Shawdesh Desk:

The 78th anniversary of death of Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore will be observed today.

Tagore died at the age of 80 on August 7, 1941, according to the Gregorian calendar. But, his death anniversary is observed in Bangladesh on Sraban 22 of the Bangla calendar.

Rabindranath was the first non-European poet to win the Nobel Prize for literature. He won it in 1913 for Song Offerings, the English translation of Gitanjali, an anthology of his lyric poems.

His compositions were chosen by two states as their national anthems — Bangladesh’s Amar Shonar Bangla and India’s Jana Gana Mana.

Rabindranath reshaped the Bangla language and literature in the 19th and the 20th centuries through his literature.

On the anniversary, homage would be paid to the poet for his genius evidenced in all branches of Bangla literature.

Rabindranath left a profound mark on music and the performing arts.

He wrote his first poem at the age of eight and wrote his first substantial collection of poems under the pen name Bhanushingha.

He composed about 2,230 songs, wrote eight novels, 84 short stories and countless poems – all sources of inspiration for the Bengalis.

He modernised Bangla language and literature as no one else did in one life. His poems, short stories and novels are acclaimed for their lyricism, colloquialism, naturalism and contemplation.

The youngest of the 14 children of Debendranath Tagore and Sarada Devi, Rabindranath was nurtured in the wonderful cultural atmosphere of the famous Tagore family.

Rabindranath was a trend-setter playwright as his plays Raktakarabi, Dak Ghar and Achalayatan show.

He spent a good portion of his time in the then East Bengal, now Bangladesh. He composed many immortal poems and songs while staying at Shilaidaha in Kushtia, Shahjadpur in Sirajganj and Patishar in Naogaon.

Many of his compositions reflect this period, where the poet and writer depicted the nature seen through cycle of seasons and peripheral life.

In 1915, Tagore was conferred knighthood which he renounced later in protest against the Jalianwalla Bagh massacre.

Rabindranath founded Visva Bharati University at Santiniketan in 1921, which draws scholars from all over the world even today.

Marking Tagore’s death anniversary, different cultural organisations and institutes have chalked out elaborate programmes.

Noted artistes, popular cultural organisations and troupes from different educational institutes would perform at the programmes.

Bangla Academy would hold a seminar on the life and works of the poet at its Poet Shamsur Rahman Seminar Hall at 4:00pm. Chhayanaut would hold a programme at its auditorium in Dhanmondi at 7:00pm.

Besides, state-run BTV and different private TV channels as well as Bangladesh Betar and other private radio stations would air special programmes on the occasion.