummelo and mandarin orange: কয়েক বছর আগে বাতাবি লেবুর সঙ্গে কলম্বা
লেবুর কলম বেঁধেছ দুইজনে, আমাকে আশ্চর্য করে দেবার জন্যে।

8. Seed Bed: ফাল্গুন মাসে অকালে ঝড় উঠে আমার বিছন লাগাবার ঘরের চাল উড়িয়ে নিয়েছিল

9. Plant Introduction in Orchid (taking a variety or a species into an area where it was not grown
before; even within a country) : মেসোমশায়ের প্রধান শখ ছিল অর্কি ডে। তিনি নিজের লোক
পাঠিয়ে সেলিবিস থেকে,জাভা থেকে, এমন-কি, চীন থেকে অর্কি ড আনিয়েছেন, তার দরদ বোঝে
এমন লোক তখন ছিল না।

10. Nursery catalogue: আমেরিকা থেকে ফুল গাছের ছবি-দেওয়া ক্যাটালগ এসেছে, দেখছিলেম পাতা
উলটিয়ে;

11. Definition of weed: উড়ো বাতাসে আগাছার বীজ আসে ভেসে, প্রশ্রয় পেলে শিকড় ছড়ায়, তার পরে
আর ওপড়ায় কার সাধ্যি।

Photo 5: Fernery; Photo 6: Orchidarium; Photo 7: Lawn

Photo 8: Garden Map; Photo 9: Garden Diary

Photo 10: Rhizome of orchid; Photo 11: Orchid Planting; Photo 12: Live fence Clitoria

Photo 13: Grafting operation; Photo 14: Seed propagation; Photo 15: Hardwood cutting in Rose.

Novelist’s Philosophy and the concept of Life-tree

The concept of the Jeebanbriksha (life-tree) has attained a special dimension in this novel. Sarala telling:
অঙ্কুরে যা এক থাকে, বেড়ে উঠে তা ভাগ হয়ে যায় এ কথা না মেনে তো থাকবার জো
নেই আদিতদা ।Aditya replying: তোমাকে আমার কাছ থেকে ছিঁড়ে নিয়ে যাবে এ আমি
ঘটতে দেব না, দেব না। এ অন্যায়, এ নিষ্ঠুর অন্যায়। Here, the hero, Aditya, is illustrated as a
wild plant and his darling, Sarala, is depicted as a flower and they are created indispensible to each other.
This is a philosophical concept. Tagore took horticulture in his inner mind and malancha (the garden) is
depicted as the symbol of infinity. Tagore used the term ‘buno’ in the novel which means wildness. As
nature is not only the back screen of the novel but also it is intermingled with the life vis-à-vis the actors
and actresses, therefore, nature penetrates deep into the story along with anchorage in the concept theme.
Tagore consciously used the term ‘banalakshmi’, meaning of which is deity of prosperity in the forest
land. Both Sarala became so called ‘banalakshmi’ because of her journey from finite world towards
infinity. Neeraja couldn’t achieve this crown and was forced to stay in the sick room scented with
tuberose kept in the vase adjacent to the garden because of her serious illness. She has been detached
from the symbolic life and hence the post of ‘malini’ (maid gardener) was occupied by Sarala in her
absence. Neeraja had actually no true love for the garden; rather she had a deep love towards Aditya only.
The novelist wrote: বিয়ের পর যেদিন আমি জেনেছিলেম তোমার বাগান তোমার প্রাণের
মতো প্রিয়, সেদিন থেকে ঐ বাগান আর আমার মধ্যে ভেদ রাখি নি একটু কুও। Novelist
showed that she had not such a level of broadness in her mind that she wouldn’t be bonded in every
strewn of life and therefore she couldn’t become greater-she of the unfathomed life-garden. The crown of
malini was beyond her reach.

Plant Diversity

The study reveals that 38 taxa belonging to 35 genera occur in ‘Malancha’. Among these 12 are exotic
taxa. The species richness in the novel is exhibited by the family Rutaceae and Fabaceae having 5 species
each followed by Arecaceae and Asteraceae consisting of 3 species and Meliaceae and Orchidaceae
having 2 species each. Other families like Rosaceae, Magnoliaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Tropaeolaceae,
Clusiaceae, Liliaceae, Rubiaceae, Solanaceae, Lythraceae, Casurinaceae, Dilleniaceae, Nephrolepidaceae,
Anacardiaceae, Musaceae, Oleaceae, Caricaceae, Apocynaceae, Sterculaceae are found in the novel.

We may quote some relevant portion of the novel pertaining to plant diversity:

1. বিদায়কালে নীরজা ঝু ড়িতে ভরে দিত গোলাপ, ম্যাগনোলিয়া, কারনেশন— তার সঙ্গে
পেঁপে, কাগজিলেবু, কয়েতবেল— ওদের বাগানের ডাকসাইটে কয়েতবেল। যথাঋতু তে সব-
শেষে আসত ডাবের জল।

2. দিঘির ও পারের পাড়িতে চালতা গাছের আড়ালে চাঁদ উঠছে, জলে পড়েছে ঘন কালো
ছায়া। এ পারে বাসন্তী গাছে কচি পাতা শিশুর ঘুমভাঙা চোখের মতো রাঙা, তার
কাঁচাসোনার বরন ফু ল, ঘন গন্ধ ভারী হয়ে জমে উঠেছে, গন্ধের কুয়াশা যেন। জোনাকির
দল ঝলমল করছে জারুল গাছের ডালে।

3. তার স্বামী তাকে বলত, “সেকালে মেয়েদের পায়ের ছোঁয়া লেগে ফু ল ধরত অশোকে,
মুখমদের ছিটে পেলে বকুল উঠত ফু টে, আমার বাগানে সেই কালিদাসের কাল দিয়েছে
ধরা। যে-পথে রোজ তোমার পা পড়ে, তারি দুধারে ফু ল ফু টেছে রঙে রঙে, বসন্তের
হাওয়ায় দিয়েছ মদ ছড়িয়ে, গোলাপবনে লেগেছে তার নেশা।”

বাগানের পশ্চিম ধারে প্রাচীন

4. Concept of Biodiversity Gardening with birds and squirel:
মহানিম গাছ। তারই জুড়ি আরো একটা নিমগাছ ছিল; সেটা কবে জীর্ণ হয়ে
পড়ে গেছে; তারই গুঁড়িটাকে সমান করে কেটে নিয়ে বানিয়েছে একটা ছোটো
টেবিল। সেইখানেই ভোরবেলায় চা খেয়ে নিত দুজনে, গাছের ফাঁকে ফাঁকে
সবুজডালে-ছাঁকা রৌদ্র এসে পড়ত পায়ের কাছে; শালিখ কাঠবিড়ালি হাজির
হত প্রসাদপ্রার্থী।
Photo 16: Common Mayna; Photo 17: Squirrel; Photo 18: Asian Quel (Female) of Biodiversity Gardening

Table 3: List of plants as mentioned in the novel ‘Malancha’

Common Name and English Botanical Name Family Centre of Origin / Native Place
Name

Am / Mango Mangifera indica Anacardiaceae Indo-Burma

Kala / Banana Musa acuminata, Musaceae South and South-East Asia

M. balbisiana

Penpe / Papaya Carica papaya Caricaceae Tropical America

Kaetbel / Monkey Fruit, Curd Limonia acidissima Rutaceae Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri
Fruit, Elephant Apple, Wood Lanka, S.E. Asia East to Java
Apple

Batabilebu / Pummelo Citrus grandis Rutaceae South East Asia

Kagzi Lebu / Mexcican Lime Citrus aurantifolia Rutaceae Indo-Malayan region

Kamla Lebu / Mandarin Orange Citrus reticulata Rutaceae South Eastern Asia & Philippines

Tentul / Tamarind Tamarindus indica Fabaceae Tropical Africa particularly Sudan

Chalta / Elephant Apple Dillenia indica Dilleniaceae South-East Asia

Basanti / Yellow Poinciana, Peltophorum Leguminosae India and South-East Asia

Copper rod, Golden ferrugineum/ P.
Flamboyant pterocarpum

Jarul / Pride of India, Giant Lagerstroemia Lythraceae Tropical South Asia

Crape-myrtle, Queen’s Crape- speciosa
myrtle

Ashoke / Name:Saraca Fabaceae Indian Subcontinent and adjacent

indica areas

Sondal, Amaltas, Sonajhuri, Cassia fistula Fabaceae Southern Asia

Bandar Lathi / Indian
Laburnum, Golden shower
Cassia

Cassia / Pink Shower Tree, Cassia javanica / Fabaceae India, Myanmar, Indo-China,
Apple Blossom Cassia Cassia nodosa South China

Muchkunda, Kanak Champa / Pterospermum Sterculiaceae South-East Asia (India to Burma)

Maple-leaved Bayur Tree acerifolium

Jhaw / Beach She-Oak, Casuarina Casuarinaceae Australasia, S-E Asia

Horsetail tree, Ironwood, equisetifolia
Whistling Pine, Australian Pine

Tagar / English Name: Crape Tabernaemontana Apocynaceae Pan Tropical

Jasmine, Milkwood. coronaria / T.
divaricata

Gandhara / Common Gardenia, Gardenia Rubiaceae Tropical & Subtropical Africa,

Cape Jasmine jasminoides South Asia, Australia, Oceania.

Kamini / Orange Jasmine, Murraya exotica Rutaceae South and South-East Asia, China
Mock Orange, Lake-view and Australasia
Jasmine, Chinese Box

Nagkeshar / Ceylon Ironwood, Measua ferrea Clusiaceae India

Indian Rose Chestnut, Cobra’s
Saffron

Paarijat / Magnolia Magnolia Magnoliaceae East and South-East Asia.

grandiflora Secondary: North America
( Mississippi & Louisiana),
Central America, West Indies

Golap / Rose Rosa spp. Rosaceae Mostly Asia, Rests are Europe,
North America, North-West
Africa

Carnation / Clove Pink Dianthus Caryophyllaceae Mediterranean region

caryophyllus

Motia Bel / Jasmine Jasminum sambac Oleaceae South Western, Southern &
Southeastern Asia

Dahlia Dahlia variabilis Asteraceae Mexico, Central America,

Colombia

Genda / African Marigold and Tagetes erecta and Asteraceae New World (North & South
Rakta Ganda / French Marigold Tagetes patula America) and South America
respectively.

Surya Mukhi / Sun flower Helianthus annuus Asteraceae Central America

Petunia Petunia axillaris, P. Solanaceae South America

 integrifolia

Nasturtium Tropaeolium majus Tropaeolaceae South & Central America.

Lily Lilium spp Liliaceae Mostly Temperate Northern

Hemisphere

Fern /Boston Fern, Sword Fern Nephrolepis Nephrolepidaceae South America, Mexico, Central
exaltata America, Florida, West Indies,
Polynesia, Africa.

Orchid Phalaenopsis Orchdaceae Celebes Island in Celebes Sea

celebensis directly south of the Philippines

Orchid Cymbidium Orchdaceae Tropics of Asia, South America

grandiflorum and Central America

Neem / Margosa, Indian Lilac Azadirachta indica Meliaceae India, Mayanmar, Bangladesh, Sri
Lanka, malaysia, Pakistan

Mahaneem / Chinaberry, Melia azedarach Meliaceae India, Southern China, Australia

Carolina mahogany, Pride of
India, Texas Umbrella,
Umbrella Tree, Bead Tree,
Ceylone Cedar, Persian Lilac,
White Cedar

Dab, Narkel / Coconut Cocos nucifera Arecaceae South Asia (Ganges Delta) or
North-Western South America.

Supari / Betel Nut, Arecanut Areca catechu Arecaceae Tropical Pacific Asia, East Africa

Botol Palm / Palmiste Hyophorbe Arecaceae Round Island, Mauritius

Gargoulette lagenicaulis

Table 4: Dominant plant families in the novel ‘Malancha’

Sl. No. Name of the Family No. of Taxa Name of Taxa

1. Rutaceae 5 Citrus, Kamini, Wood Apple

2. Fabaceae 5 Laburnum, Asoke, Tamarind, Cassia, Copper Rod

3. Arecaceae 3 Coconut, Betel Nut, Bottle Palm

4. Asteraceae 3 Marigold, Dahlia, Sunflower

5. Meliaceae 2 Mahaneem, Neem

6. Orchidaceae 2 Cymbidium grandiflorum and Phalaenopsis

celebensis

7. Rosaceae 1 Rose
 8. Magnoliaceae 1 Magnolia

9. Caryophyllaceae 1 Carnation

10. Tropaeolaceae 1 Nasturtium

11. Clusiaceae 1 Nagkeshar

12. Liliaceae 1 Lily

13. Rubiaceae 1 Gandharaj

14. Solanaceae 1 Petunia

15. Lythraceae 1 Jarul

16. Casuarinaceae 1 Jhaw

17. Dilleniaceae 1 Chalta

18. Nephrolepidaceae 1 Boston Fern

19. Anacardiaceae 1 Mango

20. Musaceae 1 Banana

21. Oleaceae 1 Motia Bel

22. Caricaceae 1 Papaya

23. Apocynaceae 1 Tagar

24. Sterculiaceae 1 Muchkunda

Table 5: Plant Diversity at a glance in the novel

Horticultural Diversity Number of Taxa

Fruit Crops 9

Plantation Crops 3

Commercial Flowers 6

Season Flowers 5

Avenue Trees 9

Ornamental Plants 5

Fern 1
Conclusion

The readers of this treasure, Malancha, get the unique nous of the author who enjoyed the aroma of
flowers and took pleasure their beauty. The magnificent scene and background of the novel is a
commercial nursery. But in the true sense, the garden is symbolized here as the provenance of life. As
Tagore was well acquainted with nursery business and management, landscape gardening and plant
diversity, therefore, he took horticulture in his inner mind and the garden is depicted as the symbol of
infinity withal. The hero is exemplified as a wild plant and his sweetheart is depicted as a flower-bud and
they are created indispensible to each other. With the progression of the narrative plentiful flowers, fruits,
and ornamental plants have been talked about in a dramatic vista. The distinctive horticultural items like
fernery, rosary, orchidarium, seed-propagation bed and lawn have been glowingly portrayed. The
horticultural performance like semi-hard wood cutting of rose, grafting between pummelo and mandarin
orange, seed propagation technique, live fencing, harvesting of cut flowers, plant introduction are
perfectly taken on in inevitability of the story. The harmful effect of the obnoxious weeds in relation to
socio-cultural perspective makes the story lively. The study makes known altogether 38 taxa belonging to
35 genera. The species richness in the novel is exhibited by the family Rutaceae and Fabaceae having 5
species each followed by Arecaceae and Asteraceae consisting of 3 species and Meliaceae and
Orchidaceae having 2 species each.

Now-a-days most of all nurserymen have quite successfully established themselves in West Bengal
condition pertaining to growing plants and crops. It is interesting to note that West Bengal has more or
less congenial agro-climate and strategic location for production and marketing of diversified
horticultural crops. As it has a long tradition of growing commercial flowers, fruits, vegetables of
different types and seasons and Tagore observed it carefully in his time so the present novel may be
described as observational knowledge of horticulture of Rabindranath Tagore.

References

1. Bandyopadhyay, M. 2008. Rabindranather Malancha uponyas: Ekaler prekshite (Malancha

novel of Rabindranath: In the context of present age), Ajo Anweshan, Annual volume, October
2008: 5-9.

2. Berelson, B. 1952. Content Analysis in communication research. Free Press, New York.

3. Chakraborti, K. 1993. A study on horticultural communication in selected Bengali dailies. M.Sc.

(Ag) thesis in Horticulture, BCKV, West Bengal.

4. Chattopadhyay, G. 2010. Rabindranather ‘Malancha’ rupayan (Creation of ‘Malancha’ by

Rabindranath), Jnan-o-Bijnan 63(12): 719-728.

5. Dahama, O. P. and Bhatnagar, O. P. 1988. Education and communication for development.

6. Holsti, O. R., Loomba, J. K. and North, R. C. 1968. Content analysis in the hand book of Social
Psychology, Vol. 2(eds.) G. Lindzey and E. Aronson. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company Inc.,
USA.
7. Kaplan, A. and Goldsem, J. M. 1949. [Nanjappa, D. and Ganapathy, K. R. 1987. Content analysis
of agricultural information in selected Kannada dailies. Indian journal of Extension Education 23:
20-23].

8. Mukhopadhyay, D. P. 2009. Plants and flowers, Samskriti, New Delhi: 1-261.

9. Samanta Rabindranath 1977. Rabindrakabye ful (Flowers in the poems of Rabindranath), Tagore
Research Institute, Kolkata, pp. 1-158.