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| Toru Dutt's Life and Works—Biography of Toru Dutt |
Introduction:
Toru Dutt's name is immortal in the history of Indo-Anglian poetry. Her life is a peculiar blend of joy and sorrow. Her early death was a great loss to Indo-Anglian poetry. Toru was born in a Hindu family in Rambagan, Calcutta, on March 4, 1856. Toru's father, Govin Chunder Dutt was a famous linguist. Toru's mother, Kshetramoni, was fluent in English and Bengali. She was a great devotee of the Hindu myths and legends. It was her routine to tell a famous myth or legend daily to her children at night. It made such an impact on Toru's mind that she composed the immortal book: Ancient Ballads and Legends of Hindustan.
Toru’s Ill Health:
Toru was weak and sick as a child. Her physical appearance was not impressive. Doctors and nurses used to attend her all the time. The shadow of death began to darken her life quite early. In spite of Kshetramoni's deep devotion to Hinduism, in 1862, some members of the Dutt family converted to Christianity. Toru's father became an ardent Christian. At this time, Toru was aged 6, Aru 8, and their only brother Abju 11. To teach the children a private tutor used to visit home.
Abju’s Death: A Severe Set Back:
The family was shaken by the untimely death of Abju at the young age of 14, in 1865. Toru and Aru felt consoled with the reading of “Paradise Lost” repeatedly and growing interest in literary activities.
In Europe:
In 1869, the family left India for Europe. Toru and Aru attended a French school at Nice. Just after a year, the family went to London. Here Toru took lessons in music. Toru improved in French and English also. In Cambridge Toru and Aru attended lectures for women.
Back to Calcutta:
In 1873, the Dutt family returned to Calcutta after four years. Now the sisters divided their time between the city-house at Rambagan and the garden-house at Baugmaree. But Aru suffered from consumption on July 23, 1874, at the early age of twenty. Aru's death was the second severe blow that upset the family. It was for the second time that she saw death so closely. It enabled her to deal with the theme of death in Savitri.
Study of Sanskrit:
In 1875, Toru started studying Sanskrit. She wrote to a friend in a letter on May 13, 1876: "Our Sanskrit is going but slowly. We are now reading extracts from the “Mahabharat" She succeeded in publication of A Sheaf Gleaned in French Fields in 1876. On Aug 26, 1876, she wrote to the same friend: "I am translating some small Sanskrit pieces". Her study of Sanskrit inspired her to compose a book in Sanskrit. But her life proved too short to turn her dream into reality. Toru had read the Vishnu Purana and the Bhagavad Gita also.
Her Untimely Death:
She was ill but by 1877, her health decayed never to recover. On August 30, 1877, Toru died leaving her parents all alone. Toru was buried at the C.M.S. Cemetery in Calcutta, in a corner near her loved brother and sister whom she had remembered in Our Casuarina Tree.
Her Works:
(1) Essays:
Toru's Essays appeared in print for the first time in December 1874, in The Bengal Magazine.
(2) Translation: A Scene from Contemporary History:
In June and July 1875, came out two translations in prose by Toru Dutt. In fact these were two speeches delivered in the French Legislative Assembly.
(3) A Sheaf Gleaned in French Fields:
In March 1876 Toru published A Sheaf Gleaned in French Fields. It contained translations of 165 poems. Toru's book was so popular that within a few months of its publication a second edition of it was printed.
(4) Bianca or The Young Spanish Maiden:
It was an unfinished romance published after Toru's death. Bianca was published in The Bengal Magazine between January and April 1878 as a serial.
(5) Le Journal de Mademoiselle d' Arvers:
It was a finished novel by Toru.
(6) Ancient Ballads and Legends of Hindustan:
It was published in 1882 after her death. There are nine ballads or legends in it. They are based on Indian myths and legends. It consists of some other poems also:
Savitri deals with the immortal legend of Satyavan's death and his wife Savitri's success in getting back his soul.
Lakshman deals with the famous episode of the drawing of the Lakshman Rekha for the safety of Sita.
Jogadhya Uma deals with an original legend in which the goddess appears as the daughter of the priest at the temple of Khirogram.
The Royal Ascetic and the Hind deals with the sacrifice of Bharat who rules on behalf of Rama and worships Rama's slippers.
Dhruva deals with the spiritual sublimation of the child that enables him to shine forever in the sky as the Dhruva Tara.
Buttoo deals with the famous legend of Eklavya who surprises Arjuna in archery.
Sindhu deals with the tragic death of Shravan Kumar and his blind parents' curse to Dassarath.
Prahlad deals with the devotee child who is saved by Lord Vishnu as Narsinha Bhagwan by killing the cruel king and Prahlad's father Heerun Kasyapu.
Sita is very brief and may be called unfinished. Had Toru lived a bit longer she might have developed it. It accounts for Sita's grief in Valmiki's hermitage.
Besides, there are seven other poems also. The most popular among them are The Lotus and Our Casuarina Tree.
(7) Letters:
Toru's letters were published in 1921 under the title The Life and Letters of Toru Dutt. Toru had written 53 letters only to her British friend named Mary Martin.
