4.

Tagore is the only poet to have two national songs to his credit. Jana Gana Mana is the national anthem of India and Amar Sonar Bangla is the national anthem of Bangladesh. That one song, Amar Sonar Bangla, has touched the highest heights of Immortality. The words are absolutely simpler than the simplest, but they carry such inner depth:

Amar sonar Bangla, ami tomai bhalobasi. O my golden Bengal, I love you.

This is how the song starts. Inside these words there is such feeling. Tagore is giving a description of Bengal’s beauty.

I am a poet, a self-styled poet. If I am to be the judge, I will give Amar Sonar Bangla the highest award. It is so simple, so sweet, so soulful and so blissful — what more can I say? It is sweeter than the sweetest and most beautiful. Such a sweet, melodious song! The whole song is a description of Mother Bengal. Sweetness, softness, mellowness and so many other good qualities this song embodies.

Many people have written on Bangladesh and perhaps many more will write on Bangladesh, but this song will be always on the top of the Himalayas.

I am sure Tagore will remain the only poet to have two national songs to his credit.²⁰