Conceptualising Tagore's views on death

After winning the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1950, British philosopher and mathematician Bertrand Russell in a letter to PC Mahalanobis expressed his inability to understand Bengali language as without it he could not read Rabindranath Tagore in original.

An avid follower of the Upanishads which he learnt from his father Debendranath Tagore, Rabindranath was successful in diverting his pain to happiness. He lost son Shamindranath who died at an early age and daughter Madhurilata. His wife Mrinalini died when Tagore was 41 years old.

Tagore was interested in death and life after death but he always felt that sorrow due to personal losses was the biggest teacher. It trains up the mind and takes it to a higher plain.

Noted elocutionist Ratna Mitra has conceptualised Tagore's views on death and a CD titled 'Pari' consisting songs and narration by Mitra will come out shortly by Bhabna Records and Cassettes.

There are nine songs which include Pother sesh kothae, Keno re ei duartuku, Ache dukkho ache mrityu, Pothe chole jete jete, Chahiya dekho rosher shrote, sesh nahi je,dukkher timire Jodi jwale, je rate mor duarguli and chirosokha he.

Anindya Narayan Biswas and Rajashree Bhattacharya have sung the songs. Biswas an IAS officer is a noted Rabindra Sangeet exponent. His baritone voice takes the tagore songs to a different level.

Bhattacharya is one of the most popular woman Rabindra Sangeet singers in Bengal.

The CD is collectors' prized possession.