A lot has been written on this forum regarding Bengal's fiery women freedom fighters, artistes and academics.
However, taking a slight diversion from our choice of subject, we would like to discuss more about Bengal's contribution in the field of travel culture and travel
writing, as was done by our Women.
In this series, the first woman traveller who we would like to talk about is Hariprobha Takeda.
Hariprobha Takeda is considered by many to be the first Bengali to set foot in Japan. In fact her book Bongomohilar Japanjatra was published
4 years before RN Tagore's Japan Jatri.
Hariprabha was born to Shashibushan Basu Mallik and Nagendrabala in the year 1890. The family was originally from Shantipur in Nadia.
Shashibhushan was the founder of Uddharashram, an orphanage in Dacca, which later came to be known
as Matriniketon.
Hariprabha got married a Japanese chemist called Uemon Takeda. Uemon used to work at Shashibhushan 's soap factory. Later he started his own venture.
The news of the couple's maiden Japan visit had caused quite a sensation and the Maharaja of Dinajpur
Had gifted the couple a princely sum of 25 Rupees and a local Japanese businessman Kohara Takeda gifted 50!
Not much is known about her second visit to Japan. However, things get interesting on her third.
It was on her third visit in the year 1943, that she met NSC Bose
And Rashbehari Bose at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo.
At their insistence, Hariprabha took up the duty of broadcasting Azad Hind Fauj's broadcasts on the radio.
In the middle of air raids, Hariprabha, wearing a helmet used to venture out in the night without a shred of fear.
She continued this till the year 1944.
Uemon and Hariprabha returned to India in the year 1948. Uemon passed away in the year 1948 itself.
The book Bangamahilar Japan Jatra stands out because it shows her experiences and position in a Japanese family and insights into
The Japanese way of life.
Hariprabha stayed on in Jalpaiguri. However in the year 1967, an almost 80 year old Hariprabha was assaulted and robbed by her domestic help.
After the incident she moved to Kolkata and passed away in the year 1972.
The objective of starting this series is to highlight the role that Bengali woman travellers have played and the pathbreaking , swashbuckling experiences they have had .
It is a pity, that a woman who had done such great service for the nation is barely known by commoners.
A travel documentary by the name of Hariprabha Takeda Directed by Rashid Barikdar and The Japanese Wife by Tanvir Mokammel has been made on her life and travels.
Sources
1. Bangamahilar Japan Jatra by Hariprobha Takeda
2. Travel Culture, Travel Writing and Bengali Women, 1870-1940 by Jayati Gupta
#Bengaliwomantravellers
#পথিকৃৎ
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