Siliguri, May 9 -- The 165th birth anniversary celebrations of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore unfolded in West Bengal on Friday against the backdrop of an unprecedented political transition, turning what has traditionally been a cultural celebration into a reflection of the state's changing political narrative.
For years, particularly after the Trinamool Congress came to power in 2011 under Mamata Banerjee, Rabindranath Tagore's songs and symbolism became deeply embedded in the state's public cultural landscape. From neighbourhood celebrations to government-sponsored programmes, Rabindra Sangeet echoed across Bengal every 25th Baishakh (the date as per Bengali calendar marking the wordsmith's birthday).
But this year, the atmosphere a...