The song Ki gabo ami, ki shunabo was sung by Rabindranath Tagore on the occasion of the 56th Maghotsav or Magh festival. One evening in spring, the sound of music could be heard from the house, drawing people from all around to witness the talent of the young Rabindranath. He was singing one of his own compositions. His father, Maharshi Debendranath Tagore, was mesmerised by his son’s voice and called him ‘The Nightingale of Bengal.’ As Rabindranath started singing at meetings and gatherings, his fame grew rapidly. At every symposium he attended, the audience would request him to sing his own compositions, those which unfurled the collective mystery of creation, illuminating the desire of love. Rabindranath’s beloved nephew, Abanindranath Tagore, described him as “a thousand singing birds in a single man’s voice”. His compositions were unique and had a soulful touch that resonated with his listeners. Rabindranath said, “I wonder as I listen to these songs, these tunes are not borrowed from anywhere, I do not know where the songs emerge from. It is as if they settled on their own in my voice, and I have sung them.” His timeless compositions touched the hearts of people from all walks of life. Tagore opens “Ki gabo ami, ki shunabo” with a sense of wonder and humility. The portrayal of the moon and stars moving in the infinite universe underlines the omnipresence and grandeur of a divine force. This song is a sublime celebration of the divine. Its profound spirituality, enchanting imagery and lyrical finesse converge to form a mesmerising composition.
Bengali Song Lyrics of the Rabindrasangeet: Ki gabo ami, ki shunabo
কী গাব আমি, কী শুনাব, আজি আনন্দধামে।
পুরবাসী জনে এনেছি ডেকে তোমার অমৃতনামে॥
কেমনে বর্ণিব তোমার রচনা, কেমনে রটিব তোমার করুণা,
কেমনে গলাব হৃদয় প্রাণ তোমার মধুর প্রেমে॥
তব নাম লয়ে চন্দ্র তারা অসীম শূন্যে ধাইছে–
রবি হতে গ্রহে ঝরিছে প্রেম, গ্রহ হতে গ্রহে ছাইছে।
অসীম আকাশ নীলশতদল তোমার কিরণে সদা ঢলঢল,
তোমার অমৃতসাগর-মাঝারে ভাসিছে অবিরামে॥
English translation (Lyrics) of the Rabindrasangeet: Ki gabo ami, ki shunabo
I wonder what I should sing or say today in this abode of happiness
I have asked everyone to assemble here in your hallowed name.
How can I depict your creation, how will I preach about your benediction?
How can I melt the heart and soul with your tender love?
It is in your name that the moon and the stars move through this infinite universe
Love is cascading from the sun to the planets, and spreads among them.
The vast expanse of the sky, the blue lotus, resonates with your radiance.
Eternally floating amid your ocean of nectar.
Some useful information on the Rabindrasangeet: Ki gabo ami, ki shunabo
Written in: March-April 1885
Age of the poet: 24
Published in: 1914, Dharmasangeet
Parjaay (Category): Puja (Worship)
Upa-parjaay (Sub-category): Utsav (Festival)
Taal: Ektaal
Raga: Mixed-Kanada Sahana
Notation: Dharmasangeet
Swarabitan: Vol. 4
Notation by: Kangalicharan Sen
Purpose of the presentation
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Tagore’s music resonates with people from all walks of life. His songs are performed at cultural events, religious ceremonies and social gatherings, reflecting their enduring popularity. In an effort to bring home this treasure trove to the non-Bengali population and Bengalis around the globe, Brainware University offers a selection of Rabindrasangeet in this presentation. It is enriched with details on the songs and relevant anecdotes. You can find the collection of Rabindrasangeet at Phalguni Mookhopadhayay’s youtube channel – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdFihksKVBQvnl0s30JDo1Q
Rabindrasangeet Sung By
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Sri Phalguni Mookhopadhayay
Chancellor, Brainware University
Phalguni Mookhopadhayay is the founder-Chancellor of Brainware University, founder-Chairman and Managing-Director of Brainware Consultancy Private Limited and founder-Chairman of Webguru Infosystems Private Limited. He did his schooling at Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Narendrapur, and graduated with honours in Economics from St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata. He completed his masters in Economics from Calcutta University and MBA from IISWBM, before joining Hindustan Lever as a management trainee. He worked as a market planner for the ABP group for nearly a decade before striking out on his own and successfully launching two private limited companies and one University. Phalguni Mookhopadhayay is a self-taught digital artist, a versatile photographer, a filmmaker and a weekend singer who has already recorded 78 songs and is now immersed in a project to popularise Tagore songs among a global audience.
