|
This Wednesday is the birthday celebration of Bengali writer, composer, poet and philosopher, Rabindranath Tagore. His work was incredibly prolific and profound, but it wasn’t exactly on chanting per se. I’m honoring him for a more personal reason, which has to do with my mother.
My mother was an incredible person. Turned off to Christianity by the hypocrisy of the pastors of her youth, she was at the same time one of the most Christian people I ever knew, always one to visit the sick and care for any being that needed it.
She grew up when poor people didn’t get to go far in school, as they had to go out and work to support the family. But she was a voracious reader, and brilliant. And she was in grade school when children memorized great long poems, so at times she would recite one to make a point on something to me and my older sister.
One of the brief lines she would say to us was “I slept and dreamt that life was beauty. I woke and found that life was duty.” It sounded to me then like a harsh reality.
In my junior high years I began to read Eastern authors, including Kahlil Gibran and Rumi. But only after I was involved in yoga did I come across the quote she had been saying to us, and found that it was part of an alternate translation of Tagore’s statement, 'I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.’
My mother was gone by then, so I never had a chance to learn where she had gotten the quote—or if she knew the ending part. So I don’t know if she ever realized that the service she gave to me and our family and to the world was the beauty it was.
She piqued my interest to learn more about the Bard of Bengal, Rabindranath Tagore, and I want to share that with you. Thanks for indulging me. Enjoy!
Rabindra Jayanti
Rabindra Jayanti commemorates the birth of Rabindranath Targore, the renowned writer, poet, philosopher, social reformer and first ever Indian Nobel laureate whose work continues to inspire generations with its profound insights, universal themes, and timeless beauty.
Rabindra Jayanti is a public holiday in West Bengal so schools and banks are closed there, but the holiday is celebrated by Bengalis across the globe. 2024 marks the 163rd birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. He was born on May 7, 1861, but according to the Bengali calendar, his birthday is celebrated on the 25th day of Baishak, known as 'Pochishe baishak', the first month in the Bengali calendar, which is May 8 this year.
A mystic and artist, Rabindranath Tagore was a Bengali polymath – a great poet, philosopher, music composer and a leader of Brahmo Samaj (a monotheistic reformist movement), who took Indian culture and tradition to the whole world and became a voice of Indian heritage.
He was the first Non-European to be awarded the Nobel Prize in literature in 1913 with his book Gitanjali: Song Offerings. Tagore was also the first Indian to receive a knighthood in 1915 for his contribution to literature. However, in 1919 he returned the knighthood in protest against a massacre in Amritsar.
Rabindranath Tagore was the youngest son of Sarala Devi and Debendranath Tagore, a leader of the Brahmo Samaj. It was a wealthy Brahmin family with a strong sense of cultural heritage that cultivated his intellectual curiosity and artistic abilities.
He went on to become one of the most prolific and renowned authors, poets, philosophers, dramatists, painters, and artists whose contribution to the nation is immense. His writings, which frequently deal with themes of love, divinity, and nature, are praised for their lyrical beauty and insightful intellectual underpinnings.
Tagore actively participated in India's freedom struggle and motivated people through his music and poems. Mahatma Gandhi, one of the most important political leaders in India, called him ‘Gurudev'.
He began painting in his late sixties, producing over 2,000 pieces that gave Indian art a fresh perspective. Additionally, Tagore wrote the music and lyrics for about 2,000 songs that are now classified as Rabindra Sangeet and continue to touch the hearts of millions of people.
A musical upbringing
Tagore belonged to a family of scholars and musicians – so as a child he was always surrounded by an artistic atmosphere at home. He grew up listening, learning and absorbing the forms of Hindustani classical music traditions. His beloved brother Jyoti Dada (Jyotindranath Tagore) would create tunes on the piano and encourage young Rabindranath to compose verses to match the Raga-based melodies. What started as a kind of playful exercise eventually bloomed into a genre in itself, known as Rabindrasangeet.
When East met West – Western Influences
Tagore’s songs have dual importance as poetry and music; one cannot be seen without the other. In his life, Tagore liberally borrowed from all musical forms that he liked.
During his first trip to England in 1878, he became familiar with English, Irish and Scottish music. In his memoir, Jivan Smriti, he writes “I cannot claim that I have experienced the soul of European music. However, the music I experienced as an intense listener was heartfelt and attracted me immensely. I felt the music to be romantic and a melodic expression of the diversity in life”.
Many of Tagore’s songs were influenced and sometimes inspired by western tunes. Take, for instance, Robert Burns’ Auld Lang Syne from which Tagore adapted Purano Shei Diner Kotha. It’s not just the tune that Tagore adapted; he also kept the essence of the song. Purano… like Auld Lang Syne talks of remembrance of old days and old friends. He also adapted other Scottish tunes such as Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes.
A Journey into Bengal’s Heartland – Folk Influences
In 1891, Tagore moved to Bangladesh (erstwhile East Bengal) to manage the family estate for ten years. While living mostly in his houseboat on the river Padma, he came in close contact with poor peasants of his estate. His sympathy for them opened a whole new world of sights and sounds and feelings before him. These experiences brought a heretofore unexplored dimension to his poetry, short stories and songs. During these years he published several poetry collections, while at the same time, Tagore was also influenced by the genre of Bengali folk music.
Of Ragas and Rabindrasangeet – Classical Influences
Traditional Hindustani Khayal music gives supreme importance to melody; lyrics play a secondary role. Pure classical music without any meaningful words did not attract Tagore. He preferred to set words to the classical tune. One cannot listen to a Tagore song as a pure classical Raga. The poetry is an integral part and the appropriate Raga is often chosen to bring out the mood of the poetry.
For example, the songs in the category of Prakriti or Nature are divided into six seasons and the songs of certain seasons would be based on one of the Ragas associated with that season. Similarly, if the lyrics describe the morning, the tune will typically be based on one of the morning Ragas. The beauty of Tagore’s song was a perfect fusion of the lyric and the Raga. They complimented each other to create a different genre of music. He also modified and sometimes created Talas (rhythmic beats) to suit his requirements.
In all his compositions, Tagore’s intent was not to create new Ragas but to create melodies that did justice to the expressiveness of his poetry. The entire collection of Rabindra Sangeet, his collection of songs that combine Indian classical music with folklore, was combined in the Gitabitan – a music book consisting of all 2232 songs.
[Listen to some of his songs here. Keep playing if the first one doesn’t appeal because they are all different!]
|
