Tagore's 150th Birth Anniversary

TAGORE: Poet and Composer

Celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Ravindranath Tagore, a programme of songs with the theme of Mukti (Freedom) was held at Prithvi Theatre this month. Nalinee Madgavkar selected the songs and her group Nabashruti presented the programme of Ravindra Sangeet.

Whatever little contact I have had with Ravindra Sangeet has made deep impression by the melody, the feeling and the style of rendering. But the first glimpses of it came from film music. Anil Biswas, Hemant Kumar and Salil Chaudhari gave some very good melodies based on Ravindra Sangeet. Bengal has a rich tradition of soulful music and Ravindra Sangeet is part of the rich culture. Sachin Dev Burman also contributed by bringing some lilting folk tunes from that region.

I do not know how the programme went but they brought out a booklet of the song titled MUKTI. It is a well produced record of the songs presented in the programme, printed on good paper with good printing. Among the songs are: Ayi bhuvanmanmohini, Badal-boulbajay re ektaar and a few other. Songs are in Bengali in devnagri script with English translation.

I skip the songs for now and go to the third cover to quote some beautiful words of Tagore:

         Free me as free are the birds of the wilds, the wanderers  

                                        of unseen paths.

         Free me as free are the deluge of rain, and the storm

          that shakes its locks and rushes on to the unknown

                                                end.

         Free me as free is the forest fire, as is the thunder that

                  laughs aloud and hurls defiance to darkness.