I breathe Rabi Thakur

Rabi Thakur...a name that rings a thousand bells in my heart. But it was a surprise to me that I could actually perceive him so intensely in such a unconventional manner. I was glued to the television watching a serial...Gaaner O Paare and suddenly I felt his presence. No, not through some very authentic rendition or emotion...it was just a fresh bubbly voice singing an absolutely freaky song in a very familiar Rabindra Sangeet tune. It was "Shey din Dujone Dulechhinu Bon e"...but the lyrics were just crazy!! But it did not sound like a distortion! Rather I enjoyed it...mm... Better to say I completely loved it. A boy (the character) singing the song with apt lyrics that matches the situation he is in. "Shey din dujone boshe bus station e shesh mesh jawa holo na..."(just try and sing d first line if you know the actual song..you'll get the heck of it!)How I wish I could write down the entire lyric..but memory seems to betray! The spirit is however alive in me.

There might be a thousand debates and umpteen numbers of criticism, but at the end of the day what matters is how have we adapted Rabi Thakur to our lives! No contradiction is required. I do not know how would Rabindranath Thakur have reacted to the debate, but somewhere I feel he would have taken it in the right spirit!A man who could write- "she din batashe chhilo tumi jano amaro monero prolaapo jorano" was a tad bit mad and a tad bit intense!Just like that bubbly character of Gaaner O paare. When the connecting factor is the heart, then I am sure we have the right to say that Rabi Thakur is the pulse rate who vibrates in every uphill and downhill of our lives. If I can read a poetry and interpret it in the way my life demands why can’t I feel a song and imply it in my way? “Copyright”, “Authenticity” are way too technical and dull phrases when it comes to Rabindranath. The name Rabindranath has crossed the glass frame and the hard covering of Geetobitan and has entered the drawing rooms, the discotheques, the guitar-strumming rock culture, the punk’s bohemian spirit, the changing time! Yes! By all means Rabindrasangeet is no longer just words and lyrics, tune and rhythm, it’s much beyond that! And that is what I think is unique about his creation. The originals are the root and sure must be handled with love and care, but definitely not fear! Rabi Thakur created a world of reality, love, madness and frenzy..and what not! He had summed up a lifetime and more in his creations. I am confident he never wanted his successors to be afraid of his institution. He had written “tumi kamon kore gaan koro hey guni..ami obak hoye shuni”. Yes, he loved to be surprised, he appreciated innovation. And behind the bearded face there would have been a smile of relish, if he had watched the serial Gaaner O Paare! And I take the liberty to vouchsafe the fact (am I sounding boastful? Can’t help I have always felt possessive about him!)

“Folks, it is time to shed your inhibitions!”----No! No! No! I’m never going to say that. Let the inhibitions breathe easy. Let them live happily ever after because they are the source that’ll help rebels to grow and in a process help Rabi Thakur to remain young and vibrant forever!! Rabindranath is not just Gurudeb…he is the confidante with whom we can laugh, cry sing and fall in love with an ageless aura!