Tagore’s 79th anniversary of death today

The nation is observing the 79th death anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore today recalling the great poet who did not leave any human emotion untouched in his works, especially poems and songs.

The day is being observed with limited programmes amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

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

To mark the day, Bangla Academy, Shilpakala Academy, Shishu Academy and different government and non-government institutions and cultural organisations have set up programmes on a limited scale.

The youngest of 13 surviving children of Debendranath Tagore and Sarada Devi, Rabindranath, nicknamed "Rabi", was born on 25th of Bengali month of Baishakh 1268 (May 7, 1861) in the Jorasanko mansion in Kolkata.

In his long seven decades of endeavors in different genres of Bangla literature, the great poet enriched the Bangla language and literature and elevated their positions in the global arena.

His novels, short stories, songs, dance-dramas and essays spoke of political and personal topics.

Gitanjali, Gora and Ghare Baire are his best known works and his verse, short stories, and novels were acclaimed for their lyricism, colloquialism, and naturalism.

Rabindranath became the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913.

Sometimes referred to as "the Bard of Bengal", Rabindranath's poetic songs were viewed as spiritual and mercurial.

His compositions were chosen by two nations as national anthems: Bangladesh's "Amar Shonar Bangla" and India's "Jana Gana Mana". Besides, the Sri Lankan national anthem was inspired by his work.