Tagore's 162nd birth anniversary tomorrow

Tomorrow is the 162nd birth anniversary of Biswakabi Rabindranath Tagore, who reshaped Bengali literature and music as well as arts of Indian subcontinent with contextual modernism.

On the occasion of the birth anniversary of Rabindranath, President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages today, paying rich tributes to the great poet.

The government has taken up elaborate programmes to celebrate the 162nd birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore at national level on May 8 in a befitting manner.

On the 25th of Baishakh in 1268 Bengali calendar, Rabindranath, the fountainhead of Bengali wisdom, was born at Jorasanko in Kolkata.

Nobody had influenced the minds of so many Bengali-speaking people before or after him. His influence has been compared, by many, to William Shakespeare in the English-speaking world.

This year, the main programme will be arranged at Rabindranath's Patisar in Naogaon district, where the Kabiguru had many memories.

Apart from Patisar, in line with the national events, local administrations will arrange different programmes at Shelaidah in Kushtia, Shahjadpur in Sirajganj and Dakkhindihi and Pithavog in Khulna, the places where Rabindranath had memories.

To mark the birth anniversary of the great poet, Rabindra fair, discussions and cultural events will be organized.

Besides, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy has taken a three-day programme, including cultural functions and exhibition on artworks of Rabindranath.

Bangla Academy will also organize a discussion, marking the 162nd birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore.

The youngest of 13 surviving children, Tagore, nicknamed 'Rabi', was born to a Brahma family of Debendranath Tagore and Sarada Devi at Jorasanko in Kolkata.

Rabindranath's novels, short stories, songs, dance-dramas and essays always speak about political and personal life of people.

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, 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 Sonar Bangla and India's Jana Gana Mana. The Sri Lankan national anthem was inspired by his work.

The legendary poet breathed his last at his paternal residence in Kolkata on Sraban 22 of Bangla year 1348 (August 7, 1941).