Tsuktiben Jamir
On the 7th of May 1861, India would witness the birth of a genius that would bring laurels to the country through his passion for literature, leaving an incalculable impact on both Bengali and English literature. Rabindranath Tagore was born in the city of Calcutta, now Kolkata. He started writing poems at the age of eight. However, he did not limit himself to one art form. In fact, Tagore was an excellent novelist, dramatist, story writer, composer, essayist, painter, and philosopher. Rabindranath Tagore was the first Indian to be awarded the Nobel Prize (in Literature) in 1913, as well as the first Asian.
On the 162nd anniversary of his birth, quite a number of political leaders paid tribute to Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Among an outpour of love and appreciation for the late genius, Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari tweeted, “Remembering Nobel laureate and true soul of our National Anthem Jana-Gana-Mana Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore ji on his birth anniversary.”
In accordance with the Gregorian calendar, Rabindranath Tagore was born on May 7. Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti, on the other hand, is observed in accordance with the Bengali calendar and occurs on the 25th day of the Bengali month of Boishakh. Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti typically occurs in the Gregorian calendar month of May when computed in accordance with this. Accordingly, for the year 2023, the Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti was celebrated on 9th May. Several governments and private cultural groups hosted cultural events, talks, and award ceremonies all around the nation to mark the anniversary.
Courtesy: PSU Connect
To start off the celebration for the great Bengal polymath, ‘Khola Hawa’ was held in the Science City Auditorium in Kolkata on the 9th of May 2023; it is one of the biggest annual festivals in the state. The event was graced by Shri. Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister, delivered a speech on the late Rabindranath Tagore, as part of the celebration. Along with Shah, other BJP members who spoke on Tagore include Suvendu Adhikari, the party’s leader of the opposition in the Bengal Assembly, as well as former Rajya Sabha member Swapan Dasgupta.
This year’s state celebration in Bangladesh took place in the Naogaon district in Patishar. Additionally, as part of the national event, the Shilaidah of Kushtia, the Shahjadpur of Sirajganj, the Dakshindehi and Pithavog of Khulna, and the Shilaidah of Kushtia all marked the poet Rabindranath Tagore’s birth anniversary. Bangladesh’s top cultural institution, Chhayanaut, also celebrated the anniversary over a two-day event. Additionally, the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy organised a three-day event that featured cultural activities and an exhibition of Rabindranath’s artwork.
Moreover, the 162nd birthday of “Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore” was celebrated with a week-long programme at the Tagore Government College of Education in Port Blair, the capital city of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Students from all the colleges on these islands received a great opportunity to display their creative and cultural abilities during the week-long “Tagore Jayanti Utsav” programme.
The celebration of Rabindranath Tagore’s life even after he is long gone is testimony to the fact that the impact he had on India and the world was beyond measure, and it will continue to stand its ground against the passage of time.
