Remembering Rabindranath Tagore Volume - High Commission of ...

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Remembering Rabindranath Tagore
Gitabitan celebrating these very moments are sung with a rare sense of participation and
intuitive understanding.
From this point of view Rabindrasangeet to many, takes on the role of a personal religion, a body
of knowledge that is strengthening and nurturing in times of personal crises, encouraging
and inspiring in moments of weakness, passionate in moments of romantic bliss, healing in
moods of romantic despair. This abiding relevance of Rabindrasangeet through the ages is its
hallmark as a literary masterpiece. It was in this context that Tagore felt very grateful for the
efforts made by Dutch musicologist Arnold Bake after he left Santiniketan, to familiarise
European audiences with his music. Rabindranath was conscious that his songs could not
find easy recognition in the west. Even within India, in the non Bengali speaking world,
while Tagore’s songs have a certain appeal for their raga based melody, they tend to sound
monotonous without an understanding of the lyrics. Tagore had explained candidly to
Edward Thompson “it is nonsense to say that music is a universal language. I should like my
music to find acceptance, but I know this cannot be, at least not till the West has had time
to study, and learn to appreciate our music. They have great beauty. Though they will not
be known outside my province and much of my work will be gradually lost, I leave them as
a legacy. My own countrymen do not understand. But they will. They are real songs, songs
for all seasons and occasions. ” 20
Rabindranath was convinced that his songs had introduced a “new element” into Indian
music and that song composition, which had been a parallel growth to his poetry had
“intoxicated” him, and was easily his “best work”. Today in two countries India and
Bangladesh, his songs remain immortalized as national anthems. Perhaps it is time to
appreciate through translations and explanations, Tagore’s most precious literary gift, his
legacy of songs.
Endnotes
1. Max Muller, Auld Lang Syne :My Indian Friends,Asian Educational Services, Delhi 1993,
2. Abanindranath Tagore, Gharoya, Memoirs as told to Rani Chanda,1941, Visvabharati
Publications, 2002, p 41
3. Tagore, Atmokautha in Shongit Chinta Visva Bharati Publications, p 177
4. Oré notun jugér bhoré/dīsh né shomoyé katiyé britha shomoyé bichar koré/ki raubé ār ki raubé nā,
ki haubé ār ki haubé nā……..jemon koré jharna nāmé durgom porboté/nirbhabonayé jhāp diyé paur
ojanitér pauthé
5. Appendix A, E.J.Thompson’s Diary, visit to Santiniketan 14-15 November, 1913 in
E.P.Thompson, Alien homage: Edward Thompson and Rabindranath Tagore, OUP.,1993
6. Sushobhan Sarkar’s Reminiscences quoted in Partho Bosu, Gayak Rabindranath, op cit,
p 40
7. Stress mine - Tagore lecture: What is Art? In English Writings of Rabindranath Tagore,
Volume II, Sahitya Akademi, new Delhi, 2001, p 358