Lyric and background history of song dukkho e noy

Parjaay: Puja O Prarthana (73)

Written on: 1914 (16 Ashwin 1321)

Place: Shantiniketan

Collection: Geetali

Swarabitan: Notation not available

Notes: This song was written at night on 3rd October, 1914 at Shantiniketan.

Rabindranath had presided over the condolence meeting at the prayer hall of Shantiniketan in the memory of Sukumar Roy who had died on 10th September, 1914. In His speech He had said – I had seen beside the death-bed of the youngman standing at the very edge of life that how well he had been able to experience death completely, the profound separation, what the soul had known as the perfect rival. He had requested me for the song ‘Aachhe Dukkho, Aachhe Mrityu …’. He had asked me twice for the song ‘Dukkho E Noy Sukh Nohe Go …’

Sushovan Sarkar, the historian, had commented in his book ‘Prosango Rabindranath’ –

… Sukumar Roy was in his death-bed. It was 1923. Rabindranath had been there to see him. Incidentally some of us were present there. Tata-da [Sukumar Roy] requested Him to sing a song. He had mentioned the song of his choice – the song from ‘Geetali’ – ‘Dukkho E Noy Sukh Nohe Go …’. I can well remember that the Poet remained silent for a while and then started the song. It was later revealed that the tune was not yet ready; He had composed the tune on the spot. The tune of the song has been lost forever; may be absence of a competent person to pick it up was the cause. …