The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The 147th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore will be observed across the country today with due respect to the versatile Bengali poet.

Rabindranath Tagore, also known as 'Kobi Guru,' was a poet, visual artist, playwright, novelist and composer whose works reshaped Bengali literature and music in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The government has drawn up extensive programmes to celebrate the day at national level. The Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed will inaugurate Rabindranath Tagore's birth anniversary programmes at 10:00am at Osmani Memorial Auditorium. The inaugural programme will be followed by a cultural function.

To mark the day, President Prof Dr Iajuddin Ahmed and Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed gave separate messages highlighting the colourful life and his contributions to Bengali language and literature.

In his message, Dr Iajuddin said said, "Rabindranath is not only a person but also an institution and his distinctive literature and arts would always inspire Bengali-speaking people to do creative work."

Dr Fakhruddin said, "The relation of Rabindranath with Bangladesh is close and his songs and poems had inspired our people during the country's War of Independence."

Rabindranath was born in 1861 at Jorashanko Mansion in Kolkata in India. He was the youngest of thirteen surviving children of Debendranath Tagore and Sarada Devi. He was the first Nobel laureate in Asia when he won the Nobel Prize in Literature for his book Geetanjali in 1913.

His two songs are now the national anthems of Bangladesh and India - 'Amar Sonar Bangla, Ami Tomai Valobashi' and 'Jana Gana Mana' respectively.

He wrote novels, short stories, songs, 'Nreetya Natya' and essays on political and personal topics.

Geetanjali (Song Offering), Gora (Fair-Faced) and Ghare-Baire (The Home and the World) are among his best known works. His verse, short stories and novels, which often exhibited rhythmic lyricism, colloquial language, meditative naturalism and philosophical contemplation received world acclaim.

Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television, private TV channels and radio stations will broadcast the programme live at 10:00am from Osmani Memorial Auditorium today.

On the occasion, Shilpakala Academy will organise a cultural programme based on various creative works of Rabindranath Tagore at Jatiyo Natyashala Auditorium in the city in the evening. Eminent artistes will recite poems, perform dances and render Tagore's songs.

Besides, various programmes have been chalked out to mark the day at Shilaidaha in Kushtia, Patisar in Naogaon and South Dighi in Khulna - the three districts that harbour the memories of Rabindranath Tagore.

The local administrations across the country will also organise various programmes to observe the day.

Bangladesh missions abroad will also celebrate the day through various programmes.

As part of the national celebrations, Bangla Academy will also organise a programme on the poet on May 11 in the Seminar Room.