Kolkata celebrates Rabindra Jayanti with traditional fervour

Students sung 'Baitalik' (prayer songs) and scores of people visited 'Gurudev' Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral home to pay rich tributes on his 155th birth anniversary today.
A special prayer was also held at Udayan, the house where Tagore had celebrated his last birthday in 1941.
At Visva Bharati university in Santiniketan, set up by the bard, the day began early with students singing the 'Baitalik' (prayer songs).
According to the English calendar, Tagore was born on May 7 but Bengalis celebrate the occasion according to the Bengali calendar - 25th day of 'Baisakh' month which is today.
At Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata and at other places all over the city, Gurudev's birthday was celebrated with songs, poems and recitals from his repertoire.

In Kolkata, hundreds paid a visit to Tagore's ancestral home Jorasanko Thakurbari where cultural programmes were held to mark the occasion.

The West Bengal government also organised a programme in Rabindra Sadan to pay obeisance to the Nobel laureate.
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who was here to launch a jewellery showroom, recalled that he had sung the national anthem 'Jana Gana Mana' written by Tagore in 'Thakurbari'.
"I pay my tribute to him on this day and seek his blessings," the 73-year-old actor, who was accompanied by actress-wife Jaya Bachchan said.