Today is the 80th death anniversary of the great poet Rabindranath Tagore. Widely known for composing India’s national anthem, Tagore was a poet, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reform and painter. He is known for transforming the Bengali literature and music in the late 19th and early 20th century. Another great that West Bengal produced was Satyajit Ray.
Ray, who was born when Tagore was 60 years old, developed huge respect for the great poet. However, not many people know that Tagore once wrote a poem for Ray when he was just six.
Ray’s mother had taken him to meet Tagore, and the six-year-old had even brought a notebook with him to get the legend’s autograph. However, when little Ray handed over the notebook to Tagore, the latter did not return the book until the next day.
When both of them met again the next day on Uttarayan, Ray finally got the notebook back, and to his surprise, he didn’t get just an autograph from Tagore but a beautiful poem, too.
The poem written in Bengali translates in English as:
“For many a year, I have travelled many a mile to lands far away
I’ve gone to see the mountains, the oceans I’ve been to view.
But I failed to see that lay
Not two steps from my home.
On a sheaf of paddy grain – a glistening drop of dew.”
Ray was also a student at the Tagore-founded Visva Bharati University in Shantiniketan. He was there until the death of Tagore.
Ray later went on to become one of the most respected filmmakers in the world. In his cinematic career spanning almost four decades, Ray made many memorable films and documentaries. He was even honoured with an Academy Honorary Award in 1992, the year he died. His notable works include The Apu trilogy, The Music Room, The Big City and Charulata.
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