Rabindranath Tagore—–The twentieth century poet of the East
I was introduced to the great poet through his songs.One day my sister took me to her friends house.The friend was unable to start a conversation.I did not easily make friends like her.Her friend could not think of any topic to converse with me.She asked me if I like music,my face immediately brightened up when I heard this.
The friend took out her record player and played,a song by Tagore,’Jokhon porbey na more payer chinha eiy baatey.’ The music,the lyrics and the voice of the singer completely mesmerized me.It seemed I was in a whole different world.I was asked if I wanted to hear it again.My reply gave her the reason to play it again.I listened to the song thirteen times.I then felt embarrassed to ask her to continue.
- The location where brilliant Indian poet and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore was both born and died… This is the room in which Tagore died. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorasanko_Thakur_Bari (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
This was my introduction to Tagore.He has written the lyrics of several songs and also provided the music.He sang some of his songs,but there were other musicians who did a better job.Therefore this responsibility of singing songs was given to them.Later on Tagore classified his songs into:Six thematic sections,Puja or devotional songs;prem or songs of love;swadesh,or patriotic songs;prokriti,songs of nature;bichitra,miscellaneous songs;anushthanik,ceremonial songs.Among the devotional songs,my favourite is: How wonderfully you sing ,O master musician,
I listen in amazement,I am all attention!
The light from your songs spreads across the heavens
The wind that sings your songs lilts across the skies
Stones melt and in lightning speed surges
The divine stream of your music.
Tagore had a remarkable ear for music since his childhood.It was probably due to the fact,he was surrounded by it at home.
Here I would like to mention about the Scottish poet Robert Burns.He once heard a shepherd singing in the scottish highland the song: Auld Lang Syne,Robert burns added two verses and published it.It became popular world wide.Tagore heard it and wrote the lyrics in Bengali and wrote the song.He used the music of ‘Auld Lang Syne’.The Bengali version became very popular in all of Bengal.
Please Watch the video.
Related articles
- Rabindranath Tagore on life (kipsthoughts.wordpress.com)
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Sabethville 
Greetings,
I very much like reading about Tagore, and your love for him, here on your blog. Beautiful words, his and yours.
The music, words, and images in the video are very nice!
I did not know that about Robert Burns. Thank you for sharing that.
All good wishes,
robert
I was thinking of writing about him.There is so much about him one can write.
I decided to do it at a slow pace.
Thank you for your comment.I wasn’t aware of Robert Burn’s contribution either.
Research is such a terrific way to increase ones knowledge.It is simply amazing.
Best wishes to you.
Ranu
Thanks for sharing this. I read the post with great interest but most interesting for me was the connection between Tagore and Robert Burns.
While listening to the version by Tagore in the video embedded here, I wondered if the music of Tagore (and his songs) had a direct influence on some of the finest music composers from Indian film industry, such as the two Burmans? (They have been my personal favourites).
The anecdote about how you got introduced to Tagore, and your listening to that song thirteen times, was just the prefect way for introducing this subject (in my opinion) :-).
Regards
Thank you,Sir.If it is I won’t be surprised.I have a lot of stuff on Tagore.
I will try to introduce my favourite poet of the East in slow doses.I don’t
want anyone to get bored.
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Thank you.I love his Music,poetry ,prose the whole works.I am a Bengali,I feel proud of Rabindranath
Thakur.