Festivals and celebrationsSouth AsiaSecular and civic
Rabindra Jayanti
An annual Bengali festival celebrating Rabindranath Tagore with music, drama and verse
Rabindra Jayanti is an annual cultural festival held in early May across India and Bangladesh to honour the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. Educational institutions and community groups mark the occasion with performances of his songs, dances, dramas and poetry.
When is Rabindra Jayanti kept?
Rabindra Jayanti is kept on annually in early May, on 7 May or the twenty-fifth of Boishakh.
Rabindra Jayanti is an annual cultural holiday celebrating the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. Observed across India, Bangladesh and internationally by admirers of his work, the festival centres on his creative legacy. Schools, colleges, universities and community groups organise extensive stage events featuring his musical pieces, theatrical works, poetry and dance choreography.
Artistic tributes
The core of the holiday is Kabipranam, a tribute featuring cultural programmes staged in honour of Tagore. Educational institutions across Bengal, including primary schools, colleges and universities, coordinate these festive assemblies. Students and community members present his creative repertoire, reciting his poetry, enacting his dramas and performing choreographed dances. Central to the celebrations is Rabindra Sangeet, the extensive body of songs both written and composed by Tagore, which performers sing before appreciative audiences throughout the day.
Celebrations in Santiniketan
The festival is observed around the world, but its main centre is Santiniketan in the Birbhum district of West Bengal. Festivities focus especially on Visva-Bharati University, an institution established by Tagore to advance education, culture and society. Campus members and visitors gather there for commemorative events. Beyond Bengal, various cultural associations and groups abroad also arrange dedicated gatherings to honour Tagore and share his artistic creations with local audiences.
Anniversary milestones
Tagore was born in the year 1268 according to the Bengali calendar, which matches the year 1861. Across India, his birth is remembered with civic tributes alongside local school and university events. To commemorate his 150th birth anniversary in 2011, the Indian government released a special five-rupee coin. The festival continues as an annual occasion for admirers of Tagore to maintain his cultural and educational contributions.
How Rabindra Jayanti is kept
Educational institutions, community clubs and international groups organise stage events known as Kabipranam. Performers present Rabindra Sangeet songs, recite Tagore's poetry, stage his plays and perform traditional dances set to his music. In Santiniketan, Visva-Bharati University hosts extensive commemorative programmes, while schools across Bengal and groups abroad conduct similar musical and literary ceremonies throughout the day.
When and where
The holiday takes place every year in early May. Across most of India, it falls on 7 May. In Bangladesh and the state of West Bengal, celebrations follow the regional Bengali calendar, taking place on the twenty-fifth of Boishakh to match Tagore's 1861 birth date.
Celebrations take place in Bangladesh, throughout India, and among overseas groups. The focal point of the festival is Santiniketan in Birbhum, West Bengal, particularly at Visva-Bharati University.
What Rabindra Jayanti means
Rabindra Jayanti is kept as a tribute to Rabindranath Tagore and his creative output. For Bengali communities and admirers of his writing, the day celebrates the artistic, educational and social upliftment he fostered through his music, plays, poems and teaching institutions.
Questions people ask about Rabindra Jayanti
When is Rabindra Jayanti kept?
Rabindra Jayanti is kept on annually in early May, on 7 May or the twenty-fifth of Boishakh.
What is Rabindra Jayanti?
It is an annual cultural festival that marks the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. Admirers honour his artistic legacy by performing his songs, poetry, dances and dramas.
What is Kabipranam?
Kabipranam refers to the cultural events and artistic performances organised on the day, where students and artists perform Tagore's songs, drama, dance and poetry.
Where are the main festivities held?
The largest celebrations happen in Santiniketan in West Bengal, chiefly at Visva-Bharati University. Events are also held throughout Bangladesh, across India and by various groups abroad.
See also
DiwaliA five-day festival of lights celebrated across India and its diaspora to mark the victory of light over darkness.
MawlidAn annual festival marking the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, marked by poetry, processions and feasts.
HoliA spring festival of colours and bonfires that marks the end of winter and the triumph of good over evil.
Water lanternSmall lamps floated on water to honour the dead and ask for good fortuneGood reading and sources
- Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti 2022: Date, importance and significance of the dayThe Indian Express, Article
- Bangla news, latest bengali news, news in bangla, বাংলা নিউজ – ht banglaHindustan Times, Article
- Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti 2022: Date, importance and significance of the dayThe Indian Express, Article
- Bangla news, latest bengali news, news in bangla, বাংলা নিউজ – ht banglaHindustan Times, Article
- Rabindra Jayanti on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Rabindra Jayanti", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryParampara rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-06.
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