- Sunday, May 19, 2024
May 7 marked the 163rd birth anniversary of Tagore.
By: Twinkle Roy
THE Nobel Committee reminded the world of the brilliant poetic contribution of Indian Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941), also known as the ‘Bard of Bengal’, by sharing an English translation of India’s national anthem Jana Gana Mana, written and composed by him on his birth anniversary.
Rabindranath Tagore, born on May 7 1861 in Jorasanko Thakurbari in West Bengal, India was a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer, and painter who refashioned Indian literature and art during the Bengal Renaissance. His writings had a major impact on India’s national struggle for independence.
The original song of Jana Gana Mana, titled Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata comprised of five verses but India’s national anthem was an adaptation of just the first verse.
Read: Classical celebration of cross-cultural composers
Celebrating Rabindra Jayanti, the official X handle of the Nobel Committee shared a handwritten English translation of the song that later birthed Jana Gana Mana on Monday (6).
“Jana Gana Mana is the national anthem of India, originally composed in Bengali by poet Rabindranath Tagore, who was awarded the #NobelPrize in Literature in 1913. Pictured: An English translation of Jana Gana Mana by Tagore,” read the caption for the memorable picture.
"Jana Gana Mana" (Bengali: [ɟənə gəɳə mənə]) is the national anthem of India, originally composed in Bengali by poet Rabindranath Tagore, who was awarded the #NobelPrize in Literature in 1913.
Pictured: An English translation of Jana Gana Mana by Tagore pic.twitter.com/cYT8nP46zo
— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) May 6, 2024
Just within a day, the post garnered 82,000 views, nearly 300 likes, and some heartwarming comments.
An Instagram user commented, “Rabindranath Thakur had also composed Amar Sonar Bangla – the national anthem of Bangladesh, and hence he is the only one to compose the national anthem of two countries.”
Read: Revealed: Rabindranath Tagore’s muse who is buried in Edinburgh
While another wrote, “Proud to be a Bengali”.
Underscoring the beauty of art that is eternal in the face of transience, an X user wrote, “Man is mortal but art is immortal”.
Rabindranath Tagore won the Nobel Prize for his collection of poetry Gitanjali in 1913.
India’s National Anthem playtime is approximately 52 seconds according to the government website Know India.
The national song of India is Vande Mataram, composed in Sanskrit by Bankimchandra Chatterji. The song was featured for the first time in his Bengali novel Anandamath in 1882.
