CAIRO: A five day cultural festival is currently underway in Cairo marking the 155th birth anniversary of Indian poet-philosopher Rabindranath Tagore. Inaugurated by India's Ambassador to Egypt, Sanjay Bhattacharyya with a painting exhibition showcasing works of artists from Egypt, India and other countries, on May 8, the fest will continue till the 12th.
“It is amazing that 90 years after Tagore visited Egypt, 100 plus years after he received his Nobel Prize and more than 70 years after he passes away, we are still celebrating Tagore and see how he continues to inspire us,” Bhattacharyya said. The celebrations featured Tagore's dance drama 'Shapmochan', on May 9, played by well known classical dancer Dona Ganguly. The movie 'Ghare Baire', based on one of Tagore's novel and directed by none other than legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray was screened on May 10. The conclusion of the festival will be with a seminar on Contemporary Literature 'Tagore, Shawky & Mahfouz' where Indian and Egyptian scholars and writers will participate. It will be conducted by the Supreme Council of Culture.
Tagore is well known in Egypt. He had first visited the state as an adolescent in 1878 and later as a poet in 1926, when he met King Fouad and interacted with scholars in Alexandria and Cairo. His friendship with Egyptian poet Ahmed Shawqy is well known. He had even written a moving eulogy on this death in 1932.
