Rabindranath Tagore's 82nd death anniversary is being observed in Bangladesh today. According to the Gregorian calendar, Rabindranath died at the age of 80 on August 7 in 1941. But in Bangladesh, his death anniversary is observed on Sraban 22 of the Bengali calendar.
Rabindranath Tagore was the first non-European poet to win the Nobel Prize for literature. He won it for the English translation of "Gitanjali", a collection of poems in 1913. Tagore has the rare honour to write a national anthem for the two countries — India's 'Jana Gana Mana' and Bangladesh's 'Amar Shonar Bangla'.
Rabindranath left a profound mark on the culture of the Indian sub-continent, especially of Bengal through his music and the performing arts.
He spent a long time in then East Bengal, now Bangladesh. He composed many immortal poems and songs while staying at Shilaidaha in Kushtia, Shahzadpur in Sirajganj, and Patishar in Naogaon, all places now in Bangladesh.
To pay a befitting tribute to Gurudev Tagore, different organisations, namely Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Chhayanaut and others are organising special programmes in Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh.
