‘tumi robe nirobe…hridoye momo…’
Today, is 162nd birth anniversary of Kobiguru Rabindranath Tagore. The day is also called 25e Boisakh since it falls on 25th of Baisakh as per Bengali Calendar. Though, we don’t need a particular day to remember him. For average Bengali, Rabindranath fondly Robi Thakur, is a household name. Hardly any day pass when we don’t remember him through his writings, poems, and not to forget his songs that is known as Rabindra Sangeet. Rabindra Sangeet in itself is a subject that may take volumes to write. However, Tagore in his own submission had said future generation may not be interested in his novels or other works including his short stories but his songs will always stay for eternity.
On average non-Bengali speaking people (there are exceptions though) the name Rabindranath Tagore is predominantly associated with literature, poems and they prefer to call him ‘great poet and philosopher’ or ‘great thinker’ etc. He is more than a friend for average Bengali as we look up to him in pain, sorrow, happiness, love, even romance. One needs to understand the meaning of his lines, verses, couplets that reflects the philosophy of life in a simple way. Tagore is a strong refuge especially when we are in grief. He called ‘death’ as an “awakening” and asked people not to cry, feel sad. Rabindranath himself had seen endless deaths of his loved ones including children. The first death that had shook young Rabindranath was the suicide of ‘Notun Boutha’ (sister-in-law) Kadambari Devi. She not only inspired him to take to writing but was also a playmate since she had come to Thakubari as a bride.
Even to pay tributes to Rabindranath Tagore we borrow lines, verses from his writings, poems, couplets. Enough to explain how vast, rich he is. Kobi Pronaam to the poet on 25 e Boisakh, his birth anniversary. A true friend, philosopher, and guide whom we look up to in pain, sorrow, happiness, love, even romance. We find Robi Thakur inspiring us with his writings, songs, poetry, painting, sketches… ‘tumi robe nirobe…hridoye momo…’
Rabindranath Tagore, was much ahead of his times, extremely modern thinker. A bohemian who wanted to break free from all orthodox rituals that not only created differences among people but deprive of the happiness they deserve especially women who were mostly ‘social comodities’ in average households in then society. The poet coined the philosophy of ‘achalayoton’. He hated fundamentalism and introduced ‘Rakhi Bandhan’ among Hindu Muslim, not restricted to brothers and sisters but used Rakhi thread as an expression of secularism. Infact, Jorasanko, the place where Tagore’s lived had immense significance in then society as it was believed that anything first began from the Thakurbari from food to fashion. Tagore himself was a foodie and loved to experiment with recipes.
I am sharing two videos stories on the Rabindra Jayanti celebrations at Rabindra Bhawan in Delhi.
I have tried to blend the two biggest legends of Bengal Renaissance, Rabindranath Tagore and the Great Master Satyajit Ray by using Satyajit Ray’s sketches of Rabindranath Tagore at the corners along with the famous quotes.
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