Tagore songs usher in spring in Thakurgaon

Winter has loosened its grip, and in Thakurgaon, spring was welcomed not quietly but in chorus.

On Monday, Thakurgaon Eco Pathshala and College hosted a Spring Festival to mark the advent of Boshonto — a season traditionally celebrated across Bengal through music, poetry and performance. Students and teachers gathered on campus to formally welcome the change in season.

The programme opened with a choral rendition of Rabindranath Tagore’s “Aha Aji E Boshonte Eto Phool Phote”, invoking the abundance associated with spring. The selection anchored the event in a literary tradition that continues to shape seasonal observances in Bangladesh.

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Protibha Roy Dola followed with “Fagun Haway Haway Korechi Je Daan” from Tagore’s “Prakriti Porbo”, his cycle of nature-themed songs. Shrabonti Roy then performed “Batase Bohiche Prem, Noyone Lagilo Nesha, Kara Je Dakilo Pichhe, Boshonto Eshe Gechhe,” sustaining the celebratory tone.

Mehedi Hasan’s rendition of “Polash Phutechhe, Shimul Phutechhe” referenced the crimson blooms of palash and shimul — familiar markers of spring across the countryside.

Dance performances followed. Students Sidratun Muntaha Khan and Sabirin Khan Silmi presented choreographed routines set to seasonal melodies, translating themes of renewal into movement. Rakib Hasan Chayon later recited a poem, adding a literary note to the programme.

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The event concluded with “Rangiye Diye Jao Jao Go Ebar Jabar Age,” as performers moved in unison, symbolically invoking the colours of the season.

Speaking to The Daily Star, principal Selima Akhter said the festival formed part of a broader cultural initiative at the institution. “Spring is not the only occasion,” she said. “Through various season-based programmes organised throughout the year, our initiative seeks to pass on the rich traditions and cultural heritage of the Bengali people to the younger generation and inspire them to practise and uphold those values.”