The nation is set to observe the 79th death anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore today recalling the great poet who did not leave any human emotion untouched in his works, especially poems and songs.
The day will be observed with limited programmes in
view of the current coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
Tagore died at the age of 80 on August 7 in 1941, according to the Gregorian calendar. But, his death anniversary is observed in Bangladesh on Sraban 22 of the Bangla calendar.
To mark the day, Bangla Academy, Shilpakala Academy, Shishu Academy and different government and non-government institutions and cultural organisations are expected to take some programmes on a limited scale following health guidelines.
The youngest of thirteen surviving children, Tagore, nicknamed “Rabi”, was born on 25th of Bengali month of Baishakh 1268 (May 7, 1861) in the Jorasanko mansion in Calcutta to Debendranath Tagore and Sarada Devi.
In his long seven decades of endeavors in different genres of Bangla literature, the great poet enriched the Bangla language and literature and elevated their positions in the global arena.
His novels, short stories, songs, dance-dramas and essays spoke to political and personal topics.
Gitanjali (Song Offerings), Gora (Fair-Faced) and Ghare-Baire (The Home and the World) are his best-known works and his verse- short stories, and novels-were acclaimed-or panned-for their lyricism, colloquialism, naturalism, and unnatural contemplation.
Author of Gitanjali and its “profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse”, Rabindranath became the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913.
Sometimes referred to as “the Bard of Bengal”, Tagore’s poetic songs were viewed as spiritual and mercurial.
His compositions were chosen by two nations as national anthems: Bangladesh’s Amar Shonar Bangla and India’s Jana Gana Mana. The Sri Lankan national anthem was inspired by his work.
