A tribute to a legend

Bangaloreans recently witnessed the beauty of Tagore’s songs from the Gitanjali, when students and faculty of Sangit Bhavana, Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan, performed at the IISc campus.

The programme was organised in honour of the centenary celebration of Asia’s first Nobel Prize.

After professor CNR Rao welcomed the group from Santiniketan, Sushanto
Dutta Gupta, the vice-chancellor of Visva-Bharati, took to the stage to give a brief description of the show. A set of 20 songs were presented, three of which were accompanied with dances. A brief narration of the Gitanjali was given along with Tagore’s own translation of the poems in English.

Tumi Kemon Kore Gaan Koro Hey Guni was the first song that was presented by the group. The simple yet profound lyrics were enhanced by the strong voices of the singers. They were accompanied by the dhol, sarangi, harmonium and tabla. Popular poems like Aalo Amar Aalo Ogo and Amar Khela Jokhon were sung at the show and the packed hall was full of youngsters, who could be seen enjoying the melodies. The grace and elegance of the dancers and the bright costumes added variety to the show.

Aniket, who attended the show along with his friends, enjoyed it thoroughly. “It was beautiful. I have not read the masterpiece yet, but the programme has inspired me to grab a copy of the book and read it. It was a rare opportunity for people living in Bangalore to get a glimpse of the culture of Santiniketan. I enjoyed the evening,” he says.

The audience loved every aspect of the show, whether it was the paintings made by Tagore — which accompanied the songs — or a glimpse of the day-to-day life of students in Santiniketan. In the second half of the programme, the group sang songs which were based on seasons. “Seasons like spring and monsoon made Gurudeb pen some of his best creations. They were full of passion and emotion and a treat for both listeners as well as readers,” notes Sushanto, who led the team.

The packed hall and a standing ovation showed how much the audience enjoyed the programme. Naveen, who missed the first half of the programme, was thrilled to have made it on time to catch the second half. “I live at the other end of the City and hence, took some time to come here. But I am glad that I could at least be there for the second half of the show,” he says.