The nation will observe the 77th death anniversary of poet Rabindranath Tagore today, also termed as  ‘Baishey Srabon’, with elaborate programmes.

Born on May 7, 1861 at Jorasanko in Kolkata, Tagore was the fountainhead of Bengali literature, culture and wisdom.

Nobody has influenced the minds of so many Bengali-speaking people as he has done. His influence has been compared by many to that of Shakespeare in the English-speaking world. Tagore received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913.

For Bangladesh, Tagore holds special significance. His poems and songs inspired the nation during its most difficult years. One of his songs, “Amar Sonar Bangla” (My Golden Bengal), was chosen as Bangladesh’s national anthem.

Different cultural organisations are all set to observe the day with various programmes.

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy will hold a cultural programme, followed by a discussion at 6:30pm at the academy’s National Music and Dance auditorium. Presided over by BSA director general Liaquat Ali Lucky, Dhaka University professor Akhter Kamal will attend as the main discussant.

In the cultural segment, artistes of the BSA will present a group dance with the song ‘Aguner Porosh Moni’. Then, dance artistes, led by Sharmila Bandyopadhyay and Warda Rihab, will perform group dance at the event.

Eminent singer Sushmita Ahmed Borna, Fahim Hossain Chowdhury, Iffat Ara Dewan, Bulbul Islam, Kamalika Chakraborty and Semonti Monjuri will take part in solo rendition. Besides, Syed Hasan Imam will recite Tagore’s poems at the event.

On the other hand, Bangla Academy will hold a solo lecture and a cultural function at Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad auditorium on the academy premises at 4pm today.

Also, cultural organisation Chhayanaut will organise an array of programmes featuring dance, songs and discussion at its Auditorium at 7pm.