Tagore wrote in Jeevansmriti that as a child, he had heard snatches of the song that went ‘who has dressed you as a foreigner?’ It left such a lasting impression on his mind that he composed a song, the first line of which was: Ami chini go chini tomare, ogo bideshini. Tagore said that as he hummed this magical tune, his mind evoked the mysterious appearance of the stranger and he wondered about such a lady moving around in our world, her house on the farthest shore across the mysterious ocean. He thought he saw her on autumn mornings and fragrant nights, his heart sensing her presence. He said: “In this vast universe, I am captivated by her and I sing, Ami chini go chini tomare…” This was also the song he gifted to Victoria Ocampo after they met in Argentina in 1924.
Lyrics:
আমি চিনি গো চিনি তোমারে ওগো বিদেশিনী।
তুমি থাক সিন্ধুপারে ওগো বিদেশিনী॥
তোমায় দেখেছি শারদপ্রাতে, তোমায় দেখেছি মাধবী রাতে,
তোমায় দেখেছি হৃদি-মাঝারে ওগো বিদেশিনী।
আমি আকাশে পাতিয়া কান শুনেছি শুনেছি তোমারি গান,
আমি তোমারে সঁপেছি প্রাণ ওগো বিদেশিনী।
ভুবন ভ্রমিয়া শেষে আমি এসেছি নূতন দেশে,
আমি অতিথি তোমারি দ্বারে ওগো বিদেশিনী॥
English translation (Translated by – Rabindranath Tagore)
I know, I know thee, O thou Bideshini;
thou dwellest on the other shore of the ocean.
I have seen thee in the autumn,
I have felt thee in the spring night.
I have found thee
in the midst of my heart, O thou Bideshini.
Putting my ear to the sky,
I have heard thy music,
and I have offered to thee my life, O thou Bideshini.
I have roamed all through the world
and have come at last into the strange country.
Here I am a guest at thy door, O thou Bideshini.
Some useful information:
Written on: October 11, 1895, at Shilaidaha
Age of the poet: 34
Published in: Poems (Songs), October 1896
Parjaay (Category): Prem (Love)
Upa-parjaay (Sub-category): Prem-Boichitro (Love–Miscellaneous)
Taal (Rhythm): Ektal
Raga: Khambaj Kirtan
Notation: Geetimala; Shatagan; Shefali
Swarabitan: Vol. 50 (Shefali)
Notation by: Dinendranath Tagore
Purpose of the presentation:
Tagore’s music resonates with people from all walks of life. His songs are performed at cultural events, religious ceremonies and social gatherings, reflecting their enduring popularity. In an effort to bring home this treasure trove to the non-Bengali population and Bengalis around the globe, Brainware University offers a selection of Rabindrasangeet in this presentation. It is enriched with details on the songs and relevant anecdotes.
Sung By
Sri Phalguni Mookhopadhayay Chancellor, Brainware University Phalguni Mookhopadhayay is the founder-Chancellor of Brainware University, founder-Chairman and Managing-Director of Brainware Consultancy Private Limited and founder-Chairman of Webguru Infosystems Private Limited. He did his schooling at Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Narendrapur, and graduated with honours in Economics from St Xavier’s College, Kolkata. He completed his masters in Economics from Calcutta University and MBA from IISWBM, before joining Hindustan Lever as a management trainee. He worked as a market planner for the ABP group for nearly a decade before striking out on his own and successfully launching two private limited companies and one University. Phalguni Mookhopadhayay is a self-taught digital artist, a versatile photographer, a filmmaker and a weekend singer who has already recorded 78 songs and is now immersed in a project to popularise Tagore songs among a global audience.
