Mamata says 'Kaviguru' shows way to move ahead with head held high

KOLKATA: The pandemic did not deter Bengalis across the globe from paying homage to 'Kaviguru' Rabindranath Tagore. Accepting norms of the new normal, most switched to the virtual medium to observe the Nobel Laureate's 160th birth anniversary on Sunday and derived inspiration from his ideals to fight against all odds.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee paid floral tribute to the photograph of the world poet in a programme organised by the Bengal government at Rabindra Sadan with only a few attendees. It was a low-key event, organised following Covid protocols. Most artistes performed virtually.

Paying tribute to 'Kaviguru', Mamata Banerjee tweeted: "Homage to Kobiguru Rabindranath Tagore on his 160th birth anniversary. May his ideals be the guiding force in all our endeavours."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: "On Tagore Jayanti, I bow to the great Gurudev Tagore. May his exemplary ideals keep giving us strength and inspiration to build the India he dreamt of."

While addressing the programme at Rabindra Sadan, Banerjee said: "Keeping the Covid situation in mind the event has been organised as a low-key affair and artistes will be performing virtually."

Quoting Tagore's Bishwosaathe joge jethay biharo Seikhane jog tomar saathe aamaro, Banerjee said: "He connects the entire world with Bengal. He (Tagore) is our inspiration and shows us the way to move ahead with our head held high."

Trinamool Congress MLA from Chandernagore Indranil Sen paid tribute to 'Kaviguru' by singing two Rabindra Sangeets including "Banglar Mati Banglar Jol." Rashbehari MLA Debashis Kumar was also present in the programme.

Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay, Home Secretary HK Dwivedi, Commissioner of Kolkata Police Soumen Mitra and Secretary of the Information and Cultural Affairs department Santanu Basu also paid floral tributes to Tagore at Rabindra Sadan.

Ever since it had come to power in the state, the Mamata Banerjee government had been organising an elaborate cultural programme on Cathedral Road to mark Tagore's birth anniversary. Last year also, the programme was organised but as a low-key affair with artistes performing virtually due to the Covid situation.

This year artistes, including Nachiketa and Raghav Chatterjee, performed through virtual mode. Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay and Firhad Hakim, Chairman of Board of Administrators of Kolkata Municipal Corporation, paid floral tributes to the photograph and statue of the world poet at the state Assembly and Jorasanko Thakurbari respectively. Similar humble programmes were organised in every locality in the state maintaining Covid norms. The social media was abuzz with people posting various compositions of the great poet.