Bridging gaps with Tagore

“O death you are like Shyam (Krishna) to me…you are the giver of immortality, lead us from death to immortality.”

Tagore has lived on through the renditions of musicians and reciters through the ages, marking death as the continuation of the legacy he had left behind. This would not be without the efforts of those who revere him, as they bear the responsibility of teaching and passing on the heritage of the bard's works. For Tagore exponent Lily Islam, learning Tagore also opens up a wealth of opportunities for young artistes to establish a footing in the competitive industry.

This brought about Uttarayan, a musical organisation founded by Lily Islam, where students gather to learn music, and display their talents through events and other performances. “For many reasons, it is hard for new artistes to carve a place for themselves within the realm of well known performers, which is why I have founded this platform. Most of the people involved are my students, and apart from a couple of artistes, the rest are yet to emerge and are virtually unknown,” explained Lily Islam. “I try and create opportunities through television and other programmes, so that they can prove to viewers and judges that they are good performers,” she added.

As an ode to the eminent bard, the artiste hosts an annual event at Uttarayan, portraying the endless facets of Tagore's compositions. “Every year, I play upon a particular theme that is recurrent throughout his works,” described the artiste. “By organising the event based on a particular mood found in Tagore's compositions, I ensure that people keep coming back to a different show each year. Within these events I organise solo performances for the better performers, and try to bring them recognition. As a result of this endeavour, they have been invited to perform in prestigious platforms such as Shilpakala, and many others.”

These events, however, do much more than celebrate Tagore; Lily Islam establishes a close liaison with Tagore exponents from Bangladesh and West Bengal, India, by inviting artistes from Kolkata. “During the rehearsal, artistes from both countries have a chance to mingle and get to know each other, and forge beneficial relationships,” explained the artiste. This practice is in keeping with Tagore's philosophy, as unity and communal love are both strongly stressed upon throughout his works.

The importance of the exchange of human experiences is one of the many lessons the Lily Islam has learned from her years in Santiniketan. “During the Barsha Utshob, we would spend the whole monsoon season in celebration and special reverence, starting with Brikkhorupon(tree- planting ceremonies) on 22nd of Srabon, followed by Holokorsshon (cultivation) the next day. Every single department from schools to universities got involved. During the Holokorsshon Festivals, the neighbouring Shantal tribes also come together and participate with us. And this is where I have learned to find joy in learning from one another.”