The week leading up to 25th of Boishakh and, the week thereafter has a pattern - every newspaper and magazine worth their newsprint will have at least one article pondering over the relevance of Tagore in the current age. Long time ago, during an evening session on the 'rawk', during one of those innumerable power outages that plagued Calcutta, a senior in the group remarked that if you don't ponder about the relevance of drinking water in the current age, why waste space over Tagore. And although said in that semi-sarcastic and semi-jest tone it does hit home.

A person who is a Bengali encounters Tagore right at the start with his set of primers called Sahaj Path. That age is a bit too early to appreciate the artwork that dominates the primers but it does blend in so well with the text that they become one. And thereafter at various stages - be it at local functions or, private get togethers, there would be a mandatory reading/recitation/singing of his works. Sooner or later it would be obvious that Tagore's works, especially his verses not only span the current emotions but provide various facets and insights for the same emotions in words and forms that are unique and sometimes new. The songs that are merely songs for a young chap soon start taking the depth of meaning as one gets older. For a breadth of work that spans such depth and creativity, the need to even think about 'relevance' is a bit awkward. It is certain that the overpowering presence of Tagore on Bengali literature led to various 'alternative movements'. At each stage of such forks, the need to question his relevance wasn't felt - the need was to explore areas which he had failed to explore - in styles, forms, functions and composition.

The next year will bring another harvest of the relevance meme. Till then ... ;)