Rabindra Sangeet: The Music for The Soul

The Music for The Soul

Rabindra Sangeet (or Tagore songs) is essential listening for anyone interested in understanding poignant, heart-warming musical poetry that transcends physicality and embraces the themes of spiritually inherent Bengali folk music. Sublime melodies rich in expressions of romanticism, pure Indian classical Baul singing genre, among other cultural forms of art.

The classical and romantic oeuvre of Tagore songs is a gift that keeps giving. Having a quiet corner in my life, during my growing-up years, when I discovered its timeless lyrical quality and the essence of its magical brilliance that still touches my soul, my life changed in ways that seemed less chaotic and more controlled. That's when a brand new cassette of mellifluous Rabindra Sangeet came my way, and I became a lifelong fan of Tagore's poetry ever since.

Listening to Gurudev's songs has become a kind of personal religion. Released back in the day in 1993, Akash Bhara Surjo Tara, an album containing some of the most mesmerizing Tagore songs recorded, all of them sung solo by Prasun Mukherjee, has always been my favourite collection.

"Aakash bhora surjo taara, bishwobhara praan,
Taahari maajhkhaane aami payechhi mor sthaan"

and another inspiring gem:

“Boro aasha kore esechhi go kaachhe deke lawo,
Phirayo na janoni”

(Renowned singing legends, a constellation of singers has sung Rabindra Sangeet melodiously and beautifully, including Hemanta Mukherjee, Suchitra Mitra, Kanika Bandyopadhyay, Srikanto Acharya, Indranil Sen, Srabani Sen, Indrani Sen, and even one of the great exponents of Hindi film songs Kishore Kumar.)

The great bard Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore's poetic language explores themes of love, romance, nostalgia, devotion to nature in all her myriad forms, reflection, yearning, scenic beauty, and being human. His songs have an enchanting attribute that heals wounds and brings solace to the heart: a seamless flow of emotions and feelings that's hard to be away from its beauty that sinks deep within the soul. Close your eyes and listen to the flow of beautiful poetry that offers nothing but a blissful experience.

“Prem esechhilo nihshabdocharone.
Taai swapno mone holo taare –
Dei ni taahare aason”

Bhalobashi bhalobashi, Pagla hawa badol dine, Amar hiyar majhe, Sokhi bhabana kahare bole, Ei korechho bhalo, and many other songs are among the most versatile. The inherent romanticism of the songs, sung by contemporary Bengali exponents with soulful renditions of ragas and melodies, heals like no other to a Bengali man like me.

A perfectly carved rhythm of music is this one:

“Jodi prem dile na praane
Keno bhorer aakash bhore dile emon gaane gaane?”

And,

“Je raate mor duwarguli bhaanglo jhare
Jaani naai to tumi ele aamar ghare”

Rabindra sangeet fits any mood. Because they are so serenely lovely, Tagore songs and poetry capture the true essence of life, making it better, not bitter, more enjoyable, and more rewarding to listen to or read. Worth living for every moment blessed with the sublime beauty of poetry, musicality, and hymnic sound, over 2,000 Tagore songs exist. It isn’t the first time I’ve considered spending the rest of my life indoors (early retirement then? Why not?) listening to the music I enjoy (and reading books the great Bard wrote).

“Ebaar tor mora gaange baan esechhe,
joy maa bole bhaasa tori”

and another that takes my heart away:

“Sei bhaalo sei bhaalo, aamare na hoy na jaano
Dure giye noi dukkho debe, kaachhe keno laaje laajano”

and,

“Charano dhorite diyo go aamare, niyo na, niyo saraye
Jibon maron sukh dukh diye, bokkhe dhoribo jaraye”

Rabindra Sangeet is a treasure divine that this owner of a lonely beating heart, which once fell in love with the strangeness of its essence and secret yearning set to music, had learned to relinquish control to it. It draws you in at first listen. Include also some unmissable must-hear vintage Hindi, Telugu, and Bengali film songs from before the turn of the twenty-first century.

And I believe that this in and of itself is proof of true salvation.

By Arindam Moulick