To many Indians, particularly Bengalis (and also to Bangladeshis) the name Rabindranath Tagore evokes a deep and passionate feeling of reverence and love.  Tagore, the first Asian to win the Nobel Prize in literature in 1913 was born 150 years ago in Calcutta, a then breeding ground for Indian renaissance and nationalism in British-ruled India. Tagore was a multi–faceted genius who traveled at ease in every sphere of arts and literature.  He was also a prominent statesman, a philosopher, a spiritual leader and a visionary to pioneer development of instruments to empower rural poor.  He also founded Viswabharati University to spread his ideal of transcendental universalism.  A few famous alumnus of this university include Indira Gandhi, Satyajit Ray and Amartya Sen.  

On May 9, 2010 Swaralipi, a music academy based in Wayland, MA organized a parade in the Harvard Square area of Cambridge to celebrate the occasion of Tagore's birth.   The day started with howling wind and heavy downpour.  Yet more than fifty people took advantage of a break in the weather at 4 in the afternoon to parade with large posters of Tagore and colorful balloons.  Even with the dark cloud above the atmosphere was very festive.  Women were  dressed in colorful sarees, and men in traditional Indian dresses.  Also in attendance were an elderly lady in a wheel chair and a few toddlers in strollers.  Then there was music.  Marchers belted out songs written and composed by Tagore, accompanied by harmonium (an Indian reed instrument), Indian drum, violin and cymbals.   People stopped by to inquire about the procession and Tagore, and took plenty of pictures.  The parade ended at 5 when rain came down again in a heavy downpour.  But, by that time marchers were dizzy with emotion and his poetry-
 
“On every 'Ponchiseh Boisakh'*
Forever young at heart will call out for you-
To rise like the Sun
Through the veil of darkness.”


*Ponchiseh Boisakh (25th in the month of Boisakh, Tagore's birthday)

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