Latest news with #AmarSonarBangla
Time of India
10-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Curzon line softened, song replaced: Story behind Ray's Tagore docu
1 2 Kolkata: A politically loaded sentence about Lord Curzon softened, a Tagore song swapped out for another, a newspaper leak triggering an official letter seeking an explanation, and a denied request for bereavement break—these were just a few of the challenges Satyajit Ray navigated while making his 1961 documentary on Rabindranath Tagore . Commissioned for the poet's birth centenary and produced by the Films Division of India, the film—seamless on screen—was, as the recently digitised archive records reveal, shaped by tight deadlines, careful oversight, and the push and pull of process. Ray, responsible for directing the film, worked in close consultation with an advisory committee. Among the most engaged was Amal Home, chief producer of the Tagore Centenary Programmes. His extensive feedback on Ray's script led to a number of significant changes. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata With the archival file recently digitised and made easily accessible, the story behind the making of the film has come into sharper focus. One of Home's suggestions was Ray's choice of 'Amar Sonar Bangla' as a chorus during the depiction of the movement during 1905 partition of Bengal. The Tagore scholar advised against it, suggesting that the song could "make Tagore out as a provincial patriot" and recommending 'Bidhir bandhan katbey tumi' instead—a song he said was more representative of the mass protests at that time. Another important edit was made to a line describing Curzon's partition policy as "cunningly designed" to create division. A note from the committee recommended substituting the phrase with "likely to induce a rift," deeming the original wording too strong. "At the present time it does not appear desirable to stress that aspect," an information and broadcasting ministry note said. As Ray managed these revisions, he was also dealing with personal grief. In December 1960, during the production, his mother passed away. Ray wrote to the Films Division requesting for some time "on account of bereavement". His request was denied. A few weeks later, he again wrote to the Division, saying he needed "a little rest". That too was turned down. In the midst of these pressures, Ray received a letter from the Central Board of Film Censors asking him to explain how a newspaper article had appeared discussing the film even though it hadn't yet received a censor certificate. Ray replied that the article had been written without his knowledge and was likely based on a private technical screening. "I do not know who he is or why he thought fit to write about the film," he wrote. The film was completed on schedule and released during the Tagore centenary year in 1961. Documents related to the production—including correspondence between Ray and the Films Division, and script suggestions —are preserved in the National Archives of India. Together, they offer a detailed record of the process behind the film. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
News18
08-08-2025
- Politics
- News18
Baishey Shrabon: Remembering Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore
It is the Modi government which accorded Bangla the status of Classical Language on 3 October 2024—an acknowledgement of its profound impact on shaping the Indian mind Today is Baishey Shrabon (22e Shrabon), the death anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore—India's tallest polymath: poet, writer, playwright, composer, social reformer, philosopher, painter, and educator—who continues to inspire Indians across the length and breadth of our country, as well as Indians living abroad. He is Bengal's greatest gift not only to India but to the world at large. His composition Jana Gana Mana, India's National Anthem, immortalises him in countless hearts across generations. Such was Gurudev's appeal that his ode to Bengal, Amar Sonar Bangla (My Golden Bengal), was adopted by Bangladesh as its National Anthem after its liberation from Pakistan. Perhaps his most enduring contribution was to elevate Bangla bhasha to the exalted status it enjoys today—both at home and abroad. It is the second most spoken language in India and an official language of the country; globally, it ranks among the ten most spoken languages. Through both prose and poetry, Tagore gave Bangla a literary richness that resonates universally. The music he composed transcends linguistic and geographical barriers—its appeal is timeless and universal. India's first Nobel Laureate, Tagore was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for a collection of deeply moving, spiritually stirring, and lyrical poems composed in Bangla—many set to music and translated into English by the poet himself—which won critical acclaim. That collection, Gitanjali (Song Offerings), remains unmatched; no other work in Bangla bhasha has been honoured with the Nobel for Literature. 'Mamatabihin kalsrote Banglar rashtra shima hote Nirbashito tumi sundari Sribhumi…" Sylhet should have been part of India, of Bengal; but Muslim League collusion with the British ensured otherwise. Yet Hindu Bengali Sylhetis remained tied to India's national identity, and many have risen to national prominence. In essence, Tagore was a unifier who believed in the grand unity of the Indian people. This spirit is evident in the opening stanza of his five-stanza composition The Morning Song of India, originally in Sanskritised Bangla. The stanza—adopted as the National Anthem—paints a vibrant portrait of India that embraces every region and every community. In later stanzas, he refers to all the people of India, leaving no one out. This ideal is embodied in Visva-Bharati, the institution Tagore founded—a meeting point of the world with India's culture, civilisation, and knowledge. Its motto, Yatra visvam bhavatyekanidam, translates to 'where the world makes a home in a single nest." Today, the nation bows to this great son of Bharat who celebrated Bengal, Bangaliness, and Bangla bhasha—not from a narrow lens of parochialism or regionalism, but as part of a universal humanism deeply rooted in the soil, culture, and civilisation of India. Mamata Banerjee and her cohorts, who are stoking a spurious and divisive controversy over the language and identity of Bengal and Indian Bengalis, will never match Gurudev Tagore's grand vision of Indian unity. In his translation of The Morning Song of India—of which the first stanza forms our soul-stirring, spirit-lifting National Anthem—Tagore writes: 'Thou (the dispenser of Bharat's destiny) bringest the hearts of all peoples into the harmony of one life." For decades, no government recognised Bangla bhasha as one of India's most prominent languages with a defining role in the subcontinent's cultural and linguistic history. The language of Bengalis and Bengal has nurtured poets, authors, and scholars who have shaped not only Bengal's cultural identity but also India's national consciousness. From the earliest translations of Sanskrit epics to the revolutionary writings of the 19th and 20th centuries, Bengali literature has driven social, political, and intellectual movements. It is the Modi government which accorded Bangla the status of Classical Language on 3 October 2024—an acknowledgement of its profound impact on shaping the Indian mind. The fake champions of Bangla bhasha—who aggressively promote Urdu as the official language of West Bengal to pander to the basest anti-Bangla sentiments of a certain group—are undermining the very 'harmony of one life" that Gurudev envisioned. They deserve nothing but contempt. Amit Malviya is the national convener of BJP's Information & Technology and Sah Prabhari of West Bengal. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views. Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: August 08, 2025, 12:52 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
07-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Music, memory and identity converge in emotional ode to Bengal's spirit
Jonaki Mukherjee's rendition of 'Amar Sonar Bangla' was launched at a city event, celebrating Bengal's Baul tradition. Composer Debojyoti Mishra and Baul singer Gautam Das Baul graced the occasion, honoring the region's musical spirit. Mishra aimed to reconnect people with their roots through music, while Jonaki expressed the song's cultural significance and her personal connection to it. In a stirring celebration of music, heritage, and patriotism, the music video of Amar Sonar Bangla —sung by Jonaki Mukherjee—was launched at an evocative event held at a city restaurant recently. The evening was a confluence of nostalgia and reverence, celebrating Bengal's rich Baul tradition while offering a fresh rendition of one of the region's most iconic anthems. Graced by Jonaki Mukherjee, composer Debojyoti Mishra, and Baul singer Gautam Das Baul, the event paid homage to the timeless musical spirit of Bengal. The evening resonated with emotion as it brought to life the cultural and spiritual essence of the region's folk roots. Amar Sonar Bangla , composed by Rabindranath Tagore in 1905 during the Partition of Bengal, holds a unique place in history as the national song of Bangladesh. The tune is inspired by the Baul composition Aami Kothae Pabo Tare , written by folk singer Gagan Harkara. As a tribute, Gautam Das Baul performed this original folk piece, honouring its creator and reconnecting audiences with the song's spiritual ancestry. Jonaki's rendition offered a powerful reimagining of the classic, imbued with emotional depth and a contemporary voice. The arrangement, created by Debojyoti, skillfully blended traditional Baul influences with classical orchestration—bridging past and present to engage a new generation. 'Reimagining Amar Sonar Bangla felt like a spiritual responsibility,' Mishra shared during the launch. 'We wanted to reconnect people with the depth of our roots using the language of music. It is a tribute to the soul of Bengal.' Echoing this sentiment, Jonaki added, 'This song is woven into the cultural identity of our people. Singing it was not just a performance for me—it was a personal journey filled with emotion, reverence, and pride.' The evening concluded with a heartfelt musical performance that left the audience moved, carrying forward messages of unity, peace, and pride.
The Print
20-06-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Don't just blame Yunus for Tagore house destruction. Bangladesh radicalism goes way back
According to Bangladesh media reports, the chaos began with a misunderstanding on 8 June. A dispute over parking fee led to an altercation between an on-duty employee and a visitor at Kachharibari, now the Rabindra Memorial Museum (okay?). 'Custodian of the archaeology department, Habibur Rahman, was accused of assaulting and detaining a visitor named Shahnewaz. As the investigation was ongoing, a human chain was formed on 10 June by locals supporting Shahnewaz, demanding punishment for Habibur Rahman and other responsible staff,' Prothom Alo English reported. On 10 June, a mob vandalised Kachharibari, Tagore's ancestral home and favourite writing spot in Bangladesh's Sirajganj district. As India registers its strong protest, the question to ask is this: Is the current Muhammad Yunus administration the only one to be blamed for the naked rise of radical hatred? Bangladesh is tearing out pages of history to rewrite its origin story. It is pulling down old structures to make way for a radical new world – not metaphorically, but in reality. After toppling statues of its founding figure Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, removing his portraits from all government offices and foreign embassies, and replacing his face on currency notes, Bangladesh is now turning on Rabindranath Tagore. The Nobel laureate, who wrote the country's national anthem 'Amar Sonar Bangla', is being sacrificed as an inconvenient truth in Bangladesh's age of rage. As the protest turned tense, some people entered the site with the intention of attacking employees. Several staff members were injured in the process, the report stated. Bangladesh's cultural affairs ministry issued a statement in this regard, saying that no artefact or structure associated with Rabindranath Tagore was damaged during the incident. The attack had no political or communal motives, the ministry stressed in its statement, adding that security on the site has since been reinforced. Bangladeshi social media influencers, however, put out images depicting extensive damage to a bedroom and library at Kachharibari. Although it is hard to verify the veracity of these viral images, Bangladeshi political journalist Sahidul Hasan Khokon told me that a mob did break into Kachharibari, destroying everything in its path. 'The Yunus administration has become deft at underplaying attacks and skirting responsibility,' Khokon said. When Hindus were attacked in the country after the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government, Khokon added, the interim government first denied them and then said that they were 'not communal but political'. 'This time, the interim government has concocted a story to blame the attack on Tagore's legacy on a parking ticket argument. It would have been comical if the event wasn't so tragic.' India responded firmly: 'We strongly condemn the vandalisation of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral home by a mob in Bangladesh on June 8th 2025. The violent act is a disgrace to his inclusive philosophy,' MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking his intervention for 'a strong international protest', which she said, 'would at least deter in future any attack on monuments of cultural legacies'. Bangladesh's hate tale, though, has its genesis in Sheikh Hasina's Hefazat story. Also read: Yunus is struggling to remain relevant in Bangladesh Hasina's radical deal Muhammad Yunus has been complicit in giving a free rein to the radical elements within Bangladesh since Sheikh Hasina's exit. And this complicity is not limited to the rising influence of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh. As journalist Snigdhendu Bhattacharya wrote in his article for The Diplomat: 'Among other incidents that a section of Bangladesh's civil society members consider warning signs are the public rallies and poster campaign by the banned terror group, Hizb ut Tahir and the release of Mufti Jashimuddin Rahmani, chief of the Ansarullah Bangla Team, an Al-Qaeda-inspired militant outfit renamed as Ansar al Islam.' But it was Sheikh Hasina's nod to the Hefazat-e-Islam – a Deobandi Islamist advocacy group consisting mostly of religious teachers and students in Bangladesh – that led to the spread of radicalism across Bangladesh. According to Robayet Ahmed, a former Bangladeshi politician and NGO worker, Hefazat was formed with the assistance of Sheikh Hasina's arch-rival and the first female Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Khaleda Zia, who is currently the chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Hefazat had risen as a counter to Ganajagaran Mancha, a big-tent coalition of students and activists that demanded the death penalty for war criminals of 1971 and a progressive, secular Bangladesh. While Ganajagaran Mancha activists fought for a secular Bangladesh, Hefazat countered them with hard Islam, often accusing Mancha activists of spreading atheism in Bangladeshi society. 'Initially, Sheikh Hasina took a tough stance against Hefazat-e-Islam but later established amicable relations in exchange for financial and other incentives, following the advice of her then-military secretary, who even publicly participated in Hefazat's gatherings. At their recommendation, the curriculum was increasingly Islamised, and numerous madrasas were established, allowing Hefazat to grow under government patronage,' Ahmed wrote. Rezwana Karim Snigdha, associate professor at the Department of Anthropology in Jahangirnagar University in Bangladesh, told me over a phone call that Hasina betrayed her mandate for a secular, progressive Bangladesh by cutting a deal with Hefazat. 'She negotiated with the radical Hefazat, and pushed the country back into the hands of the very fundamentalists she had vowed to fight against.' According to Snigdha, Hefazat – consisting mainly of Sunni clerics heading a network of 19,199 Quami madrasas and their students – tore apart bit by bit not just the secular fabric of Bangladesh but also independent voices like hers. 'Before 2008, there were not so many madrasas in Dhaka. It was a modern, cosmopolitan city. Now, every lane has a madrasa, and all credit goes to Hasina.' Snigdha, a well-known gender rights activist in Bangladesh, is not surprised at what is happening in her country today. 'Independent voices like mine are being stifled, what women should and should not wear in public is being determined, and attacks on secular and historical institutions are becoming commonplace.' The Yunus administration could have, perhaps, stopped the fire of hate from engulfing Tagore's house. But it was lit long before the chief adviser assumed office. Deep Halder is an author and a contributing editor at ThePrint. He tweets @deepscribble. Views are personal. (Edited by Zoya Bhatti)
Indian Express
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Rabindranath Tagore will always be relevant to Bangladesh
The recent vandalism at Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral Kuthi Bari at Sirajganj in Bangladesh has raised justified criticism in both India and Bangladesh. The present interim government, headed by Muhammad Yunus, has condemned it, and two persons have been taken into custody. The government has also clarified that such incidents are unwarranted and undesirable. It also stated that Tagore remains a continuing source of inspiration, and such stray incidents do not, in any way, diminish his towering presence in the historical evolution of Bangladesh. In erstwhile East Pakistan, there was a concerted effort to denigrate Tagore. The state-approved radio was not allowed to play his songs. But his works had a significant influence on the 1952 Language Movement, which eventually led to the emergence of Bangladesh. Linguistic nationalism triumphed over communalism and challenged the very basis of the two-nation theory. For Maulana Bhashani, who played a historic role in challenging the government's diktat and helped in creating a firmer basis of Bengali nationalism, Tagore's works were an integral component of Bengali culture and heritage. One of the canards that was perpetrated by a small section of Islamists was that Tagore opposed the establishment of Dacca (now Dhaka) University, for which there is no historical evidence. The Dacca Nawab family also denied any truth in this. In fact, when Tagore visited the University in 1926, he was carried by students from the railway station to the place where he stayed. Similarly, there is a small section among Bangladeshi elites who wish to replace Amar Sonar Bangla, Bangladesh's national anthem. Qazi Abdul Mannan, a well-known Bangladeshi Tagore scholar, commented on Tagore's respect for medieval Sufi saints. Mannan observed that Tagore placed his faith in those who transcended narrow religious boundaries and hoped that humanists from both communities would be able to cement the gulf. For Tagore, the solution needed to be social rather than merely political. Tagore showed that even during the medieval period, many holy figures — many of them Muslims — attempted to bridge the divide. Tagore acknowledged Kazi Nazrul Islam's literary qualities and encouraged young Muslims in their literary pursuits. The song Amar Sonar Bangla reflected a hope of ushering in a new age. Tagore's best and most productive period was spent at Kuthi Bari in Shilaidaha on the banks of the Padma in the 1890s. His finest literary writings of this period include one of his most popular poems, Nirjharer Swapna Bhanga, which seemed to contain the rudimentary philosophy of Visva-Bharati. Here, he penned another classic: Dui Bigha Jomi. On January 10, 1972, when Sheikh Mujibur Rahman landed at Delhi airport, his speech included a quote from Tagore: 'Rikta āmi Nishma āmi dēbār kichu nē'I, āchē śudhu bhālōbāsa tā'i diẏē jai' (I am empty, I am free, I have nothing to give, only love, so I give). Hundreds of young Bangladeshis still visit Shilaidaha daily. Mannan noted that Tagore looked to the Hindu-Muslim riots as a sign of degradation of the contemporary Indian situation and made efforts to find an amicable solution. For instance, to elicit the opinion of intellectuals on the Hindu-Muslim conflict, Tagore initiated the Nizam Lectures in 1936, and Qazi Abdul Wadood delivered three lectures on this subject. The Tagore family led an autonomous and somewhat isolated existence among the Hindu Bengali elites of the late-nineteenth century. The family was considered 'Pirali' Brahmins – the word comes from the belief that Pir and Ali dined with the ancestors of the Tagores and converted them – who were ostracised socially by their orthodox counterparts. Nawab Wajid Ali Shah had considerable influence on the family. According to Bangladeshi author Ghulam Murshid: 'Bengal has not had a second genius as great and as many-sided as Tagore. But Tagore did not reach such heights by genius alone. The family and environment that he was born into stoked his genius and encouraged it to grow. This is true not just of his literary creativity but also of all other aspects of his genius.' Among the many stalwarts of modern Bengali literature, including Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, Tagore is the most secular, modern, cosmopolitan, and Gladstonian liberal. He not only championed Bengali language and culture, but also minced no words to criticise them when needed. In one of his poems titled Bangamata, he held Bengal's affectionate, motherly culture responsible for its lack of interest in exploring the world beyond the confines of their comfort zone. His words transcend any religion or localism. He was — and will remain — relevant to Bangladesh, India and the world. The writer taught Political Science at Delhi University
