Lucknow: The 164th birth anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, Asia’s first Nobel Laureate and the creator of Rabindra Sangeet that unites hearts across the globe, was celebrated with patriotic fervor and poetic tribute at Ravindra Upvan in Hazratganj. The event was organized by the Lucknow Bengali Citizens’ Society, led by coordinator P.K. Dutta.
The celebrations commenced with the chanting of Vande Mataram and floral tributes at Tagore’s grand statue. Chief Guest Rohit Agrawal paid homage to the martyrs of Pahalgam with a two-minute silence, joined by all attendees in a tearful remembrance.
To mark the occasion, members of the Bengali community including Krishnanand Rai, Mukeshanand, and others planted saplings to honour Tagore’s deep-rooted connection with nature and literature.
The soulful tribute continued with a session of patriotic poetry, offered as a vocal homage to Tagore and the nation. Prominent poets including Ratna Bapuli, Madhavi Mishra, Vijay Maurya, Nisha Singh Naval, Alka Asthana, Jyoti Kiran Ratan, Ramraj Bharti, R.S. Nigam, Krishnanand Rai, Mukeshanand, Govar Ganesh, Sharad Pandey, Sanjay Malhotra Humnava, Mahesh Chandra Gupta, Manmohan Barakoti, and Kuldeep Shukla recited poems that celebrated national pride and the enduring legacy of Gurudev Tagore.
The occasion also saw the release of a poetry collection, Saras Kavya Guldaasta, authored by senior community member R.S. Nigam, and the unveiling of the society’s quarterly publication Amra Bangali.
The event concluded with the lighting of ceremonial lamps before Tagore’s statue, followed by the singing of the National Anthem, symbolizing unity and respect for the poet-philosopher.
Key contributors to the success of the event included Mahant Devya Giri, Sudhir Halwasiya, and Rohit Agrawal, along with a strong lineup of dignitaries and members such as N.C. Agrawal, S.C. Singhal, Pal Praveen, K.J. Tandon, Rajan Dutta, S.N. Pal, D.K. Pal, Nihar Dey, Kunwar Martand Ashok Dey, Nitin Dey, Ambesh Prakash Mishra, A.K. Saxena, Jyotsna Singh, Malavika Dutta, Archana Kashyap, Jyoti Gupta, Harsh Kumar Rai, A.P. Singh, Aahid Akhtar, Mehtab Alam, Sajjan Tiwari, Amit Bose, and Deepak Haldar, who ensured the event’s success with their active participation.
In a poignant note, society coordinator P.K. Dutta expressed regret over the lack of basic facilities at the venue. “If not for our efforts to illuminate the space, Gurudev’s statue would have remained in darkness on his own birthday, just like on the other 363 days of the year,” he lamented. Despite several appeals, there has been no response from the Municipal Corporation or Development Authority regarding lighting arrangements, he added.
The event was a heartfelt blend of literary tribute, patriotic sentiment, and civic responsibility—true to the ideals of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore.
