Rabindra Jayanti celebrated across Bengal, as enthusiasts revered the Noble Laureate.

Amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, speaking on the 164th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, urged the world to rise above narrow personal interests and remain united. The Chief Minister has quoted a powerful excerpt from one of the

Nobel laureate’s most iconic poem:

“Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high / Where knowledge is free / Where the world has not been broken up into fragments / By narrow domestic walls”.

“On the birth anniversary of Kaviguru Rabindranath Tagore, we offer our heartfelt respect and salutations to our beloved Thakur. Not just on the 25th of Boishakh, but every day, we remember him. In our direction, in our language, in our hopes — he is present in everything! The entire world is illuminated by the light of his creations”, the Chief Minister wrote.

Born on May 7, 1861, Tagore made history in 1913 by becoming the first non-European and the first lyricist to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature for the master-class “Geetanjali”. He reshaped Bengali literature and music as well as Indian art with Contextual Modernism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This visionary poet, philosopher, and artist passed away on August 7, 1941.

The birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore — an inseparable figure in Bengali culture — was celebrated across West Bengal on Friday with traditional fervour and joy, marked by deep cultural pride and reverence for the revered poet.

In Shantiniketan — the very heart of Tagore’s legacy and home to Visva-Bharati University, founded by Gurudev a century ago — Rabindra Jayanti was observed on Wednesday with great enthusiasm. The day unfolded with a series of vibrant events including dance performances, theatrical presentations, songs, and recitations, all paying tribute to the poet-philosopher. Celebrations as usual began early in the morning with students participating in Vaitalik (devotional songs) and Prabhat Pheris (morning cultural processions), setting a soulful tone for the day. Brahma worship, Vedic chanting, and various cultural programmes followed, adding depth to the spiritual and artistic observances.

Acting Vice-Chancellor Sanjay Kumar Mallick, along with faculty members, students, and alumni, attended the celebrations.

Shantiniketan also experienced an influx of visitors from distinguished fields — scholars, artists, and admirers — who gathered to honour the timeless legacy of Tagore. It was on September 17, 2023 Shantiniketan was awarded the World Heritage status. This is the first Rabindra Jayanti that is being celebrated at Shantiniketan after bagging the coveted World Heritage status.

Remembering the poet on his birth anniversary, the BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar wrote on his X handle, “Respectful tributes to the composer of the national anthem, world poet, great philosopher and writer, and Nobel laureate Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore on his birth anniversary”.

Meanwhile, in the state capital cultural organisations hosted art exhibitions and theatrical performances while schools and colleges across the state organised prayer songs and programmes. Many people also visited Tagore’s ancestral house in Kolkata’s Jorasankho, where cultural programmes were held.

Leader of the opposition Suvendu Adhikari wrote on his X handle, “On Rabindra Jayanti, I offer my profound homage to the illustrious Bengali polymath, Nobel laureate Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. World over respectfully referred to as Viswakavi, we commemorate his extraordinary legacy and cherish his unparalleled contributions that continues to enrich and define our cultural heritage”.

Team Maverick