Today (22 Srabon) marks the 82nd death anniversary of Biswakabi Rabindranath Thakur, who reshaped Bengali literature and music as well as arts of Indian subcontinent with contextual modernism. Rabindranath died at the age of 80 on Aug 7 in 1941, according to the Gregorian calendar. However, his death anniversary is observed in Bangladesh on Srabon 22 of the Bangla calendar.
Government and non-government institutions and cultural organizations have taken various programmes to mark the day. Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar and other private televisions and radio stations will air special programmes and dramas on the occasion.
The youngest of thirteen surviving children, Rabindranath, nicknamed ‘Rabi’, was born on 25th of Bengali month of Boishakh 1268 (May 7, 1861) in the Jorasanko mansion in Calcutta to Debendranath Tagore and Sarada Devi.
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 to political and personal topics.
Rabindranath reshaped the Bangla language and literature in the 19th and 20th centuries through his works in almost all genres of literature. He also left a profound mark on music and performing arts.
The poet wrote over one thousand poems, eight volumes of short stories, almost two dozen plays and playlets, eight novels, and many books and essays on philosophy, religion, education and social issues.
He also composed over two thousand songs and set them to tunes. Two of them became the national anthems of India and Bangladesh.
Rabindranath wrote his fist poem at the age of eight. He wrote his first substantial collection of poems under the pen name ‘Bhanusingho’.
Rabindranath was a trend-setter playwright as his plays ‘Raktokarabi’, ‘Daakghar’ and 'Achalayatan’ show.
He was the first non-European poet to win Nobel Prize for literature. He won the prize in 1913 for ‘Song Offerings’, the English version of his collection of poetry ‘Gitanjali’.
Rabindranath founded Visva Bharati University at Santiniketan in 1921 which drew scholars from all over the world.
