Like Abhimanyu, Ipsita’s trust with Tagore began before her birth. She recites two of his poems in Bangali, as Special Feature, on his 159th birth anniversary. An exclusive for Different Truths.
My tryst with Tagore began early. As with most Bengalis.Probably even before I was born. Through his songs and poems all around me…As a child, I heard the poems long before I learnt to read. My grandmother reciting, Beerpurush, as she tried to feed me. And I would listen wide-eyed:
ত্রমন সময় হাঁ রে রে রে
ওই যে কারা আসতেছে ডাক ছেড়ে
(Emon somai Haan re re re/Oi j kara astechhe daak chhere).
I too would imagine myself as the brave Khoka of Beerpurush, revelling in the heroism.
Sisu ( Child) is the first book of his poems that I had devoured as a child, a collection he probably wrote for his children, poems, that like me, has stayed with children of generations to come.
Kadi o Komol (Sharps and Flats) Sonar Tori ( Golden Boat), Khanika ( The Flitting One) were priceless possessions of those times.
Truth is, Tagore remains priceless from then to now and beyond. He remains in the heart, the head and the breath as a constant hum. A reference point for every emotion:
For nationalism
For internationalism
For life lessons
For pain
For joy
And for love…
Love of everything and every kind. A love for life.Where love has synergised with spiritualism. And that’s why this tryst never ends.
He remains a constant, yet the context gets refreshed with the passing years….
“তোমায় নতুন করে পাব বলে ….
ও মোর ভালোবাসার ধন।।”
(Tomai notun kore pabo bole/O mor bhalobashar dhon)
Photo from the Internet
Ipsita Ganguli is a business consultant and poet-travel writer-heritage-and-art enthusiast. Her poems have been published in various e-zines and anthologies. She is a main character in the Kolkata Cocktail poetry film. She has ideated and conducted online talk shows, Cafe, and curated offline poetry events for Kolkata Literary Meet and at Kolkata Centre for Creativity. Ipsita has authored two poetry books, “Of Love, Longing, and Random Pondering” and “Rooted, India 75, and We the People.”
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Excellent presentation 👍