{"id":1173,"date":"2024-06-07T06:29:35","date_gmt":"2024-06-07T06:29:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brainwareuniversity.ac.in\/celebrating-tagore\/?p=1173"},"modified":"2024-06-07T07:24:03","modified_gmt":"2024-06-07T07:24:03","slug":"rabindranath-tagore-aguner-poroshmoni-rabindra-sangeet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brainwareuniversity.ac.in\/celebrating-tagore\/rabindranath-tagore-aguner-poroshmoni-rabindra-sangeet\/","title":{"rendered":"Rabindranath Tagore\u2019s \u201cAguner Poroshmoni\u201d \u2013 An Appreciation"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cAguner Poroshmoni\u201d, published in a monthly Bengali literary magazine <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Probasi<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, is the Rabindra Sangeet\u00a0 written in Surul by Rabindranath Tagore on 28<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">th<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> August 1914, 11 Bhadra 1321 in the Vedic Indian Calendar. This was added to the bard\u2019s collection of verses, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Geetali<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(1915). Aguner Poroshmoni, added as the 43<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">rd <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Swarabitan<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> falls under the category, \u2018Puja Parjaay\u2019 (worship) and sub-category \u2018Dukkha Upa-parjaay\u2019 (sorrow).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Celebrating Tagore | Aguner Paroshmoni | \u0986\u0997\u09c1\u09a8\u09c7\u09b0 \u09aa\u09b0\u09b6\u09ae\u09a3\u09bf | Rabindra Sangeet | Phalguni Mookhopadhayay\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hyBHVN0rMsE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aguner Poroshmoni is composed with Dadra taal as its rhythmic structure. \u2018Dadra\u2019 is an Indian classical taal (rhythmic cycle), consisting of six beats in two equal divisions of three. The raga used for Aguner Poroshmoni is called \u2018Gaud (Gour)-Sarang\u2019. A raga is identical to the Western classical modes. Modes in music are scale-like patterns that can begin on any note of the scale, not just the root note. Each mode, like each raga, has a distinct characteristic. Gaud Sarang is an Indian classical music raga that blends elements of Sarang with the now-extinct raga Gaud. Gaud Sarang, a daylight tune, has the effect of night melodies. The musical notation to Aguner Poroshmoni was given by Dinendranath Tagore. Aguner Poroshmoni was first sung on the occasion of Maghotsava, the winter festival in Vedic year 1321, Gregorian November 1914.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u201cAguner Poroshmoni\u201d has a unique meaning and significance. When someone dies, it is very painful as they cease to exist according to the Western sense of a tragedy put forward by Aristotle. Aristotle believed that the soul was in charge of the body&#8217;s life as the cause of movement and other changes. Based on this assumption, he asserted that the soul could not survive death since it provided the body with motility.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, in Indian tradition, the world is the natural cycle of birth, death, and reincarnation. When one dies, the spirit leaves the physical body and goes to the Devaloka, or the realm of Gods according to their deeds before returning to the Bhuloka, or the earth. Therefore, the spirit of worship is found in even mournful situations like death in Indian tradition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aguner Poroshmoni also hints towards self-realisation and transformation. Transformation is a death-like process when someone burns from within their bad habits, breaks away from negative decisions and understands that they are but a part of the whole &#8211; they understand that acting interdependently with surrender and diligence can make them achieve greatness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The poet asks the divine to \u2018enrich\u2019 his \u2018life with fiery touchstone\u2019. This signifies that when one becomes humble enough to surrender, burns from inside and truly recognizes the self beyond compulsions, they become devoted and internally enriched. The poet asks God to \u2018purify his life with the gift of fire\u2019. In Greek mythology, Prometheus was punished by Zeus for bestowing the gift of fire on man\u2014an act that began humanity on its path to enlightenment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fire is one of the five elements of nature, according to Indian Samkhya philosophy. Fire has been used by the ancient sages countless times to perform sacrifices. The bard is asking God to \u2018hold\u2019 his \u2018body aloft\u2019 to burn it as a \u2018lamp\u2019 in \u2018God\u2019s sanctum\u2019 offering it as a sacrifice. He asks for the \u2018flame\u2019 to \u2018radiate\u2019 days and nights \u2018through\u2019 his \u2018songs\u2019 which reverberate enlightenment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to Indian theology, the mind&#8217;s enemies are kama (desire), krodha (rage), lobha (greed), mada (Sense of I), moha (Attachment), and matsarya (partiality), which prevent man from attaining liberation, a cycle of rebirth. Tagore wants to get rid of \u2018mada\u2019 or sense of I, the root of all enemies of the mind. He wants his sense of self which also revolves around his body to dissolve completely with the enlightenment of God.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The second part of the Rabindra Sangeet\u00a0 is replete with multiple meanings. Tagore wishes for the \u2018touch\u2019 of God to create \u2018new stars to glimmer through the night\u2019. The divine touch is also symbolic: people blessed by the touch become enlightened amidst the vast dimension of darkness and ignorance. The power of such a touch is also capable of clearing the eyes of Tagore of all darkness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the Vedas, there are seven Chakras in the human body. The sixth chakra, Ajna is also known as the Spiritual Eye or the Third Eye. When one lives their life through this chakra, they see the world through new &#8216;eyes&#8217;. The new \u2018eyes\u2019 which Tagore, the polymath talks about resemble very well the Ajna chakra. With such new eyes no darkness can stand in front of the poet as his vision will be enlightened.\u00a0 The line, \u201cThere will be light everywhere I look\u201d echoes the line tamaso m\u0101 jyotirgamaya from the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brhadaranyaka Upanishad<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which means \u2018from darkness lead me to light\u2019. All of his suffering because of the divine touch as he prays will be set withering away towards heaven.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Song &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=hyBHVN0rMsE\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=hyBHVN0rMsE<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Celebrating Tagore and Rabindra Sangeet\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is no dearth of research on Rabindranath Tagore, the first non-European to win a Nobel Prize for literature and the author of India\u2019s National Anthem. Not only are there over 2,000 publications to his name, he was, besides being a literary genius who took India to the world, also an artist, composer, singer and humanist.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yet how many people know of this versatile genius beyond the borders of Bengal? In an effort to bring home such a treasure trove to the non-Bengali population and Bengalis around the globe, Brainware University, Kolkata, Bengal\u2019s largest private university, has taken up an initiative to popularize Tagore\u2019s songs through a unique project.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spearheading this initiative is the founder-chancellor of the university, Mr Phalguni Mookhopadayay, who helms this audio-visual venture in anecdotal voiceovers and rich renditions of each intricate Rabindra Sangeet .\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tagore once said: \u201cThe world speaks to me in colours, my soul answers in music.\u201d His lyrical compositions, that he set to tune himself, bear out his belief that \u201cmusic fills the infinite between two souls.\u201d Tagore\u2019s lyricism rises above mere prose and adds a new dimension, a depth of emotion that makes them relevant even today. The entire collection of Rabindra Sangeet was combined in Gitabitan \u2013 a music book comprising all 2,232 songs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brainware University aptly chose to launch the initiative on May 9 this year, Tagore\u2019s 162 nd birth anniversary, with a solemn and profound programme in its auditorium. Subsequently, the launch on social media has been hailed in various degrees of applause and appreciation, the first episode notching up nearly 20,000 views, and counting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mookhopadhayay, each of whose renditions is eliciting effusive praise, is absolutely untrained in the nuances of vocal music. He says: \u201cOur goal during the next 100 weeks is to take Tagore\u2019s songs to at least 1,00,000 non-Bengali and Bengali households outside India. With each song you will find its translation in English and some useful information.\u00a0 My request to viewers is to please subscribe to my YouTube channel (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/youtube.com\/@pmbrainware\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/youtube.com\/@pmbrainware<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), like and share the episodes. Do share the link with friends abroad. Help us to promote Tagore\u2019s musical genius to the world.\u201d He is, indeed, carrying this onerous task on his able shoulders, eking out time from a relentlessly hectic schedule as a hands-on chancellor of the university.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The more interesting aspect, not known to many, is that this initiative is totally home-grown, recorded and produced in Brainware University\u2019s own state-of- the-art studios. Just three episodes old, the project is already receiving a very positive feedback from around the globe, with viewers impatiently awaiting the next video. The unceasing accolades across all social media platforms bear testimony to that.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In all his compositions, Tagore\u2019s intent was not to create new ragas but to melodies that did justice to the expressiveness of his poetry. Tagore was also influenced by the genre of Bengali folk music and composed many songs where their impact is evident.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tagore\u2019s compositions also played a major role in India\u2019s freedom movement. While he voiced disillusionment over the degeneration of nationalism, two songs composed by him, Jana Gana Mana and Amar Sonar Bangla, are immortalised as the national anthems of India and Bangladesh.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Legend has it that after listening to a Tagore song, Ustad Allauddin Khan was inspired to compose his favourite Raga Hemant. Tagore\u2019s music has also had a profound impact on Indian cinema. Many of his songs have been adapted for films, and their emotional depth and lyrical beauty have contributed to the popularity of Indian film music.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today, Tagore\u2019s music continues to resonate with people from all walks of life. His songs are performed at cultural events, religious ceremonies, and social gatherings, reflecting their enduring popularity. His music remains a testament to the power of art to unite people, transcend the boundaries of language and culture, and connect us to the divine.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cAguner Poroshmoni\u201d, published in a monthly Bengali literary magazine Probasi,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":1257,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[42,6,39],"tags":[18,15,21,129,123,57,120,126],"class_list":["post-1173","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-literature","category-rabindra-sangeet","category-rabindranath-tagore","tag-rabindranathtagore","tag-tagore","tag-tagoresongs","tag-appreciation","tag-bard","tag-bengali","tag-rabindra-sangeet","tag-thakur"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brainwareuniversity.ac.in\/celebrating-tagore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1173","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brainwareuniversity.ac.in\/celebrating-tagore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brainwareuniversity.ac.in\/celebrating-tagore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brainwareuniversity.ac.in\/celebrating-tagore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brainwareuniversity.ac.in\/celebrating-tagore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1173"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.brainwareuniversity.ac.in\/celebrating-tagore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1173\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1266,"href":"https:\/\/www.brainwareuniversity.ac.in\/celebrating-tagore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1173\/revisions\/1266"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brainwareuniversity.ac.in\/celebrating-tagore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1257"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brainwareuniversity.ac.in\/celebrating-tagore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1173"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brainwareuniversity.ac.in\/celebrating-tagore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1173"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brainwareuniversity.ac.in\/celebrating-tagore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1173"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}