To mark the 77th death anniversary of Nobel Laureate Poet Rabindranath Tagore, which was observed on August 6, Bangladesh Rabindra Sangeet Shilpi Sangstha (BRSSS) has come up with a two-day commemorative event. With the slogan ‘Ohongkar Curno Koro, Preme Mon Purno Koro’, the event will begin today at 6pm at the main auditorium of Bangladesh National Museum in Shahbag of the capital. During the two-day event, a number of 80 artistes of BRSS, along with eminent singers Rezwana Choudhury Bannya, Adity Mohsin, Shama Rahman, Lily Islam, will render the different Tagore’s songs from ‘Geetobitan’, including his love, romantic and devotional songs.

President of BRSS Tapan Mahmud said, “The programme was scheduled to be held on the death anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore last month. But the programme was postponed due to the students’ movement for safe roads.”

“The programme will begin today at 6pm with the chorus rendition of songs ‘Sokatore Oi Kadiche, Shono Shono Pita’ and ‘Aguner Poroshmoni’. The programme also features solo and duet rendition”, he added.

Born on May 7, 1861 at Jorasanko in Kolkata, Tagore was the fountainhead of Bengali literature, culture and wisdom.

Nobody has influenced the minds of so many Bengali-speaking people as he has done. His influence has been compared by many to that of Shakespeare in the English-speaking world. Tagore received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913.

For Bangladesh, Tagore holds special significance. His poems and songs inspired the nation during its most difficult years. One of his songs, “Amar Sonar Bangla” (My Golden Bengal), was chosen as Bangladesh’s national anthem.

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